One of the most defining accents of a dining room is the chandelier. It’s all that glitters, the mood setter of the room, and sometimes a conversation piece among your guests.
You need one, but there are so many to choose from. So, how do you start on this enlightening journey?
Follow these six key considerations to help you choose the best LED Chandelier for your space.
Style
One of the most exciting aspects of being in the market for a chandelier is the discovery of a style that you adore for your home. While shopping for the right style to match your interior design, you may ask yourself, is my home contemporary, modern, traditional, or a mix? Knowing the style of your quarters will narrow down your search, reducing the period of time you spend shopping and allowing you to enjoy your illuminating purchase even sooner.
While the easiest option is to go with the style that matches your home, another option is to find a chandelier that contrasts with its surroundings. You may find that a classic crystal chandelier proves itself to be more dazzling in a modern space than a simple large bell shade. The key is selecting a style that will enhance the surrounding space and not take away from the theme of the room.
Finish
As with style, you want to determine whether you want your chandelier’s metal finish or glass color to coordinate or contrast with the surrounding furnishings and any other light fixtures. A chrome chandelier can work well with wall sconces in bronze, as long as they have similar design styles.
In product and interior design, colors and finishes can do wonderful things. Take, for example, an antler chandelier…. Traditionally, you’d place something like this in a cabin because of it’s rustic and organic appeal. But with the right finish, it becomes a modern lighting piece. The glossy finish transforms the rustic chandelier into a polished, elegant piece that meshes well with–and adds an unexpected fun element to–the surrounding decor.
Size
chandelier has the opportunity to be functional and visually outstanding when it’s in proportion to the room in which it’s installed. With their experience and knowledge, interior designers have developed a general rule of thumb to determine the right size ceiling light for your space:
Diameter of chandelier (in inches) = room width + room length in feet. For example, your dining room is 15 feet wide and 15 feet long. 15+15=30 feet, which means the chandelier should be 30 inches wide.
Height of chandelier (in inches) = room height in feet x 3. So, your space has a 9-foot ceiling. 9×3 = 27. So, the chandelier should be about 27 inches tall.
Anytime a chandelier is hanging over a dining table, you also want to keep in mind that the width of a chandelier should be less than the full width of the table (but greater than half of that width). In the case of an extra-long table, two smaller LED chandeliers or a Linear suspension LED can be used for a proportional look.
Position
In an interior space, the position of the chandelier should be as centered as possible. Here are three reasons why:
- Aesthetic: A well designed chandelier is admirable from all angles. Placing the chandelier in a central position gives you a 360-degree view to admire all the beautiful elements.
- General Light: Artificial ambient light is more evenly distributed from a centered position.
- Symmetry: As most likely the only suspended object, a chandelier is best put in a centered location for visual balance.
Installation Height
In a dining room, a chandelier should hang approximately 30 inches above a dining table surface so people seated around it can see each other and won’t get glare in their eyes. If you have a high ceiling (9 feet or higher), add about 3 inches for each additional foot of ceiling height.
In other rooms, you should always consider such line of sight and safe clearance when installing a chandelier. After all, a light fixture is much less appealing if it blocks your view or if you keep hitting your head on it.
Brightness
The ideal lumen count for ambient lighting in a dining room–or any room–is determined by the space’s square footage. Per 100 square feet, a dining room needs about 300-400 total lumens. So, you would be smart to consider the lumen output of a chandelier as part of your selection process. In the interest of proper light layering, a chandelier may not be the sole source of ambient lighting in a space, but it will likely be the primary one.
Now that you know how to find the right modern chandelier to match your style and interior design needs, go ahead and check out the great selection
Author: T. Doukpolagha