Think back to the last time you walked into a room with a chandelier. Chances are, you paused for a moment. Maybe the light caught your eye, or maybe it simply made the space feel warmer and more inviting. That’s the magic of chandeliers-they do more than brighten a room, they set the mood.
‘There has definitely been a rise in demand for chandeliers,’ says Abdul Qadir, director of Glow Lighting, a decade old player in the sector. ‘It has been building over the last decade with a noticeable acceleration in the past five years.’
The growth, he notes, has been fueled by urbanisation, rising construction, and market diversification. Once the preserve of Nairobi’s elite and luxury hotels, chandeliers are now finding their way into middle class homes, office lobbies, and retail showrooms.
‘Homeowners make up about 55 percent of sales, mainly through renovations and new residential developments,’ Abdul explains. ‘Commercial spaces-offices, showrooms, retail outlets and hospitality projects-make up about 35 percent.’
Interior designers and architects, though not always direct buyers, have become powerful intermediaries. Their influence has grown as lighting has shifted from an afterthought to a design element integrated early in construction.
‘It’s the ideal time,’ says Danielle Ruguru of Vintage Lighting. ‘You can estimate how many fixtures are required and where best to place them, avoiding the cost and mess of rewiring later.’
Chandelier categories
Danielle categorises the market into three broad styles: vintage pieces from the 1930s to 1950s, mid century designs from the 1950s to 1980s, and contemporary fixtures that dominate current demand. Age often shapes preference, with buyers over 35 leaning towards vintage and mid century, while younger clients gravitate to sleek contemporary forms.
‘However, preferences differ. Sometimes you’ll find someone in their 70s choosing a modern piece, while a younger client goes for a vintage fixture. Ultimately, it comes down to personal taste,’ she says.
Abdul notes that today’s market has become increasingly trend-driven, with demand shifting away from the traditional perception of chandeliers.
‘Today’s best-sellers include LED ring chandeliers, reinvented classic crystal chandeliers, art-piece designs, modern minimalist fixtures and linear lighting options,’ he says.
Prices
But even as trends and design preferences continue to shape demand, pricing remains a big factor influencing access to chandeliers.
At Glow Lighting, prices vary depending on a chandelier’s size, material, complexity and design. Budget options range between Sh2,000 and Sh10,000, while mid-range pieces typically retail between Sh10,000 and Sh50,000. Premium fixtures, on the other hand, can cost Sh150,000 and above.
And while the number of chandeliers purchased per household has remained relatively stable, Abdul notes that consumers are increasingly willing to spend more on individual pieces.
‘About 60 to 70 percent of customers buy one statement chandelier for a main room and complement it with supporting lighting,’ he says. ‘People are spending more per piece rather than increasing the number of units in a house.’
Capital-intensive business
According to Danielle, the chandelier business is not an easy one to enter, largely because of the high capital requirements.
‘It’s a capital-intensive business,’ she says. ‘Customers prefer to see the product physically before purchasing, so you’ll need to have a showroom display. But you cannot have a display with just one piece. You need at least five to 10 pieces.’
As a result, even dealers targeting the lower end of the market at a small scale still require substantial upfront capital.
‘If you are stocking chandeliers that cost around Sh7,000, your display stock alone could already cost about Sh70,000,’ she says. ‘And those are just the display pieces. You will still need additional units in storage. If you take about 10 pieces, you are already looking at roughly Sh700,000.’
And that is just the price for the stock. Additional costs of running the business include rent, shipping, storage, salaries, and electricity.
‘Electricity is a big one because your product is lighting, and naturally, you need to keep most of your display fixtures turned on throughout the day,’ she says.
The hidden costs
Beyond operational expenses, the business also faces some hidden costs that eat into profits, particularly through breakages and installation-related damages.
‘Sometimes customers come in, touch something and accidentally break it,’ says Danielle. ‘In other cases, something might go wrong during installation, and the chandelier is dropped or damaged.’
Both Glow Lighting and Vintage Lighting rely on local and imported products. Some of the most common sourcing challenges include delays, damages during transportation, and rising taxes. Finding and establishing a rapport with a good supplier is another challenge, especially since it can determine the quality and quantity of goods you receive.
‘Some suppliers won’t even talk to you if you are buying below a certain quantity, while others, depending on your relationship, offer discounts above a certain quantity,’ says Danielle.
Outshining the competition
With more dealers joining the decorative lighting business, competition has intensified over the years, but according to the two sellers, quality remains one of the key differentiators in the increasingly crowded market.
‘Someone may buy a chandelier, and after a few years the metal starts fading or changing colour,’ says Danielle. ‘So quality becomes very important, especially for customers investing in long-term spaces like homes or hotels.’
She also adds that customers are becoming more discerning, with many prioritising durability and finish over simply choosing the cheapest option available.