The ambience of your dining room and how you and your family enjoy a meal can easily be impacted by your lighting. The perfect chandelier for your dining room is not hard to find by using the Chandelier Buying Guide below. Following a few simple steps and by answering a few simple questions, you can find the perfect chandelier that will create the dining experience you desire.
When picking a chandelier for your dining room, it is important to consider the size of the room, your style and the desired function of the room. These considerations are discussed in more detail below.
The most important thing you most do is measure the room. Measure the floor to the ceiling, there should be at least 30 inches in between the dining table surface and the bottom of your chandelier. What about the size of the chandelier? The size your chandelier should be half of the width of your table. Also, when measuring the room, consider the size table you have. For tables seating 4-6 people, the Table Width should be 40"-48" and the Chandelier Width should be 20"-24". For tables seating 6-8 people, the Table Width should be 50"-58" and the Chandelier Width should be 25"-29". For tables seating 8-10 people, the Table Width should be 60"-72" and the Chandelier Width should be 30"-36".
After you picked the size of the chandelier you want for your dining room, next you must decide on the style. A chandelier can single-handedly change the whole look of a room, so it is very important to think about what style you would like. Do you want the chandelier to be the focal point of the room? Or do you prefer it to be a subtle addition? Is the style of your room more traditional or do you prefer sleek modern lines?
The style and the desired function of the dining room often coincide. Is the dining room going to be the area of your home where elaborate meals are served for dinner guests? Or do you prefer a casual dining space? If you prefer a casual dining area, a chandelier with fabric lamp shades might be preferred. Also, chandeliers do not have to adhere to the traditional notion of grand opulent crystal adornments. Chandeliers can be sculptural and range in shapes and style; use this fixture to showcase your personal style.
Also, when deciding the function of the room, the amount of light you want the chandelier to emit should be considered. If your children will do doing homework on this table, perhaps the fixture should emit plenty of task lighting. Task lighting would entail the light facing downwards to the area where work is being done. However, if romantic dining is your objective, well-diffused ambient light is optimum. Remember, however, that with the right dimmer switch, a chandelier can emit plenty of task lighting for your children's homework and quickly dim down to softly glow during a romantic meal.