How High to Hang a Chandelier
A chandelier is the perfect lighting option for kitchens, dining rooms, and living rooms where you want overhead lighting, but it’s important to know how high to hang a chandelier for ideal functionality and style. Here are some chandelier height tips to position your lighting properly and achieve beautiful lighting in any room.
Chandelier Height Above Table
Chandeliers over dining tables or kitchen islands should hang anywhere from 30 to 36 inches above the table. Single chandeliers should be centered over the table or island, while multiple chandeliers or pendants should hang 30 inches apart from each other. Keep all lights at least 6 inches from the ends of the table or island.
Chandelier Height in Living Room or Entryway
Hang chandeliers at least 7 feet above the ground in living rooms and entryways with standard 8-foot ceilings, and hang them around 8 feet high with taller ceilings. If the chandelier hangs from a 2-story ceiling, don’t let it hang lower than the height of the first floor. Try to center the chandelier with the focal point of the room: over the bed in a bedroom, lined up with a mantel or centered in the seating area of a living room, or over a dinner table in a dining room.
Choosing a Chandelier to Fit Your Room
Lights should be scaled to fit the size of the room they brighten — larger rooms require larger lighting fixtures and vice versa. The length and width of a room added together should be the around same number as the diameter of the chandelier in inches. For example, a room measuring 15 feet by 20 feet, 35 feet in total, should have a roughly 35-inch chandelier.
Now that you know how high to hang a chandelier, it’s time for the fun part. Check out our tips on How to Choose a Chandelier, or begin shopping for your lighting on Overstock.com. Every order comes with free shipping*, with no minimum purchase amount necessary.
*Not eligible in Alaska and Hawaii.
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