It’s the glitziest light accessory for interiors. Statement chandeliers, those elaborately designed light fixtures, are the new showstoppers in chic residences and cutting-edge living spaces.

“There’s a growing interest in chandeliers today. Our business is growing and our designs are being snapped up by architects, interior designers and individuals,” says Prateek Jain of lighting label, Klove.

At the recent exhibition, India Design ID 2015, Delhi saw a grand display of chandeliers that pushed the boundaries of the imagination. Standing apart in the crowd were theatrical creations by signature brands including Klove by Prateek Jain and his business partner, Gautam Seth. Klove’s latest line titled MidCentury Modern featured chandeliers and pendant lights that paid tribute to architect Le Corbusier and urban designer, Pierre Jeanneret.

Chandelier shopping has never been more fun. Crystal brand, Saint-Louis, has a veritable treasure trove on offer. The label, a fully-owned subsidiary of the French high-end group, Hermes, will open its first standalone store in Delhi this year. What’s more, its January 2015 collection is complete with timeless, opulent pieces that hark back to designs prevalent in the mid-19th century.

All the brands are also going all out to create bespoke lighting. The latest line by Saint-Louis called Royal has chandeliers featuring anything from eight to 48 lights. Hiking the luxury quotient is the craftsmanship of the designs that feature an array of crystal cuts (bevel, large diamond, stars), gold or platinum decorations and coloured crystal detailing.

Says Mandeep Singh, principal consultant, Finsmart Consultants, the exclusive partners of Saint-Louis in India:  “The VHNI (or very high net worth individual) segment is partial to Saint-Louis chandeliers. Some of the brand’s bespoke pieces are 10m tall and feature more than 160 lights.”

Klove too offers glitzy and bold designs. The piece called Equilibrium from Klove is a giant pillar-like structure fashioned out of hand-blown glass and is suspended horizontally from the ceiling with the support of leather straps. Shades of charcoal, burgundy red and emerald green spice up this piece.

While classic and decadent designs move well, modern and edgy styles are also finding favour with connoisseurs. French chandelier designer Regis Mathieu, who retails to a niche clientele in India, plays with unexpected shapes and materials. Mathieu, who has his workshop in the south of France, uses materials like bronze, rock crystal (a natural, semi-precious stone) and polished stainless steel to create his drop dead beautiful chandeliers. A standout piece from his line is the Super Nova in which two cones are fused together and embellished with rock crystals.

“Supernova brings two radical innovations in the realm of chandelier-making. For one, the rock crystal is not cut but used in its natural form. Also, the chandelier does not have a circular or symmetrical form,” says Mathieu.

Chandelier designs are also making a splash at international design exhibitions. German crystal lighting major, Windfall, which introduced its contemporary crystal chandeliers at the 2014 Design Week in Milan, featured the collection called Serene which made waves. The chandeliers in this line were designed in collaboration with the celebrated French label, Lalique. “The company designs chandeliers for most Cartier showrooms across the world,” says Singh of Finsmart Consultants that has also got Windfall into India. Singh adds that Roel Haagmans, co-owner and chief designer of Windfall, has designed the iconic chandeliers at the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque
in Muscat.

Even as chandeliers add a touch of drama to everyday lives, you can customise them to suit the size and ambience of your living spaces. For instance, Windfall offers its patrons bespoke chandeliers in addition to its standard models while Mathieucreates every piece to suit a client’s needs. His attention to detail is impeccable to the point that he takes into consideration whether the chandelier will be used during daytime or night.

Needless to say, chandeliers don’t come cheap. While the range from Saint-Louis starts at Rs 15 lakh, the price of a small chandelier from Windfall starts at Rs 5 lakh.

Perhaps your home could do with a statement chandelier to brighten up special spaces. For, there’s no better way to let your interiors sparkle this season.