Retro chandeliers

Start with the diameter and the suspension height, then choose the socket and the light temperature: that is the order that keeps you from getting a retro chandelier wrong. This collection combines metal, iron, crystal and glass with bronze, gold, black or red finishes, for a living room, a dining room or a kitchen.

Living room chandeliers: how do you choose the right one?

A retro chandelier stands out by its volume at the ceiling: a wide sphere or a metal ring fills the room, while a tighter shape stays more discreet above the sofa. Crystal adds reflections that move with daylight, glass lets light through without concentrating it. Diameter, suspension height, socket and temperature are decided before buying.

Glass retro chandelier: what light for a living room?

Glass diffuses widely and creates reflections without a hard spot, which suits a room where you sit in the evening. The Mireno chandelier in glass and a black bar is listed as warm white at 2700 to 3500 K, with amber globes that soften the effect. To compare options, browse the vintage chandeliers for living rooms.

Orange or red retro chandelier: how do you dare to use colour?

The collection covers red, bronze, black and gold, and the Fabricia chandelier comes in a wide palette that includes orange, green, blue, beige or taupe. A strong shade works on a simple shape, often a ball or a ring: the colour then remains the focal point. Bold tones stand out among the modern LED living room chandeliers.

Dining room chandeliers: what height and format above the table?

The suspension is adjusted so the light falls on the tabletop without hiding faces. In the collection, the Mireno chandelier is 150 cm high and the Fabricia chandelier can reach 230 cm: two useful references for judging the space available between ceiling and table. The diameter is matched to the width of the table.

What suspension height above the table?

As a rule, the bottom of the fixture sits about 75 to 85 cm above the tabletop for a dining table, and higher above an island. With 150 cm of height on the Mireno, check the distance between ceiling and table before fixing the chain or cable. Other formats are gathered in the LED chandeliers for dining rooms.

E27 or G9 socket: what does it change for installation?

The E27 socket takes a classic screw bulb, easy to replace and widely available. G9 takes a small pin bulb, more compact, handy in a fixture with several points close together. The Mireno chandelier is E27, the Fabricia chandelier is G9: the socket of the model dictates the choice of bulb. See also the designer dining room chandeliers.

Original chandeliers: how do you move away from the classic look?

Originality comes from shape, colour and material rather than ornament. A sphere in a metal cage, crystal pendants, a black bar carrying glass globes or a round aluminium shape change the look. Red, bronze or orange tones make more of a statement than a neutral model.

Retro chandelier with pendants: what effect in height?

Pendants visually lengthen the fixture and use the ceiling height, which suits a room with a high ceiling but clutters a low hallway. The Nebula chandelier in gold crystal plays on this register with brass, crystal, metal, iron and linen. Similar options appear in the modern crystal chandeliers.

Ball, round, globe, tube: which shape for which room?

A ball or globe gives a dense point of light, suited to a living room or a bedroom. A round, flat shape covers a table or an entryway, while a square shape or a tube lengthens the line above a worktop. Glass and metal are often combined on the same model. More ideas in the modern glass chandeliers and the modern LED chandeliers.

Retro chandelier in a kitchen or hallway: does it work?

Yes, as long as it stays in a dry interior room: the models in the collection are IP20. In a kitchen, a compact chandelier above the island or worktop works well; in a hallway, a small format is enough to create a point of light without cluttering the passage. Aluminium and metal are easy to clean in these heavily used rooms.

Retro kitchen chandelier: what format above the worktop?

Choose a tight shape, ball or globe, so it does not get in the way of your movements or the extractor hood. The Fabricia chandelier, in aluminium and a 64 cm round shape, is listed for the kitchen, hallway and entryway as well as the living room. Colour helps: modern gold-coloured chandeliers warm up a dark worktop. Other compact formats are in the LED chandeliers for kitchens.

IP20: what does it mean in a damp room?

An IP20 rating protects against solid objects larger than 12.5 mm, not against water splashes. A retro chandelier is therefore meant for the living room, bedroom, dining room, kitchen or hallway, and not for a bathroom. In a damp room, you need a higher protection rating.

Warm white or cool white: what light for a retro chandelier?

Warm white, from 2700 to 3500 K, dominates the collection: it is the light that suits a living room, a bedroom or a dining room. Cool white, from 4500 to 6500 K, available on some models, gives a more neutral effect, suited to rooms where you want to see clearly.

2700 to 3500 K: the living room and bedroom mood

This range leans towards orange-yellow. It softens crystal and glass, brings out bronze and gold, and keeps faces natural around a table. It is the setting to favour when the fixture stays on in the evening, in a room for relaxing. The relevant models can be found in the LED chandeliers for a living room and the LED chandeliers for bedrooms.

4500 to 6500 K: when cool white is useful

Cool white makes colours more neutral and details easier to read: it suits an office, a kitchen or an entryway where you want clear visibility. On the Nebula chandelier, both temperatures are listed, which lets you adapt the effect to the room. Be careful not to mix two very different temperatures on the same fixture.

Metal, iron, crystal or glass: which material should you choose?

Metal and iron form the structure and keep their lines over time, while steel and aluminium lighten the whole. Crystal and glass diffuse light and create reflections. In the collection, crystal, metal and iron often sit together on the same model, with a bronze, gold or black finish setting the style.

Metal and iron: the structure of the suspension

An iron or steel frame holds the points of light and gives the silhouette: cage, circle, bar, square. Brass and gold bring a warm tone, black a sharp contrast against a pale wall. These structures stand out in the modern metal chandeliers. Check the weight before drilling, especially on a multi-arm model.

Crystal and glass: how light is diffused

Crystal throws light back in splinters and creates moving reflections, while glass lets the flow through and lights more widely. A mix of the two gives a rich effect without opacity. The Fabricia chandelier, in aluminium and a round shape, goes for a clean line instead. Compare the effects in the crystal chandeliers for living rooms and the bohemian crystal chandeliers.

Can you install a dimmer on a retro chandelier?

Dimming is only possible on some of the models in the collection, and the Nebula chandelier is the only one explicitly listed as compatible. On the others, dimming depends on the bulb and the circuit. Check this point before buying if you want to lower the intensity in the evening.

Dimmer: on which models and why

A dimmer requires a compatible bulb, often a so-called dimmable LED, and a suitable circuit. Without either, the adjustment will not work, even if the fixture is declared compatible. The most elaborate models in the selection are gathered in the luxury chandeliers and the gold and black chandeliers.

8 W and 40 W wattages: what does it change in use?

These two values correspond to different levels of equipment in the collection. A higher wattage serves a large room or a fixture whose light must carry far; a lower wattage suits occasional use or several points of light that add up. The stated wattage concerns the intended bulb, not the total consumption of the chandelier.

How do you install and care for a retro chandelier?

Installation is done at the ceiling fixing point, using the model dimensions as a guide: Ø 42 to 65 cm for the Sphère Éclairée, Ø 64 cm for the Fabricia, maximum height 230 cm. Switch off the circuit before any work. Crystal and glass are cleaned dry or slightly damp, metal with a soft cloth.

Adjusting height and the fixing point

First note the distance between ceiling and table or floor, then adjust the chain or cable. A model with several points of light weighs more: a fixing suited to the surface is essential, especially on a plasterboard ceiling. Also check that the fixture does not protrude into the walkway. The rest of the catalogue can be explored in all our light fixtures.

Caring for crystal, glass and metal

Dust crystal and glass with a soft cloth, without abrasive products, and avoid taking down the hanging parts to clean them. Metal and aluminium need only a slightly damp cloth, then a wipe to avoid marks. The warranty is two years on most models and five years on part of the selection.

Secure payment, tracked delivery, possible returns and Designix customer service to guide you from choosing dimensions to installation. The full catalogue and its finishes can be browsed in the Designix lighting catalogue.

Frequently asked questions