What Size Chandelier is Right for my Space?
“What size chandelier”? This question leads to questions! What kind of room? Entry? Great room? Kitchen? Powder Room? Dining? The good news is that as Wish Designs USA chandeliers are made from a natural element they, by their nature, allow for leeway in calculations. Also, Wish chandeliers are measured from branch-tip to branch-tip, so the size you are ordering is the size you will receive. Browse our chandeliers here!
A Few Simple Guidelines
There is a technical formula that we use as a starting guideline. Take the width of the room in feet, multiply it by two and the total is the width of the chandelier fixture in inches that the room will support. For example, if you have a room that is 15’ wide, 15×2=30, the room will support a 30” wide chandelier, branch-tip to branch-tip.
Another consideration is whether the room is open or closed. If its closed with four walls, we may suggest a fixture size adhering the formula referenced above. However, if the room is open and defined by flooring rather than by walls, you can go a little bigger with your fixture size if you desire.
Dining Room Considerations
Selecting a chandelier for a dining room or kitchen is a little more tricky, since the table or island height and ceiling height comes into play. Let’s focus in on these three questions:
- The size of the room
- The size of the table
- The ceiling height
First address the size of the room using the foot to inch formula discussed above (room width in feet times two equals chandelier width in inches the room can handle). This gives a good basis of where to start with most scenarios.
Second, what is the table size? Your fixture should not be wider that your tabletop. Typically, formal dining room tables will range from 40-44 inches wide and kitchen and casual styles generally measure 30-38 inches wide on average. You will want your fixture to fit within the confines of the table. For example, a 40-inch-wide table would be suited for a 36-inch-wide chandelier fixture.
Third, take into consideration your ceiling height. If you have tall ceilings you may hang your fixture a bit higher and allow for a slightly larger piece. In other words, more ceiling height, more width. That said, you still don’t want your chandelier to overpower the size of the table. The consensus in the design world is that a chandelier is appropriately hung when the bottom of the fixture sits 30-36 inches above the top of the table. Having a range is good in factoring height so you have the ability to adjust up or down a bit as needed, depending on your table height and how much of a drop you want from the ceiling. For example, we suggest a 6-12 inch drop from the ceiling in your standard dining room, but if your space has vaulted ceilings, keep the fixture 30-36 inches above the table top or slightly higher if preferred.
Dining Room Pro Tip
Still not sure what size to select or how high to hang it? We use a system of measure to determine appropriate chandelier height for your project:
| 108 | Ceiling height (in this case we are using 9 feet, or 108 inches). |
| -30 | Deduct table height (standard table height is 28-30 inches). |
| 78 | Remaining number is inches between the top of your table and the ceiling. |
| -32 | Deduct 30-36 inches, this is the distance between the top of your table and the bottom of your fixture. In this case we’ll choose 32. You fixture will hang 32” above your table top. |
| 46 | Remaining number is the space in which your chandelier will hang, in inches. |
| -12 | Deduct the amount of drop you want between the top of your fixture and the ceiling, on average 12 inches. |
| 34 | Remaining number is the ideal height of your chandelier for your space, 34 inches in this scenario. |
Our staff is always on hand to discuss your project and help find the best fit for your individual plan, and custom sizing of our product is a welcome option. We look forward to hearing from you! Contact us, or browse our chandelier collection today.
