I've been brainstorming & looking for a new chandelier for our dining room area for a few months. I absolutely love the look of French empire chandeliers. Empire chandeliers began in Medieval France- in the 17th century, they were transformed into lavish decorations for royals & kings. They have their roots in the ancient world & I think that's what makes them so cozy to me- is because of their history. PS: If you're looking just for the link- I have them towards the bottom of this blog post along with a video showcasing & talking about the chandelier.
In the beginning of my search- I was hoping to find an antique French empire chandelier & after quite a bit of searching, I quickly learned that while they are absolutely gorgeous & breathtaking- the antique ones were out of our budget. This then led me to searching for a budget friendly one that still gave the same cozy & antique appeal.
I ended my search on Wayfair- I fell in LOVE! Let me tell you. I read the reviews & decided to give it a try. It arrived two days later (thank goodness for Wayfair's super fast shipping because I was way too excited to wait longer than that, haha!).
It was a little tedious to put together. Each crystal strand has to be individually placed- this took about 45 minutes or so. Once you get a good rhythm & flow of how to place them- it starts going faster.
The crystal strands are not real crystal- they are a higher quality & durable plastic; however, they do not look cheap. I know sometimes when things are not crystal- they can come across as cheap but this chandelier does not have that problem at all. It is a very well made & very budget friendly chandelier. This particular one that I purchased has 5 lights & is dimmable- this was super important to me as I love having our dining room chandelier on a dimmer to easily create a cozy ambiance while dining.
Overall, I highly recommend this beautiful piece. 5/5 stars from me! You can purchase this chandelier by clicking here - it's truly a beautiful addition if you love the French empire chandelier but want to keep it budget friendly. I also made a little video about it that you can watch by clicking here.
Happy decorating friend! xox, Krystle (Don't forget to follow me on Instagram to see what I'm up daily: krystlemarienickels)