CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHANDELIER

Sayhomee editor advised: When picking a chandelier, it is important to pick one with the right size and dimensions. Disproportionate size would make the room feel small or cramped, and ruin the design of the room.

How to determine the right chandelier for you?

In addition to picking by the style, the correct placement of the chandelier in almost any room comes down to three important measurements: chandelier diameter, chandelier height, and vertical spacing from the floor. These measurements are the key to picking the right chandelier. Let's elaborate below.

1. Chandelier Diameter and Height

Please take note, these basic guidelines should only be applied to open space areas (eg. dining and living room) when determining chandelier or mounted lighting kit.

Keep an eye on the open space room measurement in height, length, and width.

Chandelier Diameter

To determine the diameter of the chandelier, follow the calculation below:
Diameter of the chandelier (in inches) = Take the width of the room (in feet) + the length of the room (in feet)

For example, if your room is 12-feet long by 14-feet wide, a 26-inch chandelier would look proportionate.

Chandelier Height

To choose the right height of the chandelier, the classic rule is to take the room height (in feet) and multiply it by 2.5 or 3 to get a good range (in inches) for the vertical proportions of the light.

For example, if your room had a 10-foot ceiling, this would mean your chandelier height should be roughly 25-30 inches.

2. Vertical Spacing (the gap between the bottom of the chandelier to flooring)

How low can you hang the chandelier?

In areas such as the living room or bedroom, you would want to leave at least 7 feet, so family members wouldn't bump their head while walking underneath.

If the ceiling is at 8 feet, please consider using a built-in mount chandelier to achieve adequate light source.

In an entryway or hallway: the chandelier should be at least 6 inches above all doors.

In the bathroom, for a chandelier centered over the tub, the gap between the bottom of the fixture to the tub should be at least 8 feet. For a smaller bathroom, please consider a smaller fixture; or hang the chandelier 3 feet above the tub. (As a general rule, always make sure there is a 7 feet gap below the chandelier)

3. Placement is Key

Place the correct number of chandeliers depending on whether it is above the dining room table or kitchen island.

Above Dining Table

Considering the sizes and shapes of the dining table, a thin linear or branching shape style of chandelier is most suitable for a long oval or square dining table.

Please make sure the chandelier length is shorter than the dining table at least by 1 foot or every side reel by 6 inches).

As a general rule, the minimum clearance is at least 28" to 36" between your surface and the bottom of the light fixture.

Above Kitchen Island

A chandelier or individual hanging lights work best as a supplementary source of light, and we recommend spreading them apart. A general rule of thumb:

Island kitchen length (in inches)
eg: 60 inches
Determine how many individual hanging lights would be used and the total diameter.
eg: 3 hanging lights with a diameter of 8 with a total diameter of 24.
kitchen island length 60 - total diameter 24 = 36
3 hanging lights + 1 = 4.
eg: 36/4 = 9 (in inches)

Thus we should spread individual hanging lights 9 inches apart to look proportionate.

If you prefer a larger scale chandelier please make sure the diameter is 1/3 the width of the kitchen island. You can repeat the above rule of measurements for oversized chandelier.

We hope the above tips can help you with picking the right chandelier for your home. Picking the right chandelier will help elevate the design of your home, creating a place more unique to your style.