I'm in the same boat. Having a tough time choosing my dining room lighting. I like the black shades the best.

if your'e going to stick with a shiny metal, I'd stay with brass. Otherwise, go with black wrought iron if you don't want to match the metals.

I don't like shades on chandeliers. I like the third chandy of the four you've shown, but w/o the shades. I like this one from Hubbardton Forge.

I also like the third chandy from the left, but I like the shades. Hi Tibbrix : )

Alex- I LOVE the black shades on the first one too, afraid it is too leggy?

Tribbix- Love the way the arms seem to float, it seems to airy, will play with the one you posted. Thank you.

Viola- Third from the left is this one, correct? It is my favorite, but seems to me to be the "safe" choice, so held back on purchasing it! It is a Visual Comfort product and they state that it features "a living finish that will patina over time". Anyone have experience with a living fixture in brass?

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I don't think you could go wrong with any of them- they are all really nice, but I do prefer either the brass or iron over the nickel. I like the one Tibbrix posted, too. For me it would come down to whether I want to vacuum shades or have glass and wash them/see bugs.

I had a living finish in a brass Rohl faucet. It means it is not the old lacquered 1980's brass. It softly mellows with age, becoming warm and golden instead of bright and brassy.

We are currently building and I have selected all of my lighting. I have mostly a bronze tint on each one. However, there will be nickel and silver mercury in the two bath rooms. One room has just a painted fixture that reads grayish green with cream undertones. I definitely think you can use mixed metals. What are your other finishes in other nearby rooms.

how tall are your ceilings?? the brass with the white shades and the black one that tibbrix shows are both very short and might not look the best unless the ceilings are shorter (8' or shorter...)

aktillerty9- Our kitchen knobs and pulls are ORB as is the chandy. Foyer is brass. Here is a pic of the kitchen chandelier and table lamps in foyer. (Sorry, can't get the mini lamp to delete.)

busybee3- Short ceilings. 8'

Two Chandeliers that we just installed. Dining room has the antique brass, foyer the antique pewter.

I love the brass ones you posted, though I favor #3 over #4.

Judiegal,

Where did you find the brass/crystal chandelier? It is beautiful!

We purchased it at lightingdirect.com it is called

Livex Lighting
6516-01

Love both no 3 and 4, though 4 may be a little bit edgier. How do they compare in terms of size?

I love the shape of the last one on the right.

37"Dia. x 38.75"T with 6'L chain.Width: 33.00 in. x Height: 21.00 in. with 6' L chain My table is 46"wide. Thank you to everyone who has responded. I am beginning to feel so much better about the direction the room is taking! Jaybird- I think both your chandeliers are beautiful. Thanks for sharing!

Here we go, a few amateur shot of the room. Snow glare is making it even more difficult than usual to get a decent shot, sorry. I am including a look at the ceiling, because it is busy.

8' ceilings are 96" tall. assuming your table is 30" tall and you hang your chandy 30" from table, a 39"t chandy won't fit ... I think your only choice out of those 2 is the one with the shades... I have a 33"w chandy over my 42"w table and the size is fine... I couldn't go too small because the room is fairly large.

Ugh, too bad. I love no 4. Does a similar one come shorter?
So, table height 30", bottom of chandelier 30" above table = 60"
Leaves 36" for chandelier and chain to ceiling.

nosoccermom- Yes, it does!

Here is a view of the ceiling cap, does that work with the swirly ceiling?

Busybee3-too small?

• Overall: 27 1/2" diam., 29"H.

But it would leave you only 7 inches for the chain and that ceiling cap if my math is correct.

I agree that you would have only 7 inches for cap and chain -- so 5-6 inches of chain showing. You might be able to cheat the rule of thumb 30" table clearance a bit since the bottom couple of inches is an open box and the fixture is pretty open -- but not if you like floral centerpieces or candles in the middle of the table and not if your family is very tall.

We had the same type of ceilings in the house I grew up in. My dad called them elephant tracks. ;)

That ceiling is beautiful!

I love the one that is to the far right. The one that is currently being discussed. I like the lines with your sideboard.

That's the one I'm commenting on. I agree -- it compliments the sideboard and the chair backs picks up the golds. It would be the one to pick for a more updated traditional/transitional look while the one next to it with the shades is a softer look -- also updated/transitional but leaning more traditional. Since you have a shade on the breakfast room shade, I would favor no shades in the DR.

I like the fixture with the black shades, but having 8 ft ceilings would seem to rule that one out. If you tried to hang it, you wouldn't have enough drop to keep those shades from feeling like they were hugging the ceiling. Same for the second from the left.

bfelton and lascatx- I agree that the far left (E.F. Chapman, Mykonos) would compliment the sideboard which is something I did not notice, at least conscioulsy. Thank you for pointing that out to me! Problem is the height of the fixture and my 1988 low ceiling. I wonder if I can get away with 6 inches of chain. Concerned the scale will be off. Feeling so confused. Will look on the bright side that it has been narrowed down to two choices!

You can get away with less chain against an 8 ft ceiling, and like I was pointing out, you might be able to cheat the 30" by at least the depth of that open link at the bottom -- maybe even the bottom of the candle arm dips. The link at the top of the fixture will also appear to be part of your chain and add another inch or so (maybe 2?) visually. Maybe I'm just trying to help you rationalize it, but I think it is worth trying that one. The more I look at it and the details, the more I like it. There is a strength in the angles and square arms, but a softness and grace in the curves and the longer than usual candles. It's really pretty and I bet it looks better in person than in a photo. The other one is good too. I have to be honest and tell you that I have been looking to replace something with similar lines -- not because there is anything wrong with it. I've had it 12 years and still like it, but we made other changes that have been making me feel like I should update it - but I haven't yet. Can that other one be used without shades?

My dining room chandelier has a ring like this one at the bottom and I have the light 29" from the table. Although My ceilings are higher, the chandelier is also longer and I did have to cheat a little and it;s fine.

Also. because the visual weight of the chandelier is in the bottom third` people's eye will stop there. There is no decorative detail at the top to draw your eye up. The chandelier just gently slides (swoops?) up and then gently slides into the chain. Because of the long line there I think you can get away with the shorter chain. I'm not sure there are rules about that anyway, are there? That 29" height is measured from that little drop at the bottom of the bottom ring to the very top of the top ring where it connects `to the chain. There is room to visually cheat with the height of the `light from the table.

I agree with lascatx about the strength of the light but maybe I'm just trying to help you rationalize it as well. There are just too many choices out there.

I love all- each time I scroll back I pick a new favorite. But I think I do like the 3rd and 4th from the left in your original post at top--------and really love your kitchen drum chandelier (what who is it?).

After seeing your chandy in the kitchen and your lamp, I would go with something without shades, just to mix it up.

The kitchen fixture is the Rittenhouse Chandelier by Ateriors.

Slept on it and I am going to go ahead and order the small size aged brass geometric without shades. (Mykonos)

Thank you everyone for your guidance! Will post a finished pic once we get it installed.

Fabulous choice!!!

Great choice. Looking forward to your pictures.

Can't wait to see it in place. I think it's going to look great!

I just want to thank Tibbrix for the this-very-minute removal of the shades from my dining room chandelier. Quite the revelation!!! I've had it for 12 years and, despite shimming them with tiny pieces of folded paper, the shades always managed to look like they were drunk. Removing them has given it a whole new look. I don't care if no shades will create a glare or not, but it's on a dimmer so I should be okay. The look is so much cleaner and less fussy. Why didn't I do this years ago? I guess I thought the shades were required. Thanks Tib!!

Sometimes they are, Linelle. IIRC, atkillery is having to rework the chandelier of her choice to be able to use it without shades.

Lol. Just caught this, Linelle. Most welcome! Assuming you've put the candle-style bulbs in, and they won't create a glare, esp. since you have the chandy on a dimmer. Lol @ "They always looked drunk". I can't explain why I've never cared for the shades-on-chandies thing. Too cutesy or something. Glad you're enjoying the new look. And thank you for taking the time to write up your thank you.

On a previous chandelier I took the lamp shades off, I think I read the hint in a decorating magazine on how to easily change a look and loved the look. I just assumed because lamps have shades that all lamps have to have shades - turns out that isn't true. I have never bought a chandelier since that had lampshades on it. I just really like the undressed look.

Yes, they have candle-style bulbs! I thought the little shades were so cute when I got the chandy and that I'd kind of arrived. Lately I've thought it looked not only tipsy, but a little dorky as well.

I was appalled at the amount of dust on the thing that had eluded me. Now that everything's spick and span, it's like a new fixture. I even cleaned the bulbs. No more shims!!!

Like your decision.

Sorry this is OT - Aktillery, what/where is that drum chandelier from?