These events are for interior designers only. But it’s okay for a designer to bring a client. So if you’re contemplating or in the middle of a big redecorating project, you and your designer can attend together.

The Schonbek executive conducting the event is Dirk Wald, and he’s one of those people who knows how to stir up a crowd. Even if you walk through the door feeling kind of tired and not especially enthusiastic about anything including crystal chandeliers, by the end of the evening you’ll be sparkling as much as a crystal chandelier, and dying to get one. At least Dirk has a reputation for doing this to audiences.

But don’t let me alarm you. A Designer Night is not a sales pitch. It’s meant to be informational – and just as important, a party.

Dirk’s knowledge about every type of crystal and every style of chandelier is pretty amazing, so here’s your chance to ask anything you ever wanted to know about crystal chandeliers.

Dirk worked in a lighting showroom for years before he joined Schonbek. And when he was selling lighting, Schonbek was his favorite product line. He sold record numbers of crystal chandeliers. With this kind of background, he’s very familiar with the state of mind of a person shopping for lighting and the challenges they face. And despite this great depth of experience, Dirk is young. He started working so young that he’ll be young for a long time. Which means he’s very much in tune with trends, and a bit of a maverick. This is the kind of expertise you want, when you’re trying for new and different effects with crystal.

You don’t have to be from Missouri to attend this designer night. But you do have to make a reservation. So if you want to go, call Metro Lighting. The contact info is on the Designer Night page on this website.

Thursday, May 15, 2008
“What is it?” may be your first reaction when you see Quantum, a new crystal chandelier by Schonbek. Your next thought is likely to be, “I want one!” – especially if you have a taste for the outrageous.

Rather than making any attempt to look like a crystal chandelier, Quantum takes the shape of a slab, cube, plank or block. The disciplined angularity of these shapes is in total contrast to the wild prismatic action of the crystal. Quantum is outrageously brilliant, being entirely composed of Swarovski® crystal jewels.

Quantum feels to me like something that just arrived from outer space. I can easily imagine a crew of tiny beings inside emitting friendly beams of intelligence and good will. Happily this is one space slab that won’t be heading back to its home galaxy. It is securely grip-locked with high tech airplane cable to your ceiling.

Andrew Schonbek has pet names for these crystal chandeliers. He calls them shoeboxes, pillars, fish tanks, toast. He hopes that designers and homeowners will do unexpected things with Quantum. He has visions of a small crystalline toast floating in the air just for the sheer whimsy of it.

There’s something quite interesting about a crystal chandelier that’s open-ended in terms of application. The interior designer is invited to be imaginative rather than follow a well beaten path.

At the same time, some Quantum chandeliers do gravitate to specific uses. A huge Quantum brick would be great over a contemporary dining table. And I can easily picture three little Quantum cubes over a kitchen island in a steel and glass kitchen.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
There’s something very pleasing about this dining room with its La Scala crystal chandelier.

The room is designed on a human scale. And it’s not a setting contrived in a studio. Real people live in this house and eat in this modest dining room.

With eight chairs around the table, it’s clear that the family has dinners rather than banquets. Note also this dining room lighted by Da Vinci™ LED chandeliers with the same configuration. Conversation gets difficult with more than eight people at table.

So both of these homeowners are interested in socializing in an intimate, unassuming way. And yet the presence of Schonbek crystal chandeliers seems natural and fitting.

The dining room is, of course, the most conventional setting for a crystal chandelier. And for good reason. It adds tremendously to the pleasure of the dining experience. It sends a message that guests are very important to the hosts. And when nobody’s talking to you, or you just want to concentrate on your food, it gives you something lovely to look at.

Silverware, china and stemware gleam most satisfyingly in the prismatic light of a crystal chandelier. If you’ve invested heavily in fine tableware, the crystal chandelier complements it. If you prefer to buy obscure brands, no matter. A crystal chandelier elevates the look of everything around it.

Even a chaotic family dinner with your everyday china is more fun in the presence of glittering crystal.

So while you can get wonderful effects by hanging crystal chandeliers in unexpected places, like the kitchen or master bathroom, the dining room cries out for crystal with a special urgency.