4 Must Knows When Buying a Custom Blown Glass Chandelier

For glass enthusiasts, there are few pieces more stunning and iconic than a, custom, blown-glass chandelier. Assembled from a myriad of shapes in every color, a glass art chandelier can illuminate and enhance a living space. Ethel A. Furman & Associates specializes in working with chandelier artists who create unique pieces that are a breathtaking addition to any home.

Here’s what you need to know when looking into a bespoke glass art chandelier for your space:

1. Consider the height of your living space/dimensions. With chandeliers, a good rule of thumb is to hang it high enough so that the bottom is at least 8.5 feet above the floor, if you plan to walk under it. Don’t stress: when you order from us, we do all the math to find the perfect chandelier height, width, and chandelier cable length for your living space A glass art chandelier adds dimension and drama to a foyer—just be sure to hang it above head height. Consider whether your foyer is one story or two. In a two-story foyer, do not hang your chandelier before the second floor. Dining rooms are a bit different. Take out your measuring tape and consider the shape and size that would best compliment your space. Just approximating. A chandelier in your dining room will hang at least 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop. This provides adequate lighting while keeping it at a comfortable height above you and your dinner guests while sitting.

2. Always custom. Every chandelier is a little bit different, and should tailored to each client’s individual home. Be wary of places who sell pre-made chandeliers. Every home is slightly different, and each chandelier should be custom to fit your specific your architectural dimensions. This important for not only aesthetic appeal, but safety as well.

3. Have a mix between practicality and fun. Your chandelier should match your living space color-wise, but a good designer should be able to incorporate “favorite-colors” as well. For example, let’s say you love red, but don’t want something overly bold and distracting. A designer would soften out the red pieces with beige tones like Golden Topaz to blend it into a more neutral room. The quality of glass, and color combination is everything. We like to think we get our inspiration from the many magnificent chandeliers we've come across in our years of designing and producing them.

You can have your cake and eat it too! Of course, this takes planning and attention. As experts who have been doing this for over a quarter century, we are happy to take care of it! We hold your hand every step of the way, to make it fun, not stressful.

4. Lastly...Remember this is functional. It should be built as such. My favorite part about the glass chandeliers is that they are truly functional art! Your piece is not simply “art you hang up,” it is a practical lighting system that literally illuminates your home. Functional art incorporates beauty with practicality, and this is why both elements should be top quality. For this reason, we use dimmable, warm-lit, ultra long lasting LEDs that not only provide a brilliant and adjustable warm glow equal to that of halogens, they use very little energy. They are green and can run tens of thousands of hours before needing replacing. You will likely never need to replace them, and if you ever do the process is as simple as swapping out new bulbs on a removable light stick. No tools are required, and can be done in under an hour. We also have a reinforced steel cage and titanium aircraft cable for hanging, as thin as a pencil yet strong enough to hold twenty of your chandeliers.

If you want some inspiration for chandelier designs, look no further than featured past chandeliers in catalogues, or in our online gallery.

These are all chandeliers we have produced for past clients. You may get one exactly like you see if you wish, change an aspect, or do something totally custom. Either way it will be designed and produced from scratch, specifically for you.