Sunday, June 25, 2006

Rock crystal chandeliers are coming into their own again, after several centuries of obscurity.

In the sixteenth century a crystal chandelier was by definition trimmed with rock crystal. There was no other kind of crystal chandelier. Then along came manufactured glass, and its evolution into decorative glass, and finally the clever idea of using decorative cut glass instead of rock crystal to embellish and brighten chandeliers.

Soon decorative cut glass so resoundingly replaced rock crystal that this type of glass itself came to be called crystal. If you wanted a crystal chandeliers, the crystal was actually glass, not the semi-precious gemstone called rock crystal. The new “crystal” was dazzling and a work of fine craftsmanship, so we’re happy about its arrival on the scene. But rock crystal chandeliers were virtually banished to museums and historic buildings.

When the Schonbek company re-introduced rock crystal chandeliers in 2001, hardly anyone knew what they were. And so the response to this introduction was quiet. A few people in the art world realized that something major had happened, but most did not. Nonetheless Schonbek continued to design chandeliers with rock crystal.

What if Cezanne had gotten discouraged when the public ignored his work and only a few knowledgeable collectors bought his paintings? What if he had switched to a slicker style? The Schonbeks are artists at heart, willing to wait patiently for the world to wake up to a beautiful idea.

And the world is waking up. Finally, in 2006, rock crystal chandeliers are catching on. You won’t see them coming and going, because rock crystal chandeliers will always be in a class by themselves. The sheer rarity of the crystal will ensure that. But more and more people know now that rock crystal chandeliers are an option, and uniquely fashionable. If they don’t own one, they at least know what they’re missing.

The Schonbeks are innovators, as well as lovers of history, so a Schonbek rock crystal chandelier is not merely an antique reproduction. It is an original design. Depending on the style, it may be a romantic allusion to the past, a daring break with the past, or an imaginative manifestation of eclecticism. See Rock Crystal Chandeliers on this website. And keep checking back for new designs.

Wednesday, June 21, 2006

I have been indulging in reading thrillers lately, and the latest book I’m reading mentions the crystal chandeliers in the Moscow metro.

The idea of putting crystal chandeliers in subways is immensely appealing. In Russia, of course, there’s the idea that things once the privilege of the ruling class suddenly become available for the enjoyment of all.

This has happened with crystal chandeliers all over the world, actually. It was once the norm for a chandelier to be monumental in scale, suitable for vast rooms of state and magnificent homes. Now, thanks largely to Schonbek, you can own a crystal chandelier scaled to work in a modest dining room.

In recent years Schonbek has reinterpreted just about every classic crystal chandelier style in tiny, small, medium and large sizes, as well as creating entirely new chandelier designs conceived in miniature and not made in large sizes.

So why isn’t there a crystal chandelier in every home? I think it’s because you need a certain attitude to live happily with crystal.

You have to be a lover of art and beauty, adventurous in matters of design, self-confident enough to stand out. Even the tiniest crystal chandelier will attract attention and cause comment. Owning a crystal chandelier will make you something of a celebrity in your circle.

It’s not hard to get used to, really, but you have to take that first leap.

Monday, June 19, 2006

Schonbek makes many wonderful crystal chandeliers for minimalist and otherwise contemporary interiors. But there’s another way to achieve the impact of a crystal chandelier without actually having one. Hang multiple crystal pendants from the Geometrix™ collection.

This great room with Helix pendants is an example. Helix by Schonbek is perhaps the most ethereal light you’ll ever see, only 12 inches long and really just a whimsical spiral of crystal floating through space. But sprinkle three of them in a large room, and you’ll make as much of a statement as you would with a minimalist crystal chandelier. It’s just a different kind of statement.

Crystal chandeliers are definitely invading the bedroom these days, but if you’re not ready for that, you can still get something of the same feeling with crystal pendants. This bedroom basks in the brilliance of crystal by means of The Twist™. Exotic is the word for this crystal pendant. The cool factor comes partly from combining crystal colors you’d never think would go together.

This conversational corner would be quite appropriate for a mini crystal chandelier. But three Vertex® pendants focus the attention and define the space in an equally successful way.

I like to interpret these groupings as a crystal chandelier spinning off to become abstractions of itself, crystal and light taking different forms and invading space in unexpected ways.