Do You Center a Ceiling Light Over a Table or in Proportion to the Room Size?

Formal Chandeliers

• Usually found in formal dining rooms, chandeliers are decorative and functional, especially if they are controlled by a dimmer switch to adjust the lighting level for eating or to create a soft glow in the room when it is unoccupied. In rooms with 8-foot ceilings, hang the chandelier so its bottom is between 29 and 34 inches from the tabletop. If your room has higher ceilings, raise the chandelier 3 inches for every extra foot of height. Tables with high-profile centerpieces look best with higher-hung chandeliers. The minimum diameter of the fixture should be around 6 inches narrower than the width of each side of the table. The style of the chandelier also affects its placement. Modern bowl style chandeliers look more attractive at lower heights, while crystal styles are more attractive hung higher to bring attention to the brilliance of the crystals.

Pendant Lights

• Less formal kitchen tables and game tables are best illuminated with pendant lighting. Hang pendant lights so the bottoms are 30 inches above the tabletop and choose styles about 12 inches narrower than the table’s diameter. Pendant lights with metal shades shine straight down on the table’s surface and those with clear or translucent shades spread the light over the entire top of the table. To reduce the glare from pendant lights, use low-wattage globe bulbs with frosted surfaces and attach the light controls to a dimmer switch.

Flush Mount Lights

• This light fixture style fits snugly against the ceiling. It provides minimal light to the table unless it has a high-wattage bulb, which may create a glare over the room. Flush mount lights are not recommended above tables but are good for general lighting of hallways, foyers and walk-in closets.

Recessed Lighting

• These fixtures are embedded in the ceiling or on tracks attached to the ceiling, so you have no options on height. They can be manually or electrically manipulated to brightly illuminate a kitchen or dining room table or adjusted to light up the perimeter of the room to create a barely lit, soothing atmosphere. The size of the room and table determine how many recessed light fixtures are needed.