A wrought-iron chandelier is a distinctive decorative piece that gives a room an antique or rustic ambience. Because it is a very masculine type of decorator piece, homeowners may wish to give it a more feminine touch by draping it in folds of soft fabric. This creates visual interest and may give a nonfunctional wrought-iron chandelier a new lease on life in your bedroom, dining room or family room. Caution is required when decorating a functional chandelier with fabric because of potential fire risks. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
Bedroom
1. Hang the chandelier to help you to envision the draping of the fabric and to aid in taking accurate measurements if you intend to drape fabric from the fixture to the floor.
2. Purchase fabric to match the bedroom's decor. Select sheer white fabric to give the room an airy, tropical feel. If the chandelier hangs over the bed, hang fabric down from the chandelier to create a canopy. Choose crushed red velvet to provide a dramatic, gothic feel and a darkly sexy atmosphere.
3. Experiment with different ways of hanging the fabric from the wrought-iron chandelier. Try wrapping the entire armature with draped fabric to disguise the metal. Drape fabric around the center spoke only to highlight the ironwork.
4. Evaluate how the draping looks from different angles in the room, especially from the door and while you are lying in bed looking up. Adjust the fabric until you are pleased with how it looks from multiple perspectives.
Dining Room
5. Measure the distance from the bottom of the chandelier to the surface of the dining room table, as well as the distance from chandelier to any tablescape items such as candelabras or flower arrangements. This help you determine how much fabric you will need.
6. Coordinate the color of the fabric with the color of the tablecloth since that's a dominant decorative element in the room. Select fabric for draping that's more neutral if you change the tablecloth frequently to match the seasons or holidays. A sheer fabric is best as heavy drapery can obscure guests from seeing each other.
7. Weave the fabric through the chandelier, allowing it to fall gracefully toward the table. Evaluate how the draping looks from different angles in the room, including the entrances and while sitting in each chair. Adjust it as necessary.
8. Add colored strands of beads or ribbon to decorate for the holidays. For instance, string garlands of green ribbon and cranberry-colored beads to add personality to the chandelier for Christmas dinner.
Family Room
9. Keep the fabric high enough off the ground that pets and children won't be able to reach it.
10. Try braiding lengths of draped fabric or incorporating multiple fabric colors or textures to create a more dynamic focal point in the family room. Consider using the colors of your alma mater or favorite sports team for a more whimsical look. Weave the braided fabric through the arms of the chandelier.
11. Drape fabric in a neutral color for a family room with a more formal look. Wind the fabric around the arms of the chandelier if you want to cover the fixture, and wrap the chain as well.
Tags: family room, looks from, wrought-iron chandelier, angles room, arms chandelier, different angles
