Hi Chookchook. I relation to your question about reproduction Murano Glass that is flooding the market, almost 99% of them originate from China. You will also find that almost ALL Chandeliers that claim to be Murano Glass that originate from China are hand painted and baked PYREX (a glass substitute) which is then sold off as MURANO GLASS. It is ILLEGAL to call a product that does not originate from or has not been made in Venice MURANO GLASS. You can call it "MURANO STYLE" but nothing else. Unfortunately, there are thousands of Chinese knockoffs claiming to be murano glass that are simply PYREX which has been spray painted then baked. This is why when you see a product advertised as MURANO GLASSf that seems to cheap to be true - this is why. Also, they MASS PRODUCE each and every Chandelier as almost every segment is blown into a mold, not mouth blown. If you look at a true piece of mouth blown glass, you will see what we call RIPPLE LINES which is where the glass expands and grows during the blowing process, very similar to ripples on a pond when a stone hits the waters surface. Also, you may see irregular randomly placed air bubbles in the glass which is not a defect, but a sure sign that what you are buying is indeed mouth blown. You will also find that the Chinese NEVER use REAL GOLD in their Chandeliers or any other item, only genuine MURANO GLASS used 24 Kt gold leaf which is rolled into the glass in the very initial stages of production. You will however find that Chinese do you a technqiue called AVVENTURINE which is where copious amount of Copper flecks are blown into the glass. The MURANO masters also use this technique but the quaility if EXCEPTIONAL, unlike the Chinese knock-offs. ALL products that we make originate in Venice and carry one or more of the following to assure you of its authenticity 1. An acid etched or diamond point signature of either the furnace or the Maestro or both 2. An attached lablel which will be either a Vetro Artistico Murano (VAM) label of the furnace or a PROMOVETRO CONSORZIO MURANO label 3. Depending on the furnace, an embossed Glass seal with each arm of the Chandelier signed an numbered 4. A certificate of Authenticity signed by and issued by the furnace who produced the Chandelier or any other item for that matter. As you can see, purchasing from any organisation who does not have a thorough understanding of and intimate knowledge of the furnaces in Venice, the techniques used by the Maestros and the various components and producton techniquesf that have been handed down through the centuries is leaving themselves open to huge financial risk If an item is being sold that is claiming to be AUTHENTIC MURANO GLASS, then the person you are purchasing MUST be able to provide you with a written legally enforacable guarantee, that certifies that what they are claiming to be murano glass can be traced back to a furnace and its origin confirmed. The Chinese WILL NOT do this as their products are PYREX, NOT glass so BUYER BEWARE. There is only 1 glass artist operating in China that has actually been trained in the use of just some of the techniques used by the Masters in Venice. Even he is not allowed to call his products MURANO GLASS but "MURANO IN STYLE". I trust this helps you understand exactly what you are dealing with when it comes to companies or individuals offering MURANO GLASS for sale. If they cannot prove it is indeed authentic and can provide backup documentation to support this, then DO NOT buy unless you really love it purely for its asthetic value. Being the largest Murano Glass delaer in the world, your only safety net when purchasing anything claiming to be MURANO GLASS is to do so through someone like us who provides you with a 100% ironclad guarantee of what has been mentioned above. Best regards Dean

Hubby and I have stayed in Venice twice, once with our young children. We took a vaporetto to Murano to visit the glassworks. Fascinating to watch the men work. The kids each were given a beautiful clear glass horse figurine, which all these years later they still treasure and display. On our last trip, we visited a small shop run by siblings. We purchased the last of a collection of seven pendant light globes their father had blown for the shop. They were all the same shape but different colours of glass. We purchased them for the new modern house we planned to build the following year or so. We are pleased and grateful to have such unique, handmade and time-honoured beauty embellish the spaces in our home, and the lights always interest guests and we then have a story to tell.

Ahh the Christmas tree, I know exactly what you mean Pazz. Over the years, we've seen it all, there are many who have more lights than plasterboard on their ceiling and then on the opposite end of the spectrum 1 light per room. In the end, lighting is definitely a personal choice because there's a 3 fold effect that many don't often realise. 1. You need to be comfortable with the amount of lighting in your home. 2.You need to think of the initial cost, the more lights, the more it will cost in product (actual lights) and electrician fees 3. The running costs, even with energy saving lights, there is an increased cost with having so many lights on at one time. Good Luck, with the lighting plan Pazz, I'm keen to see how your new house turns out, you got some really great finishes going in by the looks of it from previous posts.

hi, you should always go by what the manufacturer specify. coat them before you start to tile and again once laid before grouting and then after grouting one more time. the sealer should be a penetrating one . because of the nature of the tiles , being cement based, I do not recommend them being used in showers or constantly wet areas. some other recommendations for a bathroom application are .to use a membrane that is ok in full immersion. adhesive is also to be of a type that is ok in full water immersion.. remember that not following theses recommendations may result in membrane failure and water damage and even resulting in structural damage.