We put a 1950s Venini glass chandelier in this Kessler Park dining room. It adds a vintage touch to the space.
The earliest chandeliers were used in the medieval period to hang candles up and out of the way, reducing the risk of fire. Today, chandeliers are a mainstay in luxury interior design.
However, care must be taken in choosing the right chandelier. A poorly hung or poorly sized chandelier can throw a whole room off balance. Here are some things I personally take into account before I start shopping for my Dallas clients.
1. How to Determine the Right Size Chandelier for Your Room
I recommend following these equations to roughly estimate the size your chandelier should be.
Generally, the taller your ceiling, the taller your chandelier should be.
Chandelier Diameter:
The length of your room + the width of your room (in feet) = The suggested diameter of your chandelier (in inches)
Chandelier Height:
The height of your room (in feet) x 3 = The suggested height of your chandelier (in inches)
2. How to Pick the Right Light Bulbs
These two large brass pendant chandeliers hanging over the island complement a brass range in the kitchen.
Although chandeliers are beautifully decorative on their own, their primary purpose is to add ambient light to the room. The light sources you choose should not be an afterthought. For lumens, a good rule of thumb is to find bulbs that are 300-400 lumens for every 100 square feet of room you have.
Your chandelier also should not be the sole source of light in the room, or else you’ll have shadowy areas. Layer lighting throughout the room with a combination of recessed lights, lamps, or sconces. If you can, get a dimmer-compatible chandelier. Being able to dim the lights is especially important for a dining room chandelier, where high-wattage bulbs could create unwanted table glare.
LEDs produce less heat than halogen bulbs and last the longest of all light sources. These days, they are also available in a wider range of color temperatures. For my clients, I recommend LED bulbs that are in a neutral white, between warm and cool.
3. How to Choose a Chandelier Style That Complements Your Home
Although a modern chandelier can potentially work in a traditional home (and vice versa), it’s possible that over time, the mismatch will look dated. For a truly timeless look, stick to modern chandeliers in modern rooms and traditional chandeliers in traditional rooms. The metal and finish on a chandelier can cause it to lean more modern or more traditional. Many modern chandeliers have chrome or satin nickel finishes; meanwhile, bronze finishes are associated with transitional design.
Crystal chandeliers are great for traditional spaces with lots of antiques, like this Preston Hollow dining room.
Crystal chandeliers, with their romantic sparkle, are highly traditional. K9 crystal, which is mass-produced, and Italian crystal, which is molded and fire-polished instead of hand-cut, are on the affordable end of the scale. Swarovski crystal, Spectra crystal, and Egyptian crystal are all machine cut, with Swarovski being the finest quality. Rock crystal is the most expensive variety of all because it is formed naturally in ground.
4. How to Hang a Chandelier at the Correct Height
In a dining room, the chandelier should be hung about thirty to thirty-six inches over the table to leave enough room for your centerpiece. It might make more sense to use two or three small chandeliers rather than one if you have a long dining table. Most chandeliers come with three to six feet of chain, so take measurements ahead of time to see how much length you need. Although you can have a chain shortened, you can’t have it added on to.
For this transitional home, we used a lot of glass or crystal light fixtures, like this feather crystal chandelier.
If the chandelier is hanging over the open floor, make sure to leave seven feet of clearance over a person’s head. Your chandelier should also have enough breathing room from the surrounding walls—ideally, at least four feet on each side.
By taking your room size, existing furnishings, and lighting layout into consideration, you should have a pretty good idea of what chandeliers will work in your space. However, some homeowners may be dissatisfied with the options they see in stores. If you’re looking for the perfect chandelier but haven’t found the right match, call our Dallas office at 214-232-9501 or email us at info@chambersinteriors.com. Interior designers like myself have access to many more sources than the general public. At my design firm, we also have experience with reproducing antique chandelier designs and customizing them to the client’s specifications.