Chandelier Size and Placement Guide
A chandelier is the focal point in any room and can really determine the overall vibe and feel of your space. Determining the right size and placement is an important component to your success. Going to big can take away from the other important design features of your room, and going too small, the fixture could get lost.
Here is a great guide to help you determine what the Chandelier size is right for your application and where in the room it should be placed.
DINING ROOM
Selecting the Right Size for you Dining Room Chandelier:
When selecting a chandelier for above your dining table- measure the width of your table to determine the diameter of the light fixture. Your chandelier should be about 1 foot narrower than the width of your table.
Placement of a Dining Room Chandelier
Chandeliers should be centered over the dining table. If you are mounting 2 smaller chandeliers, then you would want to center each ¼ ways down from the center of the table.
The light fixture should be hung 30-34 inches above the dining table. This would also apply for lighting over islands and kitchen tables.
For ceilings higher than 8 feet, add about three inches to the hanging height per foot. So if your ceiling is 10 feet tall, your lighting fixture should be hung 36-40 inches over the table.
ENTRYWAY OR FOYER
Selecting the Right Size for you Entryway or Foyer Chandelier:
The first thing you need to do, is measure your space so you can determine the appropriate chandelier size for it. To do this you will need to add the width of the foyer to its length in feet. Its sum will give you the rough diameter of the right-sized chandelier in inches. For example, if your foyer's dimensions are 10 feet by 12 feet, add 10 and 12. The sum, 22, is the diameter of the chandelier that you should get in inches. A standard 8-foot ceiling requires a chandelier that is 20-24 inches in height.
Placement of a Foyer Chandelier
Ideally, a foyer chandelier must hang about 7 feet off the floor for ceilings measuring 10 feet. Measure the distance between the floor and the ceiling. With a ceiling height of less than 10 feet, you need a chandelier which measures less than 27 inches tall. For higher ceilings of 11 to 16 feet, the chandelier can range between 27 inches to more than 40 inches tall. If a ceiling is two stories tall, the foyer chandelier should be composed of two or three tiers in order to provide the best visual results.