Chihuly Style Blown Glass Chandeliers

Did you know that the Chihuly Chandelier at the Victoria and Albert Museum is not actually a chandelier? It does not light up. Most of Chihuly’s glass sculptures don’t light up on their own. They may be spotlighted or have lights placed in them, but they are not designed to be electrified lights.

The V&A Chandelier, originally called Ice Blue and Spring Green Chandelier is now 12-feet wide by 27-feet high. It started out smaller in 2001, but the artist, Dale Chihuly, has been adding onto it.

Dale Chihuly is an American glass artist, best known for his large scale blown glass sculpture. Many people call Murano glass chandeliers Chihuly Chandeliers or Chihuly style Chandeliers.

The known history of Murano glass chandeliers made by Venetian glassblowers goes back to 1709 when Frederick IV of Denmark purchased a chandelier that still hangs in Rosenborg Castle, in Copenhagen. Venetian glass chandeliers were blown of clear or colored lightweight soda glass, unlike the heavier faceted lead crystal glass. It was dressed in blown glass leaves, flowers and fruits.

You can buy similar eclectic modern chandeliers made of blown glass at various price points. Some are made of high quality blown glass, others are less carefully made. Some are even made of plastic or acrylic to look like a modern blown glass chandelier.

They come in clear, one or two colors, or a riot of brilliant shades and textures.

You can find close to ceiling lights, too. They are installed similarly.

How are Chihuly Style Murano Chandeliers Assembled?

These chandeliers are surprisingly easy to install. The canopy, chain and a wire cage that holds the light bulbs are installed just like any other chandelier. Because all of the glass is going to weigh more than most chandeliers, it is best to add a more secure electrical box and hanging strap, like you secure a ceiling fan. But while you are installing it, it is really light weight.

Light bulbs are installed within the wire cage, then the blown glass pieces are attached to the frame.

The glass is attached to the frame using wires, rings or metal clips.

The glass has attachment points to suspend from the chandelier cage.

Each piece of glass is hand blown, so they vary in shade, dimensions and shape.

Some glass is hollow. Other pieces may be solid spears of glass.

Some are open. Others are closed with a glass loop formed to attach to the chandelier frame.

Each piece of glass is secured to the frame, starting at the bottom and building up.

Install glass from bottom to top. If you have multiple colors of glass, you can install them in any order you prefer.

You can pull them up close to the frame, or hang them longer to shape the finished chandelier the way you want.

After all of the glass is attached. The metal frame will no longer be visible.

On or off, these modern blown glass sculptures are absolutely beautiful!

The glass diffuses the light a lot, so don’t expect a lot of light from these chandeliers. Add some recessed lighting near them to really bring out the colors.

One warning. The size and proportions of each piece of glass is different. The way you attach it to the frame varies. So any size given for the completed chandelier can vary. Keep this in mind if you have very limited space. A customer ordered a VERY expensive Murano glass chandelier that was nearly 6” bigger in every direction than the measurements printed in their catalog. It was impossible to install it in the location they had ordered the chandelier for because two doors would open into it. There was no way to pull it close enough to the ceiling to get the bottom of the glass away from the doors.