Think ``chandelier" and you see tiers of crystals in a Victorian mansion. Think ``neon" and you see fluorescent glows of hot pink at a Vegas wedding chapel. Combine the two and you get the chandelier-shaped neon fixture from artist Matt Dilling. Kitschy yet sophisticated, it's the classic chandelier reinterpreted -- a nod, Dilling says, to both ``the history and the beauty" of the earliest light fixture.
Once considered an outdated piece of decor, the chandelier is making a comeback. At Anthropologie, whimsical chandeliers made of glass, seashells, wrought iron, and amber are part of the lighting collection. At Lekker, a striking monochromatic chandelier print covers the shade of an otherwise contemporary ceiling lamp. Store founder Natalie van Dijk Carpenter says she was attracted to this design for its playful twist on old and new: ``It is traditional mixed with modern without overdoing it."
Here are some other chandelier-inspired products for your home. -- CHIN WANG
1. Tableware designer Rosanna Bowles says chandeliers symbolize ``elegance, festivities, and sparkling moments." Her ``Platinum Chandeliers" porcelain serving pieces feature hand-rendered illustrations. $35 for a set of four dessert plates or a set of four teacups and saucers. $30 for a teapot. www.rosannainc.com
2. Artist Matt Dilling studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts and fondly remembers skipping class to dig through the trash at M.I.T. He founded his Lite Brite Neon studio in Boston with the discarded equipment he collected there before heading to New York City in 1999. Dilling has designed lighting displays for Stella McCartney, Calvin Klein, and Bergdorf Goodman. His neon chandelier fixtures start at $2,400 and are available in custom sizes, colors, and dimming options. www.litebriteneon.com
3. The ``Chandelier Collection" ceiling lamps from Dutch designer Nicolette Brunklaus are available in two sizes from Lekker. $395-$450.1317 Washington St., Boston. 617-542-6464 or www.lekkerhome.com
4. A chandelier can change the entire feel of a room and ``lend a room color, romantic charm or an artistic touch," notes Sara Goodstein, public relations manager for Anthropologie. The ``Branch Coral" chandelier is handmade of resin and paper mache. On sale for $2,999.95. Call stores for
availability or order at www.anthropologie.com.
