Black Crystal Dining Room Chandelier: Our Before & After

Of all the changes we made during the first phase of our dining room makeover, the black crystal chandelier might be my favorite.

It was only one change, but replacing the old dining room light fixture made a much bigger difference than I expected. The black frame and clear crystals gave the room a completely different look and helped give me a direction for everything else I wanted to do in the space.

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Our Dining Room Chandelier Before and After

This is one of those projects where the before and after really says it better than I can.

Watch the lighting transformation ↓

The room didn't get bigger and we didn't change the layout, but the new chandelier immediately made the dining area feel more updated and pulled together.

The chandelier became the focal point over our dining table.

The Black Crystal Chandelier We Chose

Our chandelier is a round Wellmet black crystal chandelier with a black metal frame surrounded by tiers of clear hanging crystals.

I liked that it gave us some sparkle without losing the darker accents I wanted in the room. It feels a little glamorous, but the black frame keeps it from feeling overly formal for our house.

If you like this style, there are similar black crystal chandeliers with the same kind of black-and-crystal look.

Our Chandelier at a Glance

• Size: About 24 inches
• Lights: 7
• Bulb base: E12
• Style: Black frame with clear crystals
• Height: Adjustable hanging chain
• Where we used it: Centered over our dining table

Why I Like It Over the Dining Table

At about 24 inches across, the chandelier has enough presence over our dining table to become a focal point without completely taking over the room.

Ours hangs directly over the table, which helps visually anchor the dining area. The adjustable chain also gave us flexibility when deciding how low we wanted the fixture to hang.

One thing I especially like is the contrast between the black metal and clear crystal. During the day the crystals add detail, and when the chandelier is on they catch the light and make the fixture stand out even more.

The Lighting Change Helped Set the Direction for the Room

Before this phase of the makeover, our dining room felt darker and more dated than I wanted. Changing the main fixture immediately gave the room a focal point.

Once the chandelier was installed, it was much easier for me to visualize what I wanted to do with the rest of the room, including the curtains, wall color, furniture and other black accents.

That's probably why this ended up being my favorite part of the makeover. It wasn't just another light fixture—it helped pull the whole idea for the room together.

We Added Recessed Lighting Too

The chandelier wasn't our only lighting change. We also added recessed lighting throughout the dining room.

I really like having both. The recessed lights give us brighter overall lighting when we need it, while the chandelier gets to be the feature over the table instead of having to light the entire room by itself.

For us, combining the two made a much bigger difference than simply swapping one ceiling fixture for another.

Would I choose a statement chandelier again?

Absolutely. For the amount of visual impact it made, changing the chandelier was one of the simplest ways we changed the entire feel of this room.

Part of Our Dining Room Mini Makeover

This chandelier was just one part of our larger dining room makeover.

We also added recessed lighting, painted the walls, hung new curtains, brought in a different dining table, and continued working with the shiplap accent wall we had previously created behind the table.

The room still isn't finished. I want to refinish the table, eventually find different chairs, change some of the wall decor, and keep working on the coffee bar side of the room.

But the chandelier is one part I already feel really good about.

Sometimes One Change Is Enough to Get Started

One of my favorite things about this project is that it shows how a room makeover doesn't necessarily mean replacing everything at once.

Sometimes changing one major focal point is enough to make the room feel different and help you figure out where you want to go next.

That's exactly what this black crystal dining room chandelier did for us.

What's Next for the Dining Room?

There is still plenty left on my list, so this room will definitely be showing up again.

Next I'm looking at refinishing the table, finding the right chairs, changing some of the decor, and figuring out what we're doing with the coffee bar side of the room.

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