Take the height of your centerpieces into consideration when you hang your light fixture.
When dining rooms were lighted exclusively by candles, servants would replace the candles mid-way through the meal. This ensured that the light was always coming from above the dinners where it would not cast unflattering shadows on their faces. Hang your dining table light fixture high enough so that it casts a flattering light on your guest and low enough to provide an intimate circle of light that illuminates the dinner party without lighting the whole room.
8-foot Ceilings
Hang a chandelier so that the bottom is 30-inches above the dining room table. Chose a chandelier that is no more than 20-inches tall for a room with 8-foot ceilings.
Higher Ceilings
Hang a chandelier 30-inches above the dining room table in a room with 8-foot ceilings. Add an inch to the 30 inches for each additional foot of ceiling height. For example: hang the chandelier 34 inches above the table in a room with 12 foot ceilings. Keep the height of the light fixture proportional to the height of the room. A room that is open to the upper story can have a 3-foot tall light fixture.
Unusual Rooms
Check to be sure the position of the chandelier is in harmony with the other decorative features of the room. If there is a tall window opposite the light fixture it should frame the fixture attractively. You may need to raise or lower the fixture a few inches to achieve this. Also the fixture should not be the same height as any other decorative features in the room. For example, it should not hang directly in front of a decorative pediment on a china cabinet. Raise or lower the height of the lighting to correct this.
Buffet Lighting
Hang a light fixture over a buffet 8 inches higher or lower than the height of the dining table fixture. The lower height provides accent lighting for any food on the buffet; the higher height provides more ambient lighting for the room.
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