Choosing the Right Chandelier
 
Start your chandelier hunt by having a style or color in mind for the fixture.  This will help you eliminate some of the options at the store.  Once you have narrowed the field to the styles and finishes you want, you then have to make sure the size will be right for the space. Let's see if I can't shed some "light" on this subject with a few quick tips.

 

·      A properly proportioned dining room chandelier will have a diameter 12" narrower then the width of the table it is being hung above.

·      In a room with an 8' ceiling, the chandelier should be hung with the bottom of the fixture 30" above the tabletop. If the ceiling height is higher, add 3" for each additional foot of ceiling height.

·      If the electrical junction box for the fixture is slightly off-center from where you want to hang it, you can add an inexpensive plaster or  fiberglass ceiling medallion (available at the lighting supply or at builder's supply stores like Lowe's or Home Depot)  to cover the difference. If it is off even more, leave more chain and use a ceiling hook to swag it over the table. 

 
·      Need to determine the size of a chandelier for the foyer?  Add the length and width of one side of the room dimensions together like this: for a 14' by 18' foyer, add the 14 plus 18 to get 32. In this room, a chandelier with at least a 32" diameter would be perfect.

·      The bottom of a foyer fixture should hang no more than 7' from the floor.

·      Consider centering a foyer fixture on the nearest window so it can be seen and look great from outside.

·      If a hanging fixture will be seen from above, say from up on a balcony or staircase,  be sure to consider how it will look from that vantage point.

 

I hope these tips help when choosing a new chandelier.