Edinburgh’s historic Assembly Rooms is celebrating the one year anniversary of its double award winning £9.3m refurbishment this July. As part of the extensive project, Chelsom were commissioned to restore the magnificent crystal chandeliers to their former grandeur.With a total of 25 chandeliers throughout the venue, both traditional and modern skills were needed to restore the frames and crystals. Three of the spectacular chandeliers take centre stage in the Ballroom, an elegant addition to this spectacular listed Georgian interior dating back to 1787. Set against a delicate palate of soft greys and dusky whites and with lovingly restored floor-to-ceiling mirrors at each end, the room appears to go on forever.
Chelsom worked in conjunction with Keith Gunn Electrical services to ensure that more than half a million impeccably cleaned crystals were put back in their rightful place on the original lighting frames which have survived the ages of candlelight, gas and electricity. The process was an intricate one taking more than 18months of planning and meticulous execution in its entirety.
Each chandelier was dismantled section by section and the respective parts labelled, packed and boxed for transit to be refurbished while the larger fittings were refurbished in component form and assembled on site over a three week period. Chelsom were challenged with making the lighting scheme throughout the venue as energy efficient as possible; Osram Halogen 42W candle and GLS lamps were selected due to the amazing sparkle these create with crystal, further emphasising the overall impact of the lighting restoration.
After the 18-month refurbishment project, new life has been breathed into the Assembly Rooms. The spaces have been modernised while the building’s character and beauty have been preserved with the chandeliers taking pride of place at the heart of the restoration. Manager of The Assembly Rooms, Shona Clelland, said: “The chandeliers throughout the Assembly Rooms are what makes the building iconic and the Chelsom team did a wonderful job of restoring them to their former glory. When visitors come into the Ballroom, it is the moment they see the three large chandeliers that leaves them speechless. Thanks to Chelsom, the Assembly Rooms has got its sparkle back.”
