Robert Kaindl lived a double life for about 15 years. He enjoyed a successful career as a contractor, working in the construction industry and taking residential projects from design to completion; but away from the job site he spent his free time refining his skills as a blown glass artist. A little more than a decade ago, the Seattle resident set out to turn his passion into a career. Today, Kaindl creates sea life–inspired sculptures, wall art, and bowls, but his chandeliers are the most sought-after items in his repertoire. "With a chandelier, it almost becomes the heart of the property; it becomes a focal point," Kaindl explains. "It’s functional art that’s hanging in the middle of the room, and when it’s lit it’s hard to miss."

There’s a learning curve to blown glass, considering that artists are attempting to mold material that—at 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit—adopts a consistency similar to honey. After years of experimentation, Kaindl reached a point with his glassblowing that gave him pause. A self-proclaimed perfectionist, he finally arrived at a stage where he was satisfied: creating a hanging chandelier that would seem to float in space and revealed no hints as to how it was constructed. Appropriately, Kaindl titled the design his celebration series. "A chandelier that creates an impact and a visceral response for people is a celebration," he says. "Sometimes I stand back and am surprised by what I’ve made."

The size of a celebration series chandelier can fluctuate greatly, as can the complexity of the design. Naturally, the cost of such a chandelier also varies. Prices start at $25,000 and can approach $6 million, though Kaindl says the average cost ranges from $60,000 to $120,000. On average, it takes Kaindl about a year to complete a chandelier, though he can facilitate requests for faster turnaround times, if necessary.

When a client requests a specific color for a chandelier, Kaindl strongly encourages them to reconsider. As he explains, a blue chandelier will turn an entire room blue. Instead, he recommends his celebration series, which incorporates 500 LED lights inside the piece and allows the homeowner to control and change the color within a 16,000-hue spectrum. Otherwise, Kaindl is happy to collaborate with clients, and he finds that the sharing of ideas often leads to the most successful finished product. "They have ideas of what they like," he says of his clientele, "and if I can inject some of their ideas in the process, I think they’re happier because they feel like they helped to create it.

"When it’s all put together, their reaction … it’s very visceral to them and it’s visceral to me watching their reaction," he continues. "That’s the reward that I get. I want them to be happy with it for as many years as they have it."

Kaindl Glass Art, www.robertkaindl.com