As the last layer of decorating that can make all the difference, a lighting scheme using a statement chandelier shows that you've really put some thought into the final finishes of the room.
Boho chic
For a bohemian look try a shell chandelier or knotted macrame shades, as seen in this bright and breezy fully renovated 1920s Arts & Crafts home on Sydney's lower north shore. Team with lots of hanging plants and the whole space can take on a sunroom vibe.
Spring blooms
Embellished with flowers, this playful chandelier is reminiscent of Polish paper craft pendants known as pajaki, which are made from colourful tissue paper flowers. You could make one yourself if you make sure the outer frame is wide enough to clear the central bulb. Simply hang a circular frame from wires and festoon them with artificial flowers attached with floral wire.
If you want to make a room stand apart, add an over-the-top pendant in a wildly contrasting colour. This lime green chandelier visually electrifies the atmosphere in this elegant dining room, largely due to the punchy colour contrasting against a black and white palette on walls, ceilings and decorative trims.
Jewel colours
Coloured glass drops suspended from a chandelier make the room in which they hang a lot more interesting. Because of its pretty appeal, this five-arm Marie Therese chandelier from The Vintage Chandelier Company creates a sense of whimsy, making it especially suited to spaces set up as either a tea parlour or a sitting room.
Branching out
The move towards minimalism in designing a contemporary chandelier doesn't mean there isn't room for a little drama. Take this Kathy Taslitz custom chandelier – its nature-inspired branch-like form adds a theatrical dimension to the room, while also complementing the artwork behind it.
Beaded bling
For a warmer, more elegant look than that created by more traditional pendant lights, and a healthy splash of colour, this Marjorie Skouras Turquoise Chandelier elevates the mostly conservative style of this room into something a touch more exotic. By virtue of its turquoise hue, it provides a welcome counterpoint to all that beige.
Wiry wonder
This chandelier is a wire-frame wonder wrought in a conventional form. It looks digital and elegant, and right at home over this ornate Victorian bath. When the light is switched on the lamp casts patterned shadows across the walls, adding to the drama of the room.
Black beauty
Not all chandeliers are pale and interesting; some are fashioned as dramatic statement pieces thanks to their colour. In the case pictured here, in the lounge room of a sprawling holiday retreat in Vero Beach, Florida, the inky black chandelier is from William Switzer in Vancouver, Canada.
Browse more beautiful chandeliers on Houzz
Find inspiration in our gallery of pendant lights
Discover more living room ideas
This article originally appeared on Houzz.