Crystal Wall Lights

Crystal at close quarters

A chandelier is seen from across a room and several metres below. A wall light is seen from a metre away, at eye level, often while you are standing still beside a mirror or a bed. That distance changes what matters. Small imperfections invisible on a ceiling fitting — cloudy edges, uneven facets, mould lines on moulded pieces — are perfectly visible on a wall. If you are going to spend on crystal anywhere, a wall light is where the quality shows most clearly.

Lead crystal, crystal glass and acrylic

Three materials are sold under overlapping names. Lead crystal contains lead oxide, which raises the refractive index, so it splits light into more colour and rings when tapped. Crystal glass, sometimes called crystalline, is lead-free glass cut or moulded to a similar shape; it sparkles less but is lighter and more robust. Acrylic is a plastic, much lighter and cheaper again, and it does not refract in the same way — it also scratches, which shows badly at close range. All three have their place, but on a wall light the difference is genuinely visible, so it is worth reading the specification rather than judging from a photograph.

What crystal does to a wall

This is the effect people buy it for and it is specific to wall mounting. A faceted crystal fitting throws small points of refracted light onto the wall around it, so the fitting decorates a much larger area than its own footprint. On a plain painted wall that reads beautifully; on a busy wallpaper it is lost. It also means a crystal wall light works hardest at night with no competing daylight, so judge one in the evening rather than at midday.

Pairs, mirrors and height

Crystal wall lights almost always work better in pairs. Mount at roughly 1.5 to 1.7m from the floor for general lighting, or 1.6m and 75 to 90cm apart flanking a mirror, which lights a face evenly from both sides with no shadow under the eyes. Beside a bed, drop to about 1.5m or just above the headboard. Because the refraction pattern is part of the effect, leave clear wall around the fitting rather than crowding it with pictures.

The frame matters as much as the crystal

Chrome and nickel frames give a cool, white sparkle and read as contemporary. Brass and gold frames warm the refraction and read as traditional, and they suit a period room where a chrome fitting would look out of place. Because you are close to the fitting, the frame finish is judged properly here: a brushed frame hides fingerprints where a polished one shows every touch, which matters on a fitting mounted at hand height.

Cleaning crystal without damage

Dust with a dry microfibre cloth. If drops need washing, take them off and wash them separately in warm water with a drop of detergent, dry immediately and rehang — photograph the fitting first so you know the order. Never spray cleaner onto a mounted fitting: it runs into the lampholder and behind the backplate. Avoid anything abrasive, which scratches crystal and ruins acrylic outright, and let a lamp cool before touching the drops.