The Lighting Blog

You might think that cleaning a chandelier is a tedious affair but if you take care of certain things then you can actually enjoy the process. Once your chandelier is clean the lighting in your room will improve by leaps and bounds. While cleaning any light fixtures that are attached to the ceiling, make sure that you use a ladder that is safe and which can take your weight.

Blossoming Chandelier

1. Firstly while cleaning chandeliers you should make sure that the light is turned off. Try to wrap the bulbs with plastic bags and then put rubber bands over the bulbs to hold them in place. You should not forget to place a cloth on the floor, in case something from the chandelier comes off and falls, the cloth will prevent it from breaking.

2. There are various products available in the market that can make cleaning the chandelier very easy and make it look sparkling new. There are various kinds of lotions and waxes that people buy which are meant specifically to clean lighting fixtures. If you do not want to buy any product from the market then you can make a cleaning solution at home to clean your chandelier.

3. You can make a mixture of ammonia or isopropyl alcohol with distilled water and then pour this mixture into a spray can. Then the next thing is you can spray this onto every part of your chandelier or light fixture but do keep in mind that you should avoid the wires and other electrical areas. Let the chandelier dry and you must not put on the lights till the day after and then you will see how your chandelier looks good as new.

4. There is an alternative solution however if you find that this particular method of cleaning is not so effective then you have to dismantle the chandelier, but first find where the trim is for you to reassemble it later on. You can take each individual pieces of the chandelier and then wash it in warm water; you can also use mild soap to do the cleaning. After that you should take a clean piece of cloth and wipe the individual pieces of the chandelier with a lot of care and make sure they don’t fall from your hands. This particular method of cleaning is much preferred by many people who want to clean their chandelier with a lot of care.

5. After your chandelier is totally cleaned up and you have managed to reassemble it again then you should take care of it by regular maintenance and cleaning.

If you manage to keep all this in mind then you should not find cleaning the chandelier a hectic job instead you will enjoy the process and in fact take a lot of pride in doing it as well.

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Earth Hour on Saturday, March 28th at 8:30 p.m. will see participating cities in various countries turn off non-essential lighting and electrical appliances for a full hour to raise awareness of climate change. What began in Thailand in 2005 has now become a major global event and offers a unique challenge to every energy-using individual on the planet. Whether this world-wide call to action will see any substantial benefit to the environment is secondary to its real potential outreach through awareness, that the more we curb our own habits individually the bigger the impact of our collective efforts. As the current economy ill affords many of us the luxury of big spending, the incentive to save now reflects a greater value beyond just the effects on our pockets but also the quality of our environment that we are all responsible for.

How do you plan to spend that hour? It would be the perfect time to use those candles sitting in the cupboards and read by candlelight that new book I just bought.

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It was believed that one of the very first things that appeared when the universe was born was light. And since then, all forms of life needed to exist with the help of light, may it be microorganisms, plants, animals, and humans. In terms of human civilization, light became a vital aspect to its development. Take a short trip down history and find out how the beginnings and the evolution of an essential light source: the lamp.

During the Ice Age, early humans have already begun to use primitive forms of lamps, in order to illuminate their surroundings even at night. This was especially helpful because they dwelt in caves. Stone paintings on caves provided evidence that human ancestors developed a form of artificial lighting. It was estimated that between 40,000 to 70,000 BC, lamps were actually hollow stones, filled with dried moss and fueled with animal fat. Among the very first discovered stone lamps were unearthed in the early 1900’s in caves in France.

Later on, the stone type of lamps evolved to be made of clay, much like the oil lamps used in the Middle Bronze Age, around 3,000 to 600 BC. It was also nearing 3^rd century BC that the Romans and Greeks developed better methods of creating molds for their lamps. In fact, the word “lamp” used today was from the Greek word for torch, which was “lampas.” The clay lamps back then were closed, with special holes or nozzles, to avoid the spilling of the oil, usually olive oil. From Persian to Byzantine artifacts, more sophisticated clay lamps were found, carrying intricate designs.

It was during the 9^th century in Baghdad when the kerosene lamp was thought to have been first used.  Lamps in the South Asian and Middle Eastern societies were very important as part of religious rituals as well. It was much later, during the 18^th century, when wick lamps were developed. In this type of lamp, a central chamber is placed on top of a fuel source, and the intensity of light could be controlled by turning a knob. A glass chimney was built around the flame to protect it from dying down, and this design was credited to Swiss inventor Ami Argand

Eventually, beyond the use of oils, other sources of lighting fuel were discovered, such as gas from coal and from the refining petroleum. It was in the 1780’s when coal became one of the preferred sources for lamp fuel. Gas lighting systems were soon improved and used to power streets, buildings, and homes in Europe and America. At the turn of the 19^th century, people were adapting to better energy sources, as the discovery of electricity changed the world.

It was in 1801 when Sir Humphrey Davy invented the first electrical lamp in England. This lamp had wire wicks which were ignited to produce light. Soon, Thomas Edison and a certain British inventor named Sir Joseph Swann were credited for coming up with the first incandescent light bulbs, paving the way for modern light fixtures and lamps used in many forms today.

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This morning saw the announcement by Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and former President Bill Clinton of a proposed five-year plan to retrofit 140,000 residential street lights in L.A. with energy efficient LED lights. The project, in partnership with the Clinton Climate Initiative, is the largest light-emitting diode street light program undertaken by a city and hopes to save $10 million annually as well as reduce CO2 emissions by 40,500 tons each year. Unlike current street lights that have a lifespan of about four to six years, LED lights can last up to ten years. The cost effective and environmentally beneficial plan is a step in a great direction for the city of Los Angeles. This could possibly impact the safety issues concerning some of the hazards that street lights, or the lack thereof, pose in parts of the city. The fact that more energy efficient street lights could be implemented because of this plan means better safety and better traffic flow.

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Although earlier forms of candle making was something that was successfully honed and utilized by primitive man as well as by other countries, such as Japan, Egypt, India, and China, modern candle making (what we currently know it as) officially started around the 13th century. The 13th and 14th centuries were turbulent times of widespread famine, social and economic upheaval, war, and severe malnutrition, which in turn, resulted in devastatingly incurable disease for the vast majority. Epidemics, such as the Black Plague, practically wiped out Europe’s population. The concept of religion (Reformation) was reborn and surged through the populace once again. At this point in time, the idea of a hanging fixture and candles crossed paths and intertwined. Chandeliers started to materialize around the 14th century. Mainly found in churches, chandeliers served the purpose of lighting the great halls and dark corridors of these religious structures. Typically constructed of wood and candle fittings, the chandelier’s base was usually composed and fashioned into the form of a cross. Materials generally used to construct earlier forms of chandeliers were later changed.

The 15th and 16th centuries were tumultuously drastic times as well. Reformation still nipping at its heels, Europe was radically transforming itself once again. The ties and religious restraints Europe once knew and abided by were gradually shed, like a snake disposing of its aged skin. Romantic forms of thought, artistic expression (the renaissance), shifts in power (from church to monarchy), war, commissioned expeditions, and the forming of colonies, greatly characterized the 15th and 16th centuries. The powerful grasp of the pope was greatly receding and weakening. A great example of waning ties between the monarchy and the pope would be King Henry’s decision to burn the Roman Catholic Churches and creating his own (The Church of England). You can practically trace this shift in power. Philosophy, art, and theatre (Shakespeare and Bacon) reflectively mirrored such changes. The chandelier, normally used as a light fixture in churches, emulated this transition from the religious sects to the homes of the noble class. It too, was changing. More ornately elaborate, the chandelier structure started to appear in nonreligious shapes/forms (crown). The chandelier became more of a decorative piece as well as a status symbol for the noble class.

17th and 18th centuries were characterized by massive migration and movement (Americas), another devastating on sweep of the infamous epidemic, Black Death (in various part of Europe), the expansion of the British navy and land (Americas, Indies, and Caribbean), more wars (between the French, Scottish, and others), the sophistication of taxation and import goods, and the introduction of new technology (glass making, and lead crystals). The 18th century marked the early developments of the Agricultural and Industrial Revolution as well as the Age of Enlightenment (Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and etc.). Wealth was still somewhat controlled by the aristocrats and gentry, but vast extremes of wealth made its way into the hands of a growing criminal upper class.  Mercantilism exponentially flourished due to the influx of demand for luxury and manufactured goods (London Trading Company). The chandelier transitioned further on and made its way into the homes of the merchant class. The chandelier makeup was altered yet again. Neo Classical themes (Greek images/patterns) and metal became a popular form of artistic expression. Constructed with high karat gold, glass, lead crystals, the chandelier was formed with elongated arched arms and adorned with numerous candles. Like the merchant class, the arms (reach and power across different countries and continents) and makeup (wealth) of the chandelier at this point, was a definite indicator of what was going on at this particular point in time.

The 19th century was characterized by westward expansion and exploration of the Americas. Further technological advancements such as the locomotive train and steam boat, gas, and electricity made a huge bearing on growth and development in these times. The idealism of Liberalism pulsed through a newly inspired and budding populace, which essentially (included political, economical, social, and cultural aspects of liberalism) embodied the concept of equal rights and opportunity for all. This was a belief held fast in the hearts of the hopeful and was like an unmovable mountain, remained a deep-seated etch in the minds and discourse of this new nation of people. The civil war raged and savagely consumed the nation. Romanticism (natural, and a revolt against the social norms, nationalism), Realism (revealing the truth), and Impressionism (emphasis on light and its changing qualities) on were among the many forms of artistic expressions that materialized.  Hanging, gas lit crystal chandeliers (changing qualities) appeared at this time. Electricity became an accessible form of energy and was later standardized. It served the purpose of illumination quite well and therefore, moved chandeliers from candles to gas and electricity.

The 20th and 21st centuries are depicted by the World Wars, the Great Depression, Woman’s Suffrage, Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, and many other wars and important events that had come to pass. Massive political/government, cultural, and astounding technological advances (the automobile, landing on the moon, computers and the internet) and changes in medicine was also very much a part of all of this. Like everything else at this time, artistic expression was evolving tremendously and swiftly moving from one movement to the other. Modernism (deviations from the norms of society), Art Nouveau (greatly stylized and curvaceously structured), Abstract Art (showed other ways of describing visual experiences), Minimalism (stripped to essentials), and Contemporary Art (pop culture) were a few of the movements in this time period, so what you initially have is a clean break from the traditional values, restrictive structures, and old associations of artistic thought and a fast-moving transition into new modes of ingenuity/design, expression, and alternate ways of perception. The modern/ contemporary structure of current chandeliers portray this transition. The structure has greatly changed when comparing modern models to old ones. Much of the changes and influences experienced were and still manifests themselves in chandeliers today.

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