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When I moved into my apartment two years ago, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about my living room’s recessed lights. The space didn’t have wiring for decorative lighting fixtures, and I find that chandeliers and pendant lights can add so much charm and personality to a room. The recessed cans were totally functional, but I just wanted to figure out a solution for a little more drama overhead.
Then came my lightbulb moment (ha!). While revamping my living room with picture frame molding earlier this summer, it occurred to me that I could fake a bit of architectural character on my ceiling, too. If I wanted to hang a chandelier in the center of the room for the heck of it — without any wiring — I could!
You may be wondering why I would go through the process of picking out and installing a chandelier in the middle of my living room solely for aesthetic purposes, and I definitely understand that this type of design decision isn’t for everyone. This choice all came down to my personal preferences and overall vision for this room. Essentially, I wanted to add a bit of extra visual flair to the space — many designers refer to light fixtures as a room’s jewelry, after all — so I decided to do something a bit unconventional in the process.
Because I knew this piece wouldn’t be serving a functional purpose, I didn’t want to blow my budget. That said, I wanted something slightly Parisian-looking and definitely not modern in style. I turned to Amazon, where I found a beautiful fixture that looked luxe, had gotten great reviews, and came in just under $250.
I paired the chandelier with an ornate ceiling medallion, also from Amazon, for some extra oomph. Right away, I was thrilled with the results (I had a TaskRabbit install both items in a rental-friendly but safe manner). My living room looks much more elevated and elegant, and many people who’ve seen my chandelier have assumed that it’s a high-end vintage piece.
The style of chandelier I purchased has five lights, but you can also buy an eight-light or three-light version of the piece, depending on your needs. I could see the eight-light chandelier being amazing in an entryway or above a dining room table, while the three-light one would be gorgeous for a bathroom. I selected the five-light option due to its 24-inch diameter. A good rule of thumb for determining the best size of chandelier for your space: Add up the total of the length and width of your room (in feet), and that will tell you approximately what diameter (in inches) of chandelier you should buy. Therefore, if your space is 15 feet by 9 feet like mine, a chandelier with a diameter of 24 inches is a perfect choice.
Whether you copy my out-of-the-box approach or simply buy this chandelier for its intended purpose, you won’t regret it. I say bring on the Parisian charm, and one day, I may add some kind of remote-control, battery-operated LED bulbs to the piece, so I can light it up as though it were wired.
Buy: ZILANL Vintage 5 Lights Gold Glass Pendant Lighting, $249
