Chandelier

A chandelier (/ˌʃændəˈlɪər/) is an ornamental lighting device, typically with spreading branched supports for multiple lights, designed to be hung from the ceiling.^[1][2] Chandeliers are often ornate, and they were originally designed to hold candles, but now incandescent light bulbs are commonly used,^[3] as well as fluorescent lamps and LEDs.

A wide variety of materials ranging from wood and earthenware to silver and gold can be used to make chandeliers. Brass is one of the most popular with Dutch or Flemish brass chandeliers being the best-known, but glass is the material most commonly associated with chandeliers. True glass chandeliers were first developed in Italy, England, France, and Bohemia in the 18th century. Classic glass and crystal chandeliers have arrays of hanging "crystal" prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light. Contemporary chandeliers may assume a more minimalist design, and they may illuminate a room with direct light from the lamps or are 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.

Although chandeliers have been called candelabras, chandeliers can be distinguished from candelabras which are designed to stand on tables or the floor, while chandeliers are hung from the ceiling. They are also 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 few decorative elements. Due to their size, they are often installed in large hallways and staircases, living rooms, lounges, and dining rooms, often as focus of the room. Small chandeliers can be installed in smaller spaces such as bedrooms or small living spaces, while large chandeliers are typically installed in the grand rooms of buildings such as halls and lobbies, or in religious buildings such as churches, synagogues or mosques.