Sunday, January 14, 2007
I’m working this weekend on press releases for the lighting trade show in Dallas. The new products Schonbek is introducing are very exciting.  

Schonbek is amazingly prolific in the area of original design. There’s always a fantastic new chandelier design around the corner, or several. Does this mean you should wait for the next creative outburst of crystal chandelier designs before getting your Schonbek?

I don’t think so. Classic Schonbek designs will never be surpassed. By anyone, even Schonbek. There will never be a more perfect crystal chandelier in my opinion than Versailles. The ornate scrollwork and crystal pendeloques that delighted King Louis XIV in the seventeenth century really can’t be improved upon. And Schonbek has rendered this antique style with wonderful authenticity.

And there will never be a more glorious indulgence in magnificence than La Scala, with its baroque cast arms and extravagant display of handcut crystal in classic shapes.

At the same time, novelty has its attractions. Black Hamilton, fashionably dressed in Jet Black crystal, is a new Schonbek design that’s been written up in magazines and newspapers nationwide. It is stunning, and at once both trendy and traditional. But if your house is already filled with crystal chandeliers, you won’t have a place for it, and this could be cause for regret.

So my advice is this. If you’re ready for a crystal chandelier, don’t wait. Life is short, and you will never make a mistake if you choose a Schonbek crystal chandelier. But just save one room for later. Then when Schonbek comes out with an irresistible new design, you’ll have a place for it. And an excuse to redecorate a room. And you’ll have saved up some extra money for the project.

If I’d listened to my own advice, I’d have a place in my home for the new Renaissance with rock crystal and olivine colored crystal.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

If you’re into extreme opulence, crystal candelabra are an excellent way to express it.

We just revised the crystal candelabra section on this website. Schonbek has explored this highly specialized category of lighting quite thoroughly, and continues to explore it with new designs. You may be surprised at how many choices you have, if you have leanings in the direction of candelabra. Some Schonbek designs are so unusual, you’re hardly aware that they fall into the candelabra category.

I’ve always been especially fond of Versailles. This is to be expected, since I also love Versailles crystal chandeliers. The slender baroque scrollwork is light and airy, yet the crystal is sumptuous: large handcut crystal pendeloques.

Most but not all Schonbek candelabra are inspired by specific Schonbek crystal chandelier styles.

Mardi Gras is a candelabrum that appeals to my wilder side. I’d want a crystal chandelier to match, if I had a room worthy of Mardi Gras. More is more, when you’re indulging in extravagant color.

But my newest favorite is a new and exclusive candelabrum lamp. By exclusive is meant that you won’t find it everywhere. Only a few select showrooms are given the privilege of carrying this design. This is partly because the materials are quite precious: rock crystal and brass. And the rock crystal elements are substantial: a huge globe at the heart of the lamp and a monumental spike. You’ll have to call Schonbek directly to get the name of a dealer. The number is 800-836-1892.

Monday, January 8, 2007

Does a crystal chandelier belong in a home entertainment center? I’d say so, absolutely!

I know for a fact that many people put a crystal chandelier in their home entertainment environment, because they’ve sent us pictures. And we’ve gone on location and taken photos, too. See our Artemis crystal chandelier in a game room. This pleasant space for card games opens to a complete home entertainment center.

Historically, crystal chandeliers are closely associated with entertainment. If you lived in the eighteenth century in the highest echelons of society, your indoor entertainment consisted of tea parties, formal dinners, balls and soirées. Crystal chandeliers were more likely to be present than not. So I maintain we should keep the crystal chandeliers in place, even though home entertainment has been partly taken over by television. Not everything should be sacrificed to technology. And for those like to decorate in a technical style, there’s Geometrix™ high-tech lighting by Schonbek.

I once read that it’s better for your eyes to leave a little light on when you watch TV. That’s another argument for a chandelier, since it can and should be on a dimmer switch. There's nothing quite so restful to the spirit and the eyes as a crystal chandelier dimmed way down.

My home entertainment center is the guest room. That’s where we have our only TV, and it’s very futuristic. Our logic is that we want our guests to be thoroughly entertained and have the best of everything. Which certainly means a crystal chandelier and matching crystal wall sconce, as well as a high-definition TV.