Chandelier Shopping Guide: Orb Chandeliers
The orb design is beautiful, sculptural and makes a real statement. Perhaps one of the most useful design features they add to an interior is the visual softening of hard, straight lines. Many designers like to include spheres or circles into their designs for this reason, as it creates a sense of balance in a room.
Get inspired by the photos below, and learn how to incorporate an orb chandelier into all of the rooms in your home!
Living or Family RoomsLarge scale rooms with vaulted ceilings hold a large orb chandelier very well. This orb chandelier not only provides spherical visual interest, it also adds another textural quality to a room that is a real treat.Placement: It is important to centre the chandelier over the main furniture grouping, which may or may not be the centre of the room itself.Size: When you have a large, open room you can really go large with your chandelier. Many orbs come in sizes up to a metre in diameter!Styling tip: Make sure your orb is not hung too close to the ceiling. It should give the impression of a beautiful, sculptural ball floating in mid-air
HallwaysThese orb chandeliers assist in leading the eye to the door but also provide symmetry and consistency with each of the archways.Placement: When installing orbs in a hallway, ensure they are in the dead centre of the walkway below, this helps visually entice visitors to move through the space.Size: When using multiple chandeliers it is best to use them in a smaller size and let the grouping be the visual interest.Styling tip: Shiny metal surfaces (like chrome) will help bounce light around a darker hallway
Dining RoomThe purpose for using a dropped light fixture over a dining room table is to assist in anchoring the dining space in the room and to draw people to sit down at the table.Placement: Make your old math teacher proud by remembering your skills from geometry class to find the dead centre of your dining room table. Then install your orb above it. Keep the orb at around 30 to 34 inches above your table.Size: As a general rule, you want your light fixture to be up to half the width of your table.Styling tip: The orb you choose should compliment the other aspects of your room. Orbs in a similar colour or finish to the table itself will pull together the look of a room as a whole.
OfficeThe orb chandelier in this room, teamed with the circular mirror and orb table lamps, helps to provide a cohesive and glamorous feel.Placement: The orb should be installed over the centre of the main furniture grouping. In an office this will generally be over the table or desk, providing symmetry and some task lightingSize: Try to keep your orb size to around a third of the length of your desk, or slightly larger if the room is large.Styling tip: If you have a traditional style office with a big wooden desk, an wooden orb would work best. If you have a more contemporary office with metal finishes, the metal orbs will work perfectly.
Wine CellarThe orb chandelier in this cellar references the oak barrel below, visually leading you to the right place to come and enjoy a glass of wine. Placement: Hang your chandelier centred over the main furniture grouping or placed above any special item you are wishing to draw attention to.Size: If you have a vast wine cellar (lucky you!), then you can easily install a large orb. Several smaller orbs installed in a line can assist in guiding people from room to room in a more cavernous cellar space.Styling tip: Choosing either an antiqued or wooden orb in a rustic style room would work well, especially where there is already a mix of metal and wooden objects.
KitchenThe orb chandeliers in this kitchen add interest by visually breaking up the straight lines. Incorporating two chandeliers over the island creates real symmetry. Placement: When placing chandeliers over a kitchen island, make sure that the fixture is not too low to get in the way while preparing or serving food. Hang it at least 30-inches above your island to keep your workspace clear. Size: You'll want to stick to chandeliers that are between 30 and 50cms. If you want a larger chandelier, you'll need a larger island for proportion and scale.Styling tip: The metal finish adds to the clean and crisp feel in this kitchen. If you prefer a warmer, more rustic style, look for a chandelier with an antiqued treatment.
Q