Answers To Your Dining Room Chandelier Questions

Choosing your dining room chandelier size

There are a few techniques to making sure you choose a properly sized chandelier for your dining space.

• First, tall ceilings should have tall chandeliers. A good approach is to multiply the height of the ceiling by 2.5 or 3 to get the ideal height in inches of the chandelier. For example, an 8 foot ceiling would need a 20-24 inch chandelier.
• Second, determining the diameter of the chandelier can be done two different ways: By adding the length of the room to the width of the room, for example 12 feet plus 12 feet, you can find the recommended diameter of the chandelier in inches, ie 24 inches.
• If you already have the dining room table you plan to use, you can also find the ideal diameter of the dining room chandelier by taking one half to three-quarters of the width of the table.

Sorelle 10 Light Chandelier 24" in Jute and Soft Brass in a dining room

Taylor 6 Light Chandelier in Aged Brass, shown with matching wall sconce

How to hang your dining room chandelier

Picking a proper hanging height can be done by making sure the bottom of the chandelier is 30-34 inches above the surface of your dining room table.

But what if your junction box isn’t centered over your table? Many people run into this issue, where the junction box or wires are off center from where they want them to be. Here are a few fixes for this:

• If the location of the junction box is just a little bit off from where you desire, a new hole can be made in the drywall and the ceiling medallion should be able to cover up both the existing hole and the new hole.
• Another solution is to install a hook and hang the chandelier. By putting a hook in the desired location and swagging a cord or chain from the existing junction, you can hang the chandelier exactly where you want it without moving the junction box.
• Finally, you can use the existing junction box as a connector to a new junction box in your desired location.

Choosing the style of your chandelier

There are so many options when it comes to chandelier styles. The best way to avoid getting overwhelmed is to have a defined style for the room first, then pick a chandelier that compliments or suits that same aesthetic.

To give a few examples, transitional chandeliers combine contemporary and traditional room decor.

Chandeliers with crystals and candles are suitable for formal and luxurious rooms, while chandeliers with lamps are great for a simple, minimalistic tone.

For modern-styled rooms, a chandelier with geometric shapes will fit the theme. Matte black is modern yet versatile, try an industrial inspired chandelier, a multi-globe chandelier, or a large wired pendant.

Holden 2 Shade linear chandelier in aged brass in a transitional dining room