Lighting fixtures are usually the most overlooked aspect of interior decoration. More often than not, you have hideous-looking light brackets that do not at all coordinate with the overall décor. And, as with wall mounted light fixtures, the wrong type of chandelier at the wrong place can spell doom for the entire look of the house.

Chandeliers have this grand, opulent look about them that make them very tempting purchases. Your fingers may have itched to grab a chandelier that you spotted in the shop window, and perhaps you eventually purchased it without even thinking whether it was at all suitable for your house. That’s the root of all the trouble.

Chandeliers are usually large pieces, and if your living quarters are small, the chandelier will end up overshadowing every other bit of furniture, marring the entire look of the room. On the other hand, if you have a large room, with heavy bits of furniture, a small chandelier would be lost in the maze. And it is, after all, actually meant to be a showpiece.

Chandeliers are of various types—wrought iron, crystal, antler—and each complements a different sort of décor. So you cannot have an ornate chandelier in a room that sports a minimalist look. Similarly, a rustic chandelier would look totally out of place in a modern, swanky apartment.

When buying a chandelier, it also important to bear in mind that they require quite a bit of pampering. These are objects that gather dust easily. So if you do not intend to spend time dusting, you might rethink the purchase. A chandelier covered in dirt and grime looks positively ugly.

It may be only one showpiece amidst a host of others, but the chandelier alone has the potential to make or break the décor of a room.