How High Should A Chandelier Be Above A Table?
Are you ready to hang that chandelier you’ve always been dreaming of? Well, a chandelier is the jewel of your room and can beautifully add that “majestic” factor to your space. Yes, it’s the perfect focal point that your room deserves and craves. And especially when hanging a chandelier over the table – you have to be extra careful so it doesn’t bump your head and at the same time, doesn’t look disproportionate.
Furthermore, there are a few factors to keep in mind when hanging a chandelier at a particular height. Depending upon the size of your room, ceiling height, size of the table, saturation of the light, and design of the lighting fixture – you can best choose a particular height for the chandelier over the table. Don’t believe it? Well, have a look at how these factors determine how high to hang the chandelier over the dining table.
General Rule of Thumb
Ideally, the bottom of the lighting fixture must be at least 30” – 36” above the table if you have a ceiling that’s 8 foot high. However, this doesn’t take into account the higher ceilings! So, for ceilings greater than 8 foot, you must add an additional 3 inches for each foot. For instance, if you have a room ceiling of 10 feet, then the chandelier height would be 42” above the table. But before you adopt this, you must have a look at these other considerations as well.
Size of the Room
The foremost aspect to consider when hanging the chandelier is the overall size of the room and how you perceive it to be. Considering the chandelier is only illuminating the table, it’s important to note the height of the lighting fixture once seated as well as standing. A too-low chandelier can bounce against your head when standing whereas a too-high chandelier can make the setup look incohesive. Hence, it’s important to note such factors and experiment before finalizing the height of the chandelier.
On the other hand, you must also examine how the chandelier feels when entering the room and also from a distance. It should equally look balanced and symmetrical when viewed from the other corners of the space. Especially for open concept plans, you might have to be extra careful regarding how the chandelier plays in the big picture. Considering this, you must place the other chandeliers accordingly!
Size of the Table
The size of your dining table has a major role to play. You can’t afford to have a too-small chandelier that looks out of place or a too large chandelier that overwhelms the space! Hence, there’s a standard industry recommendation to follow.
The diameter of the chandelier fixture should be around one-half or two-thirds of the diameter of your dining table. If this calculation doesn’t fulfill your requirements, you might as well choose a chandelier that’s only a foot smaller from all the edges. For instance, if the diameter of your table is 48 inches – you must choose a chandelier that is 32” or 36”. And all this while, ensure to hang your chandelier at the center of the table!
At the same time, you must also coordinate the size and shape of your dining table with the chandelier. Choose a rectangular chandelier for a rectangular table and a circular chandelier for a circular table!
Design of the Chandelier
Do you have a clean and crisp style like modern and minimalist or quirky and eccentric like eclectic and glam? Well, the height and size of the chandelier can differ for each one of them. For instance, in the case of modern, minimalist, and contemporary styles – you can consider keeping the height at a minimum of 36” from the table. That will align with the design style and make your room feel further airy, luxe, and spacious.
On the other hand, for the vintage and bohemian interior design styles, you can absolutely create a moody, intimate, and dramatic ambiance with the help of a chandelier that’s only 30” high! Simultaneously, keep in mind that the larger the chandelier (specifically the gigantic ones like the crystal chandeliers), the greater the height you must choose from the tabletop – which is somewhere around 36” to 40”. This way, you get ample buffer space in between without banging your head and feeling too overwhelmed in the room.
Some chandeliers are quite light-headed and feel absolutely airy and fragile (for instance, paper lanterns and macrame chandeliers). In such a case, you can consider hanging the chandelier at a lower height.
Saturation of the Light
Now that we have discussed a wide array of factors, the last point of concern is the saturation of light, the number of bulbs, and the material of the chandelier. So, if there are too many bulbs in the chandelier outcasting direct light, you might want to consider hanging it at a higher level from the table. This will equally balance the illumination on the table and avoid the ambiance being too bright!
Simultaneously, you can consider hanging a chandelier at a lower height if the light is diffused and the lampshade totally protects the bulbs underneath. Hence, it’s highly recommended that you examine the illumination of the chandelier in various lighting conditions and times of the day to determine how the fixture and light will appear. Regarding saturation – it’s ideal to focus on warm whites or neutral whites! Try avoiding cool white saturation!
Summing It Up
The conclusion is to hang the chandelier on the center of the table at a height of a minimum of 30” – 36”. However, along with this, you also need to determine if this chandelier truly works for your space. Because if it doesn’t and the size isn’t correct, it’s not going to look right.
So, buck up, and get those measuring tapes to use! It’s time to hang that majestic chandelier that you’ve always admired! Should there be any questions or doubts, do let me know in the comments below!
