Chandeliers

Get the diameter right and the rest follows. Add the room's length and width in feet and read the answer as inches across: a 12 x 14 ft living room wants something around 26 inches (66 cm). Over a dining table the rule changes - go by the table instead, half to two-thirds of its width, hung 30-36 inches above the top. Chandelier size by room and sizing one over a dining table carry both tables in full.

Height is the constraint people discover too late. Allow 2.5-3 inches of fixture height for every foot of ceiling, and keep the lowest point at least 7 feet (2.1 m) off the floor anywhere people walk underneath. Under an 8-foot ceiling that arithmetic rarely works, and a flush or semi-flush fixture from the ceiling lights range is the honest substitute.

Crystal and glass make up most of this range and they behave differently. Cut crystal throws points of light across the ceiling and wants a clear bulb to do it, while blown and smoked glass diffuses instead and stays calmer in a room you use every day. Dimming matters more here than on any other fixture, because a chandelier at full output is something you want at full output for about an hour - the dimmable lighting guide covers what to check before you buy.