Chandelier

A chandelier (/ˌʃændəˈlɪər/ is an ornamental light fixture with multiple lights, typically with spreading branched supports, designed to be hung from the ceiling. Chandeliers are often ornate, and they were originally designed to hold candles, but now incandescent light bulbs are commonly used, and fluorescent lamps and LEDs may also be used in some modern designs.

A wide variety of materials ranging from wood and earthenware to silver and gold can be used to make chandelier; brass is one the most popular with Dutch and Flemish brass chandelier the best-known, but glass is the material most commonly associated with chandelier. True glass chandelier first developed in Italy, England, France, and Bohemia in the 18th century. Classic glass chandeliers have arrays of hanging "crystal" prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light, while contemporary chandeliers may assume a more minimalist design that does not contain prisms and illuminate a room with direct light from the lamps, sometimes also equipped with translucent glass shades covering each lamp. Chandeliers produced nowadays can assume a wide variety of styles that span modernized and traditional designs or a combination of both.

Chandeliers are distinct from pendant lights, as they usually consist of multiple lamps and hang in branched frames, whereas pendant lights hang from a single cord and only contain one or two lamps with fewer decorative elements. Due to their size, they are often installed in hallways, living rooms, staircases, lounges, and dining rooms. Small chandeliers can be installed in smaller spaces such as bedrooms or small living spaces, while larger chandeliers are typically installed in the grand rooms of buildings such as halls and lobbies, or in religious buildings such as churches, cathedrals or mosques.