It is the quiet centerpiece of every room it resides in.
In many of my photos, you can see portions of it.
Seemingly suspended in mid-air, it is the balancing anchor to the space.
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Yes, today we are talking about chandeliers and lighting dos and don’ts.
When we made the decision to build this home (you can read more about that here ), I knew there was one component where I was absolutely giddy about making selections…the lighting fixtures. I love walking through a lighting showroom admiring each of the chandeliers which hang at every single turn. And since we were building a new home, we were able to choose from the builder’s catalog of options.
When that day arrived, I eagerly opened the book and began trying to visualize each fixture in our new home. And at the end of the book, I had narrowed down our choices to….well….zero. Unfortunately, none of the upgrade options were my style. Therefore, we decided to have the builder install the standard fixtures which now reside in our home’s storage space.
As a result of this, I informed my husband that we would need to purchase new lighting fixtures for the family room, master bedroom, master bathroom, guest bathroom, breakfast area, dining room, study and foyer. I could see the cash register turning in his head. It is for times like these that I always keep his favorite beverage in the fridge.
Over time, we managed to acquire the lighting fixtures you see in our current home. It wasn’t always easy to find the right fixture at the budget that we set. However, it can be done and the end result hopefully reflects this. There is a method to this madness and I thought I would share that with you today. Here are some tips which will hopefully make this process a bit smoother for you should you decide to take on a lighting makeover.
Chosen correctly, the chandelier can become a purposed focal point in any room. However, common mistakes can be made here regarding size and scale. If they are too large, they become a monstrosity which can overtake any space. If they are too small, they get lost in the room while failing to light the space, which lest we forget, is their primary function.
The correct chandelier stays true to the design theme not only within the room itself, but the entire home as well. So, how do we select the appropriate fixture and have it deliver in a functional and decorative way?
We can begin here…
The Dos
- If the chandelier is going to be hung over a table, center it over the table rather than being centered in the room. This is especially important within a dining room that has a hutch present.
- Most rooms offer multiple lighting sources which compliment the chandelier. Be sure and install a dimmer switch to control the intensity so you can set the mood appropriately.
- The distance between the bottom of the chandelier and the table should be about 30-34 inches. This allows for proper scaling as well as a centerpiece to be utilized on the table.
The Don’ts
- The most common mistake when hanging lighting fixtures is they are hung too high. Be mindful of this during installation.
- Be careful not to select a fixture that is too large for the space. A good rule of thumb for round tables is the chandelier should be 1/3 the width of the table. Rectangular and oval tables can take a slightly wider piece rather easily.
- Resist the urge to select a fixture that doesn’t compliment your overall design theme. Make sure the materials and style of the chandelier matches the room. Trends come and go and if you are not careful, you will be replacing your lighting fixtures more frequently than you’d like.
It is the quiet focal point in the room.
You want to know it is there without being domineering.
And finally, done correctly, your chandeliers should last you many years in your current home.
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Jen, love this lighting post! Such great tips as always. I love that gold one and pinned it a while back as a contender for over my breakfast table. Always beautiful my friend!! Xoxo
Hi Jen, great advice this is really helpful! I’m about to start this process myself and wanted to know… What are your thoughts on ceiling fans in the bedrooms? I personally like the function but not look, I’d much rather have a beautiful chandelier! Thoughts?
Hi Amy, thank you! I chose against having a ceiling fan. My husband was hesitant to go along with my plan, but now neither of us miss it at all. Good luck with your decision!
Love this post, Jen! We were lucky that we got to pick all fixtures from a well stocked lighting company, but some areas we super splurged (dining room) and others, we decided to wait (hello boob lights!) haha! I am so ready to make our upgrades and appreciate your valuable advice. Your lighting choices are brilliant!
Great tips Jen and you picked some beautiful lighting!
Xoxo
Love this post Jen! There are some chandeliers I just might use in my kitchen remodel in there! Thank you for all of your wonderful tips and suggestions!!! xo
Love this post!! So many amazing chandelier picks! A good chandelier just makes the room! šš
Thank you so much sweet friend! So glad you stopped by!!! xoxo
Swooning over these chandeliers, Jen! I wish there was something I could do about the one over my dining table. It is off center and it’s driving me nuts lol! I’m not sure how on earth the builder got that wrong but if I wasn’t renting I’d have had an electrician here when we moved in. Great post, xoxo!
Thank you! Isn’t it crazy that a builder would do that? Can’t wait to see what you do when you buy a home!!!
Good advice…another trick I use to get a good idea of the size for a room chandy is add up the width and length of the room…there is a good diameter for your chandy! You can go a bit bigger for taller ceilings! Easy peasy! Blessings!
i LOVE this chandelier and recently purchased for my own home! I am curious the width of your table? My table is 44 inches wide and I’m worried the chandelier will be too wide for it. Also the height of your ceilings? Are they 9 feet?
Thank you for this post. We are building now and have also opted for the builders grade. Iām searching now for new light fixtures. What tip do you have god keeping the look cohesive but still able to do something different in each space?
Hi Gailene! I would simply suggest finding lighting fixtures that have a commonality. It can be the finish, the style, the general shape or something else. If this seems a bit challenging, often brands have collections that coordinate, but don’t match. I hope this helps!