When one thinks of a chandelier, one usually has in mind the crystal chandeliers adorning the ballrooms of the rich and famous. However contemporary chandeliers are the “in thing” today, as they are not too ornate or elaborate, come in various casual styles, and light up the room with a nice tone without being too ostentatious.
Contemporary chandeliers come in a variety of finishes that one could choose from. With the bronze finishes, one could get weathered bronze, imperial bronze, tannery bronze, dorian bronze, and sable bronze patinas. Finishes come in brushed nickel, brushed nickel with chrome, iron oxide, olde pewter, olde iron, polished brass, empire silver, distressed black, etc.
The shades also have a lot of variety – etched marble glass shades, etched opal glass shades, antique etched glass, Venetian Scavo glass, double French Scavo glass, umber with teadust glass, umbered alabaster, silk shades, etc. The shapes of the shades also vary – oval, round, etc.
Generally, most contemporary chandeliers have casual styles with linear lines, though one could also get simple classic styles. One could have 3 bulbs or many bulbs with a candelabra base or a medium base. The lights could be upward facing or downward facing. One could also get single-tier, double-tier or triple-tier designs. Prices could start as low as $75, depending on the style and materials, on up to $1,000 or more for the designer varieties.
One can view on the Internet pictures of many of the contemporary models made by different manufacturers. The pricing depends on the height and width of the chandelier as well as the materials used.
As there is such a great variety, one could use comparative tools to compare pricing among brands as well as view details about specifications and quality of materials used. Such resources allow one to make an educated choice.