Creating the right chandelier centerpiece statement for your large room.
Adding the right chandelier to a room’s interior design to create a true centerpiece statement is no easy feat. My name is joe Barone and I have been a Lighting Consultant with Farrey's for over 27 years. After having worked with hundreds of rooms to place the right chandelier, I've found that there are overarching factors you need to consider to get the right lighting fixture for the space. Practical things to consider are light output, the ceiling/hanging height, and weight of the chandelier to ensure proper support.
One project that required thoughtful review of all the considerations mentioned above, as well as a strong partnership with the lighting manufacturer and the project's interior design firm, was The Ocean Club Key Biscayne’s central gathering area. The aesthetic considerations of the room’s beautifully cavernous space made curating the right fixtures a daunting task, which was overcome with design sense and ingenuity, resulting in two unique, custom chandeliers for the space.
From a light output standpoint, the room is framed by a bank of arched windows that allows the east-facing sunlight to enter in the morning, waning throughout the day, offering the colorful reflected light from sunset on the opposing coast at dusk. In the evening, the room requires an equally impressive amount of ambient light to match that offered throughout the day to its guests. Stylistically, the room’s design is a luxuriously eclectic mix of modern and mid-century classic styles with warm accent colors to match the vaulted ceiling. All these elements create a challenge but also a jumping-off point for lighting inspiration.
Modplay Studio’s Carlos Rodriguez came to me with the idea of creating a chandelier display that would take inspiration from the sparkles of light found in the sputnik style chandeliers of the Metropolitan Opera in New York. After much research, we found a similar fixture made by Kalco/Allegri Lighting, but although it was a beautiful piece that would add the right light and ambiance to most rooms, it was too small for the space of the room and not full enough to achieve the desired effect.
Working with Cheryl Larosa from Kalco/Allegri, we were able to create two custom versions of their 18k gold plated Sputnik chandeliers that would fit the space both in style and size. The chandelier’s mid-century lines, coupled with the firework-like glass arms of the pieces, created the right drama and design style needed to anchor the room.
The finished pair of chandeliers now hang over the room offering complimentary sparkles of light to the ambient light entering the room during the day. Then they take over the lighting duty at night, creating the mood and light needed for the fantastic space. The chandeliers became the centerpiece statement that was sought after. Teaming up effectively with the interior design firm and lighting manufacturer brought the room together with the style and elegance the room warranted.
