5 Pro Tips for Choosing a Dining Room Chandelier
Find your next dining room chandelier by selecting the right style, size, height, bulbs and accessories
David Warfel
28 November 2018
Houzz Contributor. Expert lighting design specialist.
Lighting is often called the jewelry of the home, and indeed a beautiful chandelier can bring a sense of glamour and some sparkle to any space. But beyond its looks, a dining room chandelier should also add function that makes eating with friends and family a pleasant experience. Avoid expensive mistakes by following these five tips for choosing the right chandelier for your dining room.
1. Choose a Style
Whether you choose a modern, traditional or transitional chandelier doesn’t make much of a difference when it comes to its function and the quality of light it emits. So while you are looking for a fixture that looks good, keep an eye out for fixtures that light well too.
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Whether you choose a modern, traditional or transitional chandelier doesn’t make much of a difference when it comes to its function and the quality of light it emits. So while you are looking for a fixture that looks good, keep an eye out for fixtures that light well too.
Find lighting designers
This diagram shows a couple of basic styles. The first is a chandelier with exposed bulbs that often put a glare in people’s faces, shadows on the table and bright spots on the ceiling.
The second chandelier has uplights with frosted shades that can help to diffuse light and limit glare, though the table below may still be too dark.
The third chandelier features downlights that are well-suited for providing soft light on people’s faces and pushing light down to the table below.
The second chandelier has uplights with frosted shades that can help to diffuse light and limit glare, though the table below may still be too dark.
The third chandelier features downlights that are well-suited for providing soft light on people’s faces and pushing light down to the table below.
2. Select a Size
Selecting a right-size chandelier is all about the shape of the chandelier and the size of the table. While some people may want an oversize chandelier for dramatic effect, if you want a more traditional look, follow these simple size guidelines.
Round chandelier: Keep it between one-half and three-quarters of the table width.
Rectangular chandelier: Find one that covers between one-fourth and one-half of the width of the table and between one-third and two-thirds of the length.
Selecting a right-size chandelier is all about the shape of the chandelier and the size of the table. While some people may want an oversize chandelier for dramatic effect, if you want a more traditional look, follow these simple size guidelines.
Round chandelier: Keep it between one-half and three-quarters of the table width.
Rectangular chandelier: Find one that covers between one-fourth and one-half of the width of the table and between one-third and two-thirds of the length.
This illustration shows how the size of a round or rectangular chandelier should correspond to the size of a table.
Find round chandeliers on Houzz
Find round chandeliers on Houzz
3. Get the Height Right
There is no reason to buy a chandelier if you are going to hang it so far above the table that no one sees it. Hanging it lower also will do a better job of illuminating the table, cast a glow on faces and add sparkle to the room.
There is no reason to buy a chandelier if you are going to hang it so far above the table that no one sees it. Hanging it lower also will do a better job of illuminating the table, cast a glow on faces and add sparkle to the room.
Common practice is to hang a chandelier between 28 and 32 inches above the table, measuring from the bottom of the chandelier. This allows for a clear line of sight across the table while keeping the chandelier nice and low.
4. Add Recessed Ceiling Lights and a Dimmer
Adding recessed lights to a ceiling will help limit glare from a chandelier at night, especially for chandeliers with uplights. The recessed lights will send light down to the dining table and help filter light throughout the space.
And put the chandelier on a dimmer switch. Lower the level of the light until it is comfortable to look directly at the bulbs.
Shop for dimmer switches
Adding recessed lights to a ceiling will help limit glare from a chandelier at night, especially for chandeliers with uplights. The recessed lights will send light down to the dining table and help filter light throughout the space.
And put the chandelier on a dimmer switch. Lower the level of the light until it is comfortable to look directly at the bulbs.
Shop for dimmer switches
This illustration shows how a chandelier with uplights may leave a table dark and and cause glare at night.
For a chandelier that is good at adding sparkle but does not push light down to the table, which is common for chandeliers with a candle-like design, simply add a recessed downlight on either side. These will push light down to the table, making it easy to see what you are doing.
5. Get the Right Bulbs
Choosing lightbulbs used to be easy, but now there are so many choices that even I get confused standing in the lightbulb aisle. Here are a few quick tips to make the process easier.
For most interiors, 2700K warm white LED bulbs should do the trick. If you have a space with lots of cool colors, like crisp whites, blues and grays, then consider 3000K.
How to Choose the Right Color Temperature of LED Lightbulb
Choosing lightbulbs used to be easy, but now there are so many choices that even I get confused standing in the lightbulb aisle. Here are a few quick tips to make the process easier.
For most interiors, 2700K warm white LED bulbs should do the trick. If you have a space with lots of cool colors, like crisp whites, blues and grays, then consider 3000K.
How to Choose the Right Color Temperature of LED Lightbulb
Look for warm dimming bulbs that can shift from 2700K down to “candlelight,” or as low as 1600K. These bulbs will mimic the dimming of an incandescent bulb and glow warmly and softly when dimmed.
More on Houzz
The 5 Layers of a Well-Lit Dining Room
How to Light Your Ceiling Right
Find a pro near you
Shop for lighting
More on Houzz
The 5 Layers of a Well-Lit Dining Room
How to Light Your Ceiling Right
Find a pro near you
Shop for lighting
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Diana, try reaching out to the designer/building listed in the photo. Good luck!
Thank you David for all the lighting tips. Great source of info for all.
I love this fireworks lighting fixture. Can you provide any info on who makes this?