- Table of contents
- What Is a Chandelier?
- Types of Chandeliers
- Matching Chandelier Shape With Dining Table
- Chandelier Size and Height Guide
- Latest Trends in Chandeliers
- Special Chandelier Features
Whether it’s an elegant design dripping with crystals or a minimalist design with clean lines, a chandelier is an eye-catching finishing touch to any interior design. With so many different types available, finding the best chandelier for your room can be complicated. In this guide, we will explain the types of chandeliers and help you choose the correct chandelier size, shape, style, and height.
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1. What Is a Chandelier?
A chandelier is a decorative light fixture designed to be suspended from a ceiling, with multiple light bulbs and often includes branched or tiered supports for the bulbs.
Chandelier vs. pendant light: Both chandeliers and pendant lights are lighting fixtures hung from the ceiling. A pendant light has a single light bulb, while a chandelier incorporates multiple light bulbs.
2. Types of Chandeliers
Chandelier Installation Types
There are three basic chandelier installation types:
- Hanging chandeliers are suspended at least 8 inches below the ceiling, typically by a chain or a bar
- A flush-mount fixture lies directly against the ceiling with no gap
- A semi-flush-mount is suspended about 4 to 8 inches below the ceiling
Uplight chandeliers vs. downlight chandeliers: Uplights are aimed at the ceiling for an ambient effect, while downlights point to the table or floor to provide focused illumination. Consider how much light you’ll need and, if necessary, supplement an uplight chandelier with additional lighting such as sconces or floor lamps.
Chandelier Design Types
Thanks to their crystals that reflect light around a room, crystal chandeliers can act as dazzling decor, like jewelry for a room. Crystals are thinner, brighter, and more transparent than the standard glass used in glass chandeliers. Swarovski crystal chandeliers are especially elegant.
These can have a single glass sphere around each light bulb, a circular cage design, or a glass globe shade with multiple bulbs inside.
These have a shade that resembles an inverted bowl. A bowl chandelier shade can be made of glass, wood, or metal, and be solid or openwork.
These chandeliers incorporate one or more sets of either faux antlers or real elk, moose, or deer antlers, giving them a rustic look. If you choose real antlers, look for ethically sourced and naturally shed. Faux versions made of a wood-look material, ceramic, or metal are typically less expensive.
Named after 1950s satellites orbiting Earth, Sputnik chandeliers have spindles stemming from a central spine, with light bulbs at the ends of the spindles. They usually have a modern or avant-garde look, perfectly suited to modern architecture.
With their long, horizontal orientation, linear chandeliers are ideal for hanging over rectangular dining tables. These are often modern chandeliers and can be as simple as a bar with three lights hanging from it or as ornate as an intricate cage with many light bulbs.
Incorporating one or more strands of glass, wood, metal, or shell beads, beaded chandeliers have a draped look. Beaded chandeliers are popular in beachy, farmhouse, and boho-style spaces.
With a rounded shade in the shape of a drum that encloses all the bulbs, a drum chandelier can be minimalist, fancy, or anything in between. The drum shade can be made of fabric, glass, beads, metal, or a combination of materials.
Though they do not hold actual candles, candle-style chandeliers have light bulbs in the shape of a candle flame held by a “candlestick” made of metal or glass. They’re particularly popular in traditional and farmhouse-style decor.
Mini chandeliers can be as small as 6 inches wide and 6 inches tall and have as few as two bulbs. Like larger chandeliers, they come in many styles. Beaded and shaded mini chandeliers are common.
Wagon Wheel Chandeliers
These have one or more metal rings with attached light bulbs or candlesticks. Although the name recalls a farm, wagon wheel chandeliers can be traditional, industrial, or farmhouse style.
3. Matching Chandelier Shape With Dining Table
Even the most beautiful chandelier won’t look right if the table below doesn’t have a complementary shape. Here’s how to match chandelier shapes and table shapes in dining rooms:
- Round dining table: Go with a circular or curved chandelier — such as a wagon wheel, globe, or Sputnik design for the most cohesive look
- Square dining table: Circular, curved, or square chandeliers are the easiest match. However, almost any shape except very long and linear can look good over a square table
- Rectangular dining tables: A long linear or oval chandelier centered over the table is a natural fit. Two separate round chandeliers can also look good placed toward the ends of the table
- Oval tables: An oval or linear light fixture is the perfect complement, however, a circular chandelier works if the size and scale are big enough so the table doesn’t dwarf the chandelier
4. Chandelier Size and Height Guide
Width and Length Guide
You want to choose a chandelier width based primarily on the room size while considering a table or other pieces of furniture.
Room size: These size guidelines apply to every room — living room, dining room, bedroom, bathroom, foyer, etc. Add the length and width of your room in feet. This sum will give you the diameter of the ideal size of chandelier in inches. For example, if your room is 12 by 15 feet, the best chandelier diameter is 27 inches (12 + 15 = 27).
Table size (important for dining room): Whether your chandelier is round or rectangular, the general rule of thumb is that a chandelier should have a width about 12 inches smaller than the width of your table at its widest point. The length should be one-third to two-thirds the length of your table. If you have multiple chandeliers versus one central chandelier over the table, their combined length plus the space between them should equal the lengths below.
- 42 inches table – 14 to 28 inches chandelier
- 48 inches table – 16 to 32 inches chandelier
- 54 inches table – 18 to 36 inches chandelier
- 60 inches table – 20 to 40 inches chandelier
- 72 inches table – 24 to 48 inches chandelier
- 84 inches table – 28 to 56 inches chandelier
- 96 inches table – 32 to 64 inches chandelier
Height Guide
The chandelier height guide below applies to dining rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, and foyers.
To determine the right chandelier height, multiply your ceiling height in feet by 3. The sum is how tall your chandelier should be in inches. For example, for a ceiling that is 20 feet high, look for a 60-inch-tall chandelier (20 x 3 = 60).
- 8 feet ceiling – 24 inches chandelier
- 9 feet ceiling – 27 inches chandelier
- 10 feet ceiling – 30 inches chandelier
- 11 feet ceiling – 33 inches chandelier
- 12 feet ceiling – 36 inches chandelier
- 14 feet ceiling – 42 inches chandelier
- 18 feet ceiling – 46 inches chandelier
- 20 feet ceiling – 60 inches chandelier
How High to Hang a Chandelier
Whether in a dining room, living room, bedroom, or bathroom, hang the fixture at least 30 to 34 inches above the table or other furniture to avoid anyone hitting their heads. If the chandelier does not hang over furniture, the general rule is to hang the chandelier at least 7 feet from the floor. The exact height depends on the proportions of the space and the chandelier's safety considerations, lines of sight, and personal preference.
For two-story foyers and other high ceilings: Chandeliers look best hung at the level of the second story in a two-story foyer. For a high ceiling in a single story, such as a cathedral or vaulted ceiling, hang it low enough to create a visual impact, but keep the scale of the space in mind.
5. Latest Trends in Chandeliers
Latest Trends
Chandelier trends for 2024 include:
- Artistic, statement-making chandeliers
- Organic, sculptural shapes
- Shaded chandeliers with luxurious fabric
- Custom elements such as unusual shades
Popular Chandelier Styles
These chandelier styles are always popular:
- Modern: Modern chandeliers have simple, symmetrical shapes with clean lines and neutral colors; metal is a popular material
- Mid-century modern: A retro style that focuses on natural materials, single saturated color or bright metals, and can have decorative accents (for example, a brass Sputnik chandelier)
- Contemporary: Focuses on geometric shapes, particularly orbs, mixed materials such as glass and metal, and a fresh look
- Traditional: A traditional chandelier is often ornate, with crystals, richly colored fringed or beaded shades, mixed materials, and/or multiple tiers
- Farmhouse: Wood, weathered metal, and white are hallmarks of this style. Candlestick and lantern styles are popular too
- Rustic: Showcases natural materials and organic shapes, such as wood, branches, and antlers
- Industrial: Nods to factory and warehouse settings, with weathered metals and woods, dark colors, and a utilitarian look
6. Special Chandelier Features
Dimmable chandeliers: If you want to adjust the lighting for ambience, choose a chandelier with a dimmer function. Some dimmable chandeliers can be operated by remote control.
Sloped-ceiling-adaptable chandeliers: If your ceiling is vaulted, a cathedral ceiling, or many attic ceilings, look for a chandelier specifically described as adaptable for sloped ceilings so it hangs properly with no gaps.
Wet-location chandeliers: For any light fixtures used in a bathroom or other wet or damp space, look for a wet rating. Sometimes the label will say “suitable for wet spaces” or “suitable for damp spaces.”
Swarovski crystal chandeliers: Swarovski crystals are made of exceptional-quality glass. They create a luxurious impression that suits an elegant interior design.
Edison bulb chandeliers: Edison bulbs are incandescent, with filaments and glass lenses. They have an antique look that suits vintage and industrial interior designs.
Geometric chandeliers: “Geometric” can refer either to a fixture that’s based on geometric shapes (such as triangles, rectangles, and circles) or to a fixture with adjustable tiers, cages or other components.
UL chandeliers: A UL rating means that Underwriters Laboratories has tested it for fire electrical safety.
EnergyStar chandeliers: use up to 90% less electricity and last 35 to 50 times longer than one with traditional incandescent bulbs.
Plug-in chandeliers: If your home isn’t hardwired for lighting, or if the hardwiring isn’t in the place where you want to hang your chandelier, consider a plug-in option. The cord will run across the ceiling and down the wall to an outlet.
LED chandeliers: LED chandeliers are an energy-efficient and long-lasting lighting option. Integrated LED chandeliers, feature built-in LED lights, eliminating the need for bulb replacements. Integrated LED chandeliers are also known for their durability and low maintenance.