When humans began to truly harness indoor lighting in a safe and reliable way, they imagined bringing that light into their homes in ways that were aesthetically pleasing. Now, light fixtures don’t just make it possible to stay up well after the sun has set. They are part of the overall decor of a room. Indeed, a light fixture may be the room’s focal point. Below, we review the most common styles of lighting fixtures.
The Chandelier
If light fixtures were birds, chandeliers would be peacocks. They evolved from ceiling lights with a few simple wrought iron arms that held a candle each to glittering monstrosities. These creations can be decorated with thousands of cut crystals, dozens of lights and frames wrought of precious metal.
Styles range from Maria Theresa and Empire to cascade and others. The most expensive sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars and require very high ceilings and opulent furnishings. But a regular person can grab a perfectly beautiful crystal chandelier for a couple of hundred dollars.
Pendant Lights
Pendants are also lights that hang down from the ceiling, but they don’t have the chandelier’s arms. They can be all manner of shapes and sizes, from spheres and half-spheres to cylinders, drums, ovals and squares. Others have idiosyncratic designs that make them a conversation piece.
Because they usually only take one or two lightbulbs, they are often used in groups if a room is large. It’s common to see a group of pendant lights over a dining room table or a kitchen island, for example.
Table and Floor Lamps
A lamp is the proper name for a lightbulb, but it’s also the name for a source of light set on a table or the floor. Very versatile, lamps are usually easy to pick up and move around. They range from tiny, shaded battery-powered lamps placed in a row down a party table to ’60s-era wall-height floor lamps with multiple arms with attractive glass shades.
The styles of table lamp bases are almost innumerable. They range from cut or milk glass vases, ginger jars, and porcelain sculptures to polished wood pillars made in high school shop class.
Flush-Mounted Lights
The bases of these lights are flush against the ceiling without the poles, chains or ropes of pendant lights. They’re the most common type of light you’ll find in modern homes because they’re easy to install, keep clean and replace.
There are so many ways to light your home that choosing a style can be a little bewildering. If you need some help with installing the best lighting for your home, give us a call at Fisher Electric in Santa Cruz, CA.
