How to Select a Chandelier
If you are hanging the light close to the ceiling in the middle of a room and are not suspending it over a table, use this as a guide to choose the right size.
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10' x 10' room - use a chandelier 17"-20" wide
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12' x 12' room - use a chandelier 21"-27" wide
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14' x 14' room - use a chandelier 24"-36" wide
A dining room or kitchen table chandelier should have a diameter 12" less than the width of your table. (For example: a 36" wide table should have a light 24" wide or less) Having a light too large for the table means that your dinner guests will be bumping their heads as they stand and having a light too small does not define the space well.
The bottom of the chandelier should be about 30" above the table. Too often, chandeliers are hung too high and seem disconnected from the table. For ceilings that are nine feet or more, a two-tier chandelier would work well to fill the space between the ceiling and the table.
We love dimmer switches! You can turn up the light when you need it (great when the table doubles as a homework table or for you to look through your cookbooks) and dim the light to create a nice ambience when you are entertaining.
