Putting gleam in the glow

Do not fear the chandelier.

Purchasing and maintaining one isn’t as complicated as you might think.

Before you buy, you should consider the size of the room. The standard chandelier-sizing formula is to add room dimensions to calculate the diameter of the fixture. For example, if you have a 13-by-20-foot room, add the two numbers to find the chandelier diameter in inches: 13 plus 20 equals a 33-inch-diameter chandelier.

This formula works with any room but the dining room. To determine the size of a chandelier that will hang above a dining room table, choose one with a diameter equal to one-half the width of the table.

Next, measure the space between the bottom of the chandelier and the floor or table below; this is called “the drop.” In a foyer with 10- to 22-foot ceilings, the bottom of the chandelier should hang at least 11 1/2 feet above the floor. For dining rooms with standard 8-foot ceilings, the bottom should hang about 30 inches from the top of the dining room table. The drop will affect how the chandelier illuminates the room. If it hangs high, it will act as ambient lighting; lower, it will become a focal point and stronger light source.

Once you’ve chosen your fixture and figured out the perfect drop, you need to consider maintenance. There are some simple ways to care for your chandelier: Periodically dusting the fixture will prevent having to wash it. Cleaning and polishing the bulbs with a soft, dry cloth will also make a surprising difference in the quality of light your fixture casts.

And there are chandelier sprays at most hardware and lighting stores that should work almost as well as more labor-intensive methods.

Still, some chandelier care experts recommend disassembling crystal pendants once a year, placing them in a bowl and hand washing them individually. Before doing so, always draw a rough sketch of the pendant placement: You will probably never remember exactly how your fixture is supposed to look.

Place a furniture pad or blanket under the chandelier as you remove the pendants to prevent breakage in case you drop one. Once the pendants are removed, you can wash them in mild soap and very hot water.

The hotter the water, the fewer the spots. Be sure to dry the pendants well to prevent rust in the metal pins.

You can also wash pendants with a solution of vinegar and water or ammonia and water. This will leave a high shine behind, but beware of getting the solutions near the metal pinning -- chemicals speed the blackening process that comes with age.

Glass cleaner and a soft cloth are fine for cleaning the central portion, but don’t spray into the fixture; always spray onto your cloth first.

When you reassemble your chandelier, replace the pendants from the inside out and give each piece a quick wipe-down to remove excess moisture before rehanging.

If you don’t have the means or patience to take apart your whole chandelier once a year, there’s hope. Rock crystal and glass bead fixtures don’t need to be disassembled and can be washed with a cloth and mild soap and water. These materials are sturdier than the cut crystal in more traditional chandeliers.

As times change, so do materials and tastes. Kevin Kolanowski of K-Inc Designs in West Hollywood uses unconventional materials such as Capiz shells and stitched mica in his contemporary works. Maintenance for his works, which don’t use crystal, generally consists of dusting the fixture every few months.

Fixtures made of blown glass, like the Dale Chihuly-esque Murano chandeliers at Wired in Los Angeles, can be cleaned with a soft lens-polishing cloth found at most drugstores. Using chemicals or water may spot the glass.