Design Choices: One Statement Chandelier Or A Cluster?

Chandeliers have caught your eye for your new design — but how much chandelier is too much?

ARE YOU CONSIDERING PURCHASING A NEW CHANDELIER?

For new chandelier buyers, there a couple rules of thumb you should be acquainted with. For example, the classic dining room chandelier. Generally, hanging light fixtures should fall with around 30-34 inches of space between the bottom of the fixture and the tabletop. As for size, a simple calculation is to take the dimensions of the room in question and add them together to get the likely-optimum diameter for a rustic chandelier. For example, a single 22-inch diameter chandelier would be the recommended diameter for a 10 foot by 12-foot room (10+12=22).

But what if you don’t necessarily want a single, statement-making chandelier? Many people are substituting in wrought iron pendant lights, for example, in which case a few complementary lights can be hung together and create beautiful ambiance.

Maybe you want coordinating accessories like wrought sconces. In this case, you may want to keep things simple and go for a single chandelier piece instead of multiple wrought iron pendant lights as mentioned earlier.

Your choice tends to come down to three things:

The style of your room. Does your room in question scream “opulence” or “hunting lodge chic”? How minimal you’re aiming to be with your lighting depends heavily on what feels appropriate for your design’s overall style.
The size of your room.Would multiple hanging light fixtures feel too crowded, or would the air feel empty without them?
What you want as the design centerpiece.Do you want to highlight your new chandelier, or focus on your vintage dining set? Draw eyes to the romantic sconces on your fireplace or make your thrifted landscape oil painting center stage? What you want your focal point to be determines how big, fancy, or numerous your chandeliers should be.

It helps to start small. Visualize the room with the simplest light possible (i.e., one chandelier, a couple of hanging lights or sconces), and work your way up if things look too bare. Sometimes less is more, but don’t worry — if you over-order materials, you can always use them in another room to provide some great design flow throughout the home!with around 30-34 inches of space between the bottom of the fixture and the tabletop. As for size, a simple calculation is to take the dimensions of the room in question and add them together to get the likely-optimum diameter for a rustic chandelier. For example, a single 22-inch diameter chandelier would be the recommended diameter for a 10 foot by 12-foot room (10+12=22).

Maybe you want coordinating lighting accessories like wrought sconces. In this case, you may want to keep things simple and go for a single chandelier piece instead of multiple wrought iron pendant lights as mentioned earlier.