How to measure a chandelier for your dining room?

One concern often expressed by customers when selecting a chandelier is how to choose the correct size. Choosing the correct size chandelier for your space is one of the most important factors to consider before purchasing any new light fixture. A general piece of advice is to not be afraid of a chandelier being too large for a room. More often than not, customers will tend to lean towards purchasing a chandelier that may actually be too small for the space because of concerns about purchasing one that is too large.

Helpful Tip-

In an average size dining room, we recommend chandeliers in the range of 20"-24" in diameter. In a larger room, you might want a chandelier with a diameter in the 25" - 30" range, and may also want to consider a double or triple tier chandelier.

How to Measure-

A proper sized chandelier should be related to the size of the room and the size of the table over which it is to hang. To find this number, you need to take a couple of measurements. A general rule of thumb is to choose a chandelier that is 10-12 inches narrower than your table, and it should not be so large that it extends past the edge of your dining room table. This will allow room so people won't accidently bump into the chandelier as they get up and move around the table.

Choosing the correct height of your chandelier is a little more difficult, and really tends to come down to personal taste and the desired look rather than just measurements. The best advice we can give on height measurements is that the bottom of a chandelier should hang approximately 30 to 34 inches over a table for a standard 8 foot ceiling. If your ceiling is higher than 8 feet then you should mount the chandelier 1-2 inches higher for each additional foot of ceiling height. 

How to Position-

After you have chosen the correct size chandelier for your space, making sure it is positioned properly will ensure that it looks and functions great in your space. The first step is the position your chandelier in the center of the table so that its placement does not look awkward. The next step is to find the correct height to hang the chandelier over your table. The bottom of a dining room chandelier should hang approximately 30 to 34 inches over the table for a standard 8 foot ceiling. If your ceiling is higher than 8 feet then you should mount the chandelier 1-2 inches higher for each additional foot of ceiling height.

Before permanently installed any light fixture over your dining room table, we only recommend starting with our guidelines above to give you a good idea of size and placement for your room. But just remember, every dining room is different, and each person has their own personal tastes and preferences, so our advice should just be used to get you headed in the right direction. 

View our selection of Country and Primitive style Chandeliers for your home.