Good lighting coming from the centre of a room is always a must. The only exception would be if recessed lighting has been used. It’s always a good idea to have the centre light on a dimmer switch. Then lamps etc can be used to enhance the ambience of the room whilst still keeping it functional.
A centre light is usually placed in line with fireplace, windows and or television…so it’s another focal point in the room. If it’s in the a hallway, it’s quite often the only decorative focal point. Choose it carefully , not purely for style or wow factor. It needs to tick many boxes! The following information should help guide you to the correct size of light fitting for your room. To have the correct amount of light please see our section on “Room Lighting”.
The “drop” (length from the ceiling)
The correct chandelier should be in proportion with the room ..all of it…this includes the height! It’s a good idea to leave an absolute minimum of 6Ft 5inches clearance from the bottom of your chandelier to the floor. This should mean that even your tallest guests can walk through the room comfortably. Obviously in rooms such as the dining room or kitchen there’s the possibility that the chandelier hangs directly over the centre of the table or island. In this case then keep the base of the light approximately 3ft above the surface and most certainly higher than eye level. Remember to include the depth of the ceiling rose.
The diameter of the light
If there’s a ceiling rose… then measure the diameter of it and keep this in mind when choosing your chandelier…everytime you look up at it you’ll see the ceiling rose too. Measure the room….in feet please! A very general guide would be to add the width and length of the room in feet …eg., in a room 15ft by 17ft begin looking a lights 32” in diameter.
