The use of dining room chandeliers is one of the easiest ways to imbue a space with unparalleled beauty and regal sophistication. Yet, as simple as it is to see how an elegant chandelier can completely redefine the entire look and feel of the living room, the truth is that all fixtures are not created equal. The most beautiful and lavish crystal or Tiffany chandelier ever made would still be inappropriate in some homes due to stylistic problems, sizing issues, or the surrounding décor itself. To truly find the most appropriate chandelier for your home, there are a number of factors to keep in mind before making an actual purchase, including:

1.   Total illumination required for the area
2.   Ceiling height
3.   Style of the surrounding décor and home itself

There are actually very elaborate and complicated formulas that can be used to determine the exact lighting necessary to properly illuminate a room. While these specific formulas can take into account ceiling height and even odd dimensions in a space, the basic one to remember is finding the square footage of the space and then multiplying by 1.5 Watts. For ceilings above 9 feet, you will need to adjust that multiplier up to around 2.0 Watts to completely account for the total lighting necessary to keep the space well illuminated without causing glare.

The ceiling height is also important when trying to find the best chandelier for your dining room because it will help determine the size of the fixture. Higher ceilings command larger chandeliers because the fixtures must be proportional to the space they illuminate. Plus, as mentioned earlier, taller ceilings will necessitate more illumination from chandeliers and other ceiling fixtures or else the space will be filled with shadows.

The style of your furnishings and the home itself should also play a very prominent role in helping you find the perfect chandelier for your dining room. Contemporary homes featuring simple lines, muted tones, and modern materials should naturally be complemented by contemporary chandeliers and accentuating fixtures. The same is true of any décor so just be sure that all light fixtures are made in the same style and design as the other furnishings in the space.

Finally, the size of your chandelier is not solely determined by the size of your room and the ceiling height. The dimensions of your dining room table are also important and the diameter of the chandelier should be approximately equal to 1/3 the width of the table.   This is true whether the dining room table is square, rectangular, or even circular.

To make sure that the dining area has plenty of illumination, mount the chandelier approximately 3 inches above the surface of the dining room table for every 1 foot of ceiling height. For a nine foot ceiling, that would mean the fixture should rest roughly 27-30 inches above the table.

Without question, dining room chandeliers can completely enhance and beautify the space while imbuing it with subtle grace and sophistication. It is important to take into account the required illumination, dimensions of the space, and the surrounding décor when choosing the best chandelier for your taste, budget, and décor.