Size the dining room for a light fixture.
Choosing a dining room light fixture is a key element of your dining arrangement and will set the tone for the style and feel of the room. This is why determining the appropriate size of your future dining room light is essential. If you purchase a dining room light that is too large, you will dwarf the furniture and the dining room will feel garish. Conversely, if the dining room light is too small, it might not emit enough light and will also look disproportionate to the room. A dining room light should balance the rest of the dining room furniture and complement the overall style of the room by repeating a particular finish or decor. If you size the dining room light correctly, you'll have a dining space that welcomes guests to a meal and encourages people to linger at the dinner table.
Instructions
1. Measure the width of your dining room table. Subtract 12 inches from this number and write down the result. This is the maximum width your dining room light should be; any wider and you risk dwarfing the dining room table. For example, if your dining room table is 50 inches wide, than your dining should be no wider than 40 inches.
2. Measure between the dining room walls and the center of your dining room table (or, if you have an open floor plan, just measure between the single wall and the walkway) to make sure there is at least 48 inches of space to allow people to pass by without bumping their heads on the dining room light fixture.
3. Measure the ceiling height if you don't already know it and note this on your paper. Your dining room light should hang 30 to 34 inches above the dining room table for 8-foot ceilings, 33 to 37 inches above for 9-foot ceilings and 36 to 40 inches above for 10-foot ceilings.
Tags: dining room, dining room light, dining room, room light, dining room table, room table