How to hang a chandelier

How big/little should you go?- Have you ever walked into a friend's dining room and seen the biggest sphere ever, dangling over the table?  Or just as bad, a dinky lighting fixture more suited to hang over an island?  Too small or too large is a design dilemma most of us find when choosing our fixtures.  A simple equation is your solution!  Add your room's length and width in feet (round up) and get a fixture that is the same number of inches.  12' x 12' room gets a 24" light fixture.  Or if you know the table width, the chandelier should be at least half the width of the table.  60" long table gets a 30" chandelier.  

How high do you hang it?- The height of the chandelier is usually a problem because you still need to speak to the person across the table from you.  Hanging it too low is a problem and too high doesn't tie in with the surroundings.  The bottom of the light fixture should be about 30" from the table top and no more than 36".  This allows you to have a conversation and lights your space for the task at hand.

Picking out your style- Choose a style that is appropriate based on your dining room furniture.  Dressy, upholstered chairs?  Go a little fancy, such as crystal.  Farmhouse table and benches, rustic or perhaps a wrought iron.  Choosing the light fixture is as easy as picking out your sofa pillows.  Go with something you like while taking into account what you already have and it will be the crowning touch to your space.

Finishes- Matching finishes isn't as popular as it once was.  The hardware on the hutch may be brushed nickel, the silverware might be a fiesta ware but the light fixture can be wood and copper.  Anything can be mixed together to achieve the look you are going for.  Choose by using the rules above and you can get the one of a kind look you are going for.  

Happy Decorating!

Too high

Perfect height

Too small

Beautiful in the bath

Elegant