A chandelier that is the right size makes a room feel finished. Too small and it looks lost, too large and it takes over. These are the rules of thumb lighting designers use, and the ones we use when we help customers choose. They are a starting point, not a law, so trust your eye as well.
How wide should it be?
In a living room, bedroom or hallway: measure the length and the width of the room in metres and add the two numbers together. Multiply the sum by 8, and you have a good starting diameter in centimetres.
Example: a room that is 4 metres long and 5 metres wide gives 4 + 5 = 9, and 9 × 8 = 72. A chandelier around 70 cm wide will suit that room.
Over a dining table: choose a chandelier that is about half to two thirds as wide as the table, and at least 30 cm narrower than the table, so nobody hits it when they stand up. A table that is 100 cm wide suits a chandelier of 50 to 65 cm. For a long table, an oval model such as Poliedri 138 follows the shape of the table, or you can hang two smaller chandeliers in a row. Keep the light within the outline of the table.
How tall should it be?
A common guide is 20 to 25 cm of chandelier height for every metre of ceiling height. A room with a 3 metre ceiling suits a chandelier that is about 60 to 75 cm tall. Where people walk underneath, the free height below the chandelier comes first, so read the next section before you choose.
Our size collections
We sort our chandeliers and ceiling lights by width and height together, because a chandelier that is both wide and tall fills a room more than one that is only one of the two. A Tube 78, which is 85 cm wide and 90 cm tall, counts as large, while a slim Quadriedri 54, 32 cm wide and 90 cm tall, counts as medium.
Small, Medium and Large. Each product page shows the exact measurements.
How low should it hang?
Over a dining table: the bottom of the chandelier should be 75 to 85 cm above the table top. That keeps the light on the table without blocking the view across it.
Where people walk underneath: leave at least 2.1 metres from the floor to the bottom of the glass.
In a stairwell or a hall that is open over two floors: hang the chandelier so that it is at eye level, or a little below, when you see it from the upper floor.
Wall sconces
In a living room, hallway or dining room: mount sconces about 150 to 170 cm above the floor, roughly at eye level. When you hang a pair, on each side of a mirror, a painting or a sofa, keep them at the same height.
Beside a bed: mount them lower, so the bottom of the sconce sits about 50 to 70 cm above the top of the mattress. Then you can read without the light shining in your eyes.
Low ceilings
Every product page shows two heights. Chandelier height is the lamp itself, from the top of the frame to the bottom of the glass. Total height with chain is the maximum. The chain can easily be shortened, and we can also shorten it before we ship.
To find out how much room you have where people walk underneath, take the ceiling height and subtract 2.1 metres. The rest is the space for the chandelier, the chain and the ceiling cup together. With a ceiling of 2.6 metres you have 50 cm, which is enough for a chandelier of about 40 cm on a short chain. With 2.4 metres you have only 30 cm, so check the height on the product page carefully. Over a dining table, where nobody walks underneath, you can choose a taller chandelier and follow the table rule above instead.
Small is a good place to start if your ceiling is low, but always check the chandelier height on the product page against your own ceiling.
Still unsure?
Send us the size of the room, the ceiling height and a photo, and we will suggest a size. Write to info@astrastudio.no.
