Friday, March 7, 2008
I saw an ad in a magazine today with a stunning model carrying a huge pocketbook (subject of ad). Her long blonde hair cascaded in a stream of curls down her back.

I was reminded of King Louis XIV with his magnificent court wig of voluminous curly hair. Could this fascination with curls have any relation to the Versailles style crystal chandelier?

If I had to describe a Versailles crystal chandelier in one word it might be “curly.” You have the flat curly scrollwork that forms the exuberant frame. Versailles chandeliers have no supporting center column. And then the crystal pendeloques themselves are delightfully curly. Schonbek uses several shapes of handcut pendeloques to ornament this chandelier, and this variety adds to the feeling of playful curves and waves.

Every design needs some tension, of course, some contrast. And in a Versailles crystal chandelier the contrast is provided by crystal spikes. At the heart of the chandelier is a massive handcut crystal spike, taking advantage of the space left free by the absence of a center column. This large crystal centerpiece is more architectural than spiky, though we call it a spike. Smaller spikes rise up at several points in the design.

The Schonbeks tell me it’s very difficult to handcut these spikes. In a Schonbek Versailles chandelier the center spike is lit from within, adding to its magnificence and radiating light throughout the design.

For all its ornate appearance and startling energy, Versailles is not a glitzy chandelier. There is no faceted crystal to create fireworks of prismatic light. But light is perpetually and subtly shimmering on the wavy beveled edges of the pendeloques. So like any Schonbek crystal chandelier, Versailles is a beautiful exploration of light and a pleasure to contemplate.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Can a crystal chandelier co-exist happily with a computer? Of course. We’re deep in the age of eclecticism, and if you have a good eye, you can indulge in all sorts of contrasts and challenging combinations.

There are many ways to go. If your décor is minimalist, then the obvious solution is a Geometrix® crystal chandelier or Geometrix® pendants. See the image on this website of Edges® crystal pendants lighting a desktop. Schonbek offers a plethora of crystal pendants in every possible shape, cubes and cylinders, spirals and pyramids.

If your home office is spacious as well as minimalist, you could go for a large Geometrix® crystal chandelier. I can’t show you an image of a home office with this style of Geometrix®. But you can look at other rooms and use your imagination. See Da Vinci™ in a loft, Refrax™ wave in a  dining room and a Refrax™ box in a bathroom. Picture these massive crystal chandeliers hovering in your home office like a visitor from outer space.

Schonbek also makes Geometrix® crystal chandeliers that bear more resemblance to conventional crystal chandeliers. See Elements and yet another Elements. These would be lovely in a home office. Especially if your computer has a silver-colored body, and there’s a lot of glass and chrome in the room.

If your home office is contemporary, but not really high tech, a Jasmine crystal chandelier might work. Jasmine is such a pure style it can go almost anywhere.

What if your decor is traditional, but you still need a computer in one room?  I’ve found that a rock crystal chandelier goes surprisingly well with a computer.

I might recommend Renaissance with a mix of rock crysal, clear crystal and Jet Black crystal. But other styles would work too.

Rock crystal is not glitzy, which helps. The glossy, silvery quality of the crystal is compatible with the silvery body of a computer. If you keep the room dark, and your color palette is rich and dark, it helps smooth out any tension between old and new. And you can dim your chandelier way down to maintain that twilight zone feeling that people like when glued to a monitor.

So I say have your computer and your crystal too. By all means.

Monday, March 3, 2008

As campaigning heats up, I go back to wondering why anyone would want to be president. What an impossible job. The only good thing about it would be living in the White House with all those gorgeous crystal chandeliers. (Some trimmed with antique Schonbek crystal!)

And then there’s the heartbreak of having to leave the chandeliers when your term is up. Does any candidate consider that?

Far better to create your own little White House at home, full of Schonbek crystal chandeliers.

The crystal chandeliers in the White House differ quite a bit from one another, and I admire this. Mixing styles is fun,  and makes it easier to do your redecorating room by room. I like to think of decorating as a lifetime project. It’s more affordable and also prolongs the pleasure.

But for best results over the years, you might like to decide up front that every chandelier in your home will be a Schonbek. There are a number of advantages to this.

You won’t have to worry about the quality of your chandeliers. The workmanship of a Schonbek is meticulous, the crystal top quality. Schonbek has a track record of 138 years and an impeccable reputation. 

You’ll always have something new and exciting to consider. Schonbek is an innovator, even in the realm of the traditional. No one else comes up with as many interesting new crystal chandelier designs as Schonbek does.

And if you break a piece of crystal sometime, you’ll know where to go for a replacement. Schonbek has a fabulous customer service department and maintains a substantial inventory of parts. Good service is of utmost importance to Schonbek.