The idea of a gazebo is tremendously appealing. An utterly personal space for contemplation. A vantage point for a wonderful view. A retreat from everyone and everything. Something so personal and pleasure oriented should certainly have a crystal chandelier, if at all possible.

I believe Andrew intends to work on his laptop in the gazebo, but all the more reason to have a crystal chandelier. Work goes better if you can stop doing it at intervals, look around you and daydream a bit.

I realize that if your gazebo is lighted by a crystal chandelier and wired for work, it can’t be entirely open to the elements. It must have windows that close. That’s the kind of gazebo I’d want. I’d prefer an upholstered loveseat to a rattan rocker any day.

It’s interesting to think about which Schonbek crystal chandeliers would be good for a gazebo. Genesis is a natural, because of its tree-like frame and fruit-like crystal trim. Tesoro would be lovely, too, with its natural rock crystal ornaments. And since one’s gazebo is presumably nestled in a garden, what could be more appropriate than The Rose?

Any Schonbek crystal chandelier with leafy elements or crystal fruit would be delightful. Or you could go the historic route. Gazebos were very popular with the Victorians. So you might choose a tiny Victorian.

For rustic simplicity, Early American would be good. And keep in mind that Schonbek can make you a crystal chandelier that’s not electrified. You might like the idea of lighting candles in your gazebo, rather than switching on your light. See Early American on the page about candle power.

Tuesday, April 3, 2007

Just a few short years ago, there was no such thing as a small rock crystal chandelier. The rock crystal chandelier was an antique form of lighting dating back to periods when only the wealthiest and most powerful members of society possessed crystal chandeliers. They inhabited palatial rooms, and their chandeliers were sized accordingly.

All of this history makes Roma quite an interesting phenomenon. This rock crystal chandelier comes in various sizes, all of them little. The largest has a 17-inch diameter, the smallest a 10 ½-inch diameter.

Despite its small proportions, Roma has presence, as if it remembers the impressive past of its genre. The chandelier may be small, but the rock crystal elements are not. Big chunky rock crystal pendants hang from thick baroque cast arms. Substantial rock crystal bobeches support the candles.

The larger sizes of Roma have a massive rock crystal globe at the heart of the chandelier, and an equally massive rock crystal globe at the finial point. In the smaller sizes, there’s just one of these rock crystal globes. When I speak of a large size, that’s relative of course. Roma is always tiny.

Rock crystal ornaments and spheres want to be big, to show off the marvelous inner complexities of the quartz. And they are big in Roma.

Rock crystal gemstones are the ultimate expression of Nature civilized. The quartz itself is a geological wonder formed by the cataclysmic events that shaped the Earth. And then it enters the realm of the artisan, who cuts it and polishes it by hand with painstaking care, investing a great deal of time and skill into bringing each individual gemstone to the peak of its beauty.

Monday, April 2, 2007

The other copywriter in our office (Caleb) finally gave me a report on the second Schonbek lamp he acquired: Diadem 10484.  

Around the office Caleb is quiet and restrained. His choice of this particular lamp hints at hitherto unsuspected depths of romanticism. The crystal body is a rich purple, the crystal ornaments a golden topaz, the shade an amazing sunrise color of amber-orange dipped in gold.

Caleb described the first lighting of the lamp. He and his wife and child turned off all the lights in the room. It was dark outside. After they lit the Diadem lamp, “We sat in silence staring at it for a while, like three cavemen sitting around a fire for the first time. It has that dawn-of-a-new-era feel to it, an amber glow, a subdued fiery quality.”

The elongated crystal teardrops that ornament this lamp were a big hit with Caleb’s family. Now they want to special-order more of them to hang on their other Diadem lamp, which has no crystal drops. This is quite possible to do. Schonbek has a spare parts department which you can reach with their regular phone number: 800-836-1892.

I’ve given a lot of thought to the crystal ornamentation on Schonbek lamps. The lamps I just ordered for my bedroom have wonderful crystal bodies, bases and finials, but no dangling crystal. My fear was that dangling ornaments might be in danger from the reach of a sleepy person. Downstairs, however, I have a Zoe, with dainty topaz crystal leaves dangling from the neck. I expect people to be fully awake in the living room.

It’s fun to think about all these things when choosing a lamp. Caleb is a little concerned that the elongated crystal teardrops may attract the attentions of his cat, but he’s willing to take the chance. “Suddenly everything orbits around these Schonbek lamps.”

He’s starting to think about a little crystal chandelier to go with the lamps.

These lamps are so colorful, that I might advocate a Mardi Gras crystal chandelier. You can get a Mardi Gras with a central crystal vase of purple, amber, blue or red. And the crystal ornaments are a mix of wild colors. The crystal pears on a Mardi Gras chandelier are as luscious as the elongated crystal teardrops on a Diadem lamp.