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When selecting proper chandeliers, it's important to take into consideration the scale of your areas, and the style of the home. Hang too high or too low, the chandeliers would not work as you hope. There are a few other factors to consider as well, such as the size of the room, the size of the ceiling and furnishings in the room.

How big should your lighting fixtures be?

An easy way to determine the size of lights is taking the dimensions of the room and adding them together. So, if your room is 10 feet by 15 feet, add 10+15=25 and choose a chandelier that is at least 25 inches in diameter.

How high should the lighting fixtures be?

If hanging a light in the middle of a room, but not above a dining table or bed, you should measure the distance between the floor and the ceiling. This is important in determining how high your chandelier must be.

Normally, you should choose a chandelier that will hang no lower than 7 feet above the floor to avoid head bumping.

If you have a high ceiling and don’t need to worry about the 7-foot rule, the designer’s rule of thumb is to allow 2 1/2 inches to 3 inches for each foot of ceiling height.
For example,
16 foot ceilings?
16X 2.5= 40
16 X 3 = 48

Choose a chandelier that is 40 inches to 48 inches tall to go with your 16 foot ceilings.

Over the dining table

The right height is 28-34 inches above the table. If your ceilings over 8 feet, adding 3 inches in height for each foot.

If the dining space and table is large enough, you can hang two or more. Choose fixtures that are a third the width of the table and hang them centered at each end of the table.

Above the kitchen island

Kitchen Island is a central location in the kitchen where meal prepare and family times happen simultaneously. The right hanging height is between 30 and 34 inches above the island, adding 3 inches in height for every foot of ceiling height for ceilings over 8 feet.

Over a table

The diameter of your fixture should be 12 inches less than the width of the table, to avoid bumping heads. And the bottom of your chandelier should be 30 inches to 36 inches above your tabletop.

Above the night stands

The better diameter of the chandelier is half the width of your nightstands, and the bottom of the light should be 20 to 30 inches over your nightstands.

Above the beds

If you’re placing the chandelier over the bed, you don’t need follow the 7 foot clearance rule. But make sure it won’t bumping your head when you sit up in bed. Designers recommend the height is at least 6 inches above your head when you kneel on the bed.

In the foyer

The ideal height for a foyer chandelier is a minimum of 80 and 84 inches from the floor to the bottom of the chandelier. Go ahead and hang it higher if you have a high ceiling in the foyer. If you have a window in the foyer, hang your chandelier so it is centered in the window and can be seen from the outside.

In the hallway

Don’t neglect the hallway where also a great place for a special chandelier or two. If you have the standard 5-foot-wide hallway, choose a chandelier with a 12 to 14 inches diameter, and add 2 inches to the chandelier for each foot of hallway width over 5 feet. The distance between the floor and the bottom of the chandelier should be between 80 and 84 inches.

I hope this size guide can help you choose the right chandeliers for your spaces. And if you have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

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