Fashionable and functional, chandeliers should be incorporated into the home just as any decorative accessory or object of art would be chosen. “I would urge consumers to view this purchase with the same enjoyment they have in buying fine furniture,” says Dan Blitzer, educational consultant for the American Lighting Association. “A fine chandelier is an investment that will add to the value of your home.”

To find the right style chandelier for your home, simply begin with the strongest color or material in your room. What catches your eye in the room? What type of statement do you want to make? If the room is more traditional, choose chandeliers with more ornamentation and decorative details. If your home is modern, opt for less ornamentation, clean lines and simpler details.

Here are some more tips when shopping for a chandelier:

1. Light it Right Be sure to choose the correct light bulbs for your particular chandelier. According to the experts, clear bulbs in chandeliers with exposed bulbs, or crystal glass enclosures will enhance sparkle. In chandeliers with linen shades, frosted bulbs cast a pleasing glow and won’t create shadows.

2. Weight It Always consider the weight of the chandelier. Chandeliers heavier than 50 pounds have to be mounted more securely to the house’s structure. “This is a criteria of the National Electrical Code, and the electrician hanging the fixture should be aware of this,” says Rey-Barreau. “It doesn’t hurt to remind them, however.”

3. Assemble a Full Cast Don’t let a chandelier hang alone in a room. Like a star, they need a supporting cast of characters to help them do their job. “A chandelier needs supplemental lighting around it,” says Blitzer. “Don’t sweat it to find the one fixture that does everything. It is best to achieve a layer of lighting in the rooms with sconces, table and floor lamps.”

4. Mixed Messaging Mixing of materials and styles within one fixture is now a common design trend. It is not unusual, for example, to find a rustic cast-iron fixture with crystals hanging from it, or different metals and types of glass all incorporated into one fixture. “American styles are decidedly eclectic and homeowners today are very comfortable mixings styles,” says Blitzer. “Chandeliers lends themselves neatly to that process. You can look for a chandelier that is inspired by the period reflected in the room you are putting it, but you don’t have to. Many contemporary designs are a blend of traditional elements with modern materials — glass and alabaster with polished chrome or satin nickel, which makes them work with a variety of styles.”

5. Color Spectrum While sparkling clear crystal refracts and reflects light, designers offer chandeliers in a rainbow of shades to complement decor. Colored crystal can combine with clear to create a prism of hue. Smokey quartz, rock crystal and amethyst offer an antique feel.

6. Shine and Finish Chandeliers no longer feature just one metal or just one finish. The latest looks offer multi-tone finishes created by painted or chemical processes.

7. Young and Dewy The freshest faces in chandeliers are clean and simple, designed to work in more contemporary spaces. “We just introduced a dramatic new category of crystal product that is very contemporary,” says Schonbek. “It features colored crystal geometric shapes — cubes, rectangles, spirals, pyramids. The colors mix together to create auras of light for a vibrant rich look.”

8. Dim It Whether they are ornate and multi-armed or feature a large-scale bowl, chandeliers need a dimmer so homeowners can control the intensity of light. “Most of the time, the lighting capability of a chandelier is more than is actually necessary to light a space,” says Rey-Barreua. “They should always be controlled by a dimmer to add to the aesthetic appeal.”

9. Match Point Once a design preference has been identified, the chandelier should simply be another decorative element.

“There is a trend to eclectic interiors where traditional, transitional and modern will blur even within the same room,” says Rey-Barreau. “The chandelier doesn’t need to match the decor in a very rigid manner. If it works visually for the user, then it’s fine.”

1STOPLighting carries chandeliers in numerous styles and materials. You'll find traditional, transitional and contemporary chandeliers in wrought iron, bronze, brass and crystal. Along with finding a chandelier perfect for your living or dining room, you can sort through our collection to find a fixture for your foyer and island or billiard table. There are over 200,000 lighting products, an easy-to-navigate site, and a robust search engine.