Installing Your Chandelier
Once you’ve chosen your new chandelier, you’ll have to consider the best way to install it. You might simply be replacing your old overhead light, which means you have the wiring and support in place for the new fixture. However, depending on the weight of the chandelier, you may need to reinforce the support in your ceiling so that there’s no risk of the light coming loose and falling. If the chandelier has a chain or rope element, you’ll also have to figure out how to support that so the fixture hangs at the appropriate height.
For ceilings that are 8 feet in height, you’ll want the chandelier to hang approximately 60 to 64 inches from the floor. Since most dining tables are 30 inches tall, this means the bottom of the chandelier will be 30 to 34 inches above the table surface. This will help avoid any obstructions as people sit down for dinner and talk with the person across from them. If your ceiling is higher than 8 feet, then raise the chandelier 3 inches for every foot of height. This means that if your ceiling is 10 feet high, the bottom of the chandelier should be at least 36 inches above the table.
If you have a long, narrow dining table, make sure the chandelier is hung high enough to avoid anyone bumping into it as they sit down at the table. This can also be taken care of by sizing the fixture appropriately, as we talked about above. A small, linear chandelier or island light that runs the length of the table can be an ideal choice in situations where you have a long, narrow table.