I’ve been to Italy a couple times and each time I could not get over the Murano glass chandeliers in most of the (very classic) Venitian shops, hotels, restaurants, and so on.

Although I loved them from a sheer beauty standpoint, I certainly did not think they belonged in my house.  My house is simple, clean (from a lines standpoint, not an orderly standpoint), and certainly not capable of housing such a striking element in classical design. That is, until I did a little more research. I found three really great examples of authentic Murano glass Chandeliers in homes that are far less fancy than where I’m used to seeing them..

We did a little tour when we were in Italy and learned that authentic Murano glass comes only from the island of Murano off the shore of Venice (similar to how Champagne is just from the Champagne region in France).  This makes the real stuff more sought after and the history of the pieces richer.

They really are a splurge, but you don’t have to go hog wild right to the ornate lighting fixtures.  There are tons of other beautiful Murano pieces that can make a statement without costing an arm and a leg. YourMurano.com has tons of beautiful pieces and gives a little bit of information on making sure the origin of the piece is authentic. I just love that all of the glass is hand made in on the beautiful island of Murano, Italy and that is definitely part of the appeal (and the splurge!)

Do you like Murano? Convinced it could be done in an unfussy way? Tell me what you think!

 

p.s. this isn’t a fashion blog, but I have a few murano cocktail rings which are really awesome.  If you love the look but aren’t in for the splurge right now, you should check them out!