Why Lighting Scale Matters More than Fixture Style

This may be controversial, but the most important thing when deciding on light fixtures for your home is to consider the scale. The simplest explanation for this is that it doesn't matter how cute or aesthetic your lighting is if it is either too big or too small for your space. The most beautiful light in the world won't look good if the surrounding area dwarfs it. 

So, now you might be wondering, "What is the right size light fixture for my home?" Well, it depends! Every space has different lighting needs, and therefore has different rules when it comes to scale. Let's take it room by room and talk about the general lighting size guides for each space in the home. You can find our full visual size guides on our size guide page. 

Kitchen Lighting Scale and Size Rules

Kitchen island lighting sizing depends on what type of light is being installed. When pendants are the choice for a kitchen island, be sure that the pendants hang about 36" from the bottom of the pendants to the countertop. Hang the pendants about 20" to 30" apart from eachother. The total width of the pendants should not exceed 3/4 of the length of the kitchen island.

If you're choosing a linear chandelier to go over your kitchen island, it should also hang about 36" from the top of the counter. The length should be about 2/3 the length of the kitchen island. 

Dining Room Lighting Scaling

For dining room lighting, the size will depend on the size of the dining room table. If you base the scale of your light on the room, you may end up with something too large. Generally, the scale you should aim for is that your dining room chandelier is no bigger than 3/4 to 2/3 the overall width or diameter of the table. The bottom of the chandelier should hang about 30" to 36" from the top of the table. 

Living and Family Room Lighting Sizing Guide

For living and family rooms, your light should scale the size of the room. To find the size of a chandelier, add the length and width of the room and then convert to inches. For example, a 12 x 14 family room space would be 12 + 14 = 26. So a 26" width chandelier would be appropriate for a room of this size. Of course, if you want to go a few inches smaller or larger, that would be completely fine as well. 

Finding the height of a chandelier or light for the main area depends on a couple of scaling rules. First, the bottom of the chandelier or light fixture should hang no lower than 7 feet from the ground. Second, think about ceiling height. For average ceilings about 9 to 10 feet tall, a fixture around 2 feet tall is perfect. 

If you have a living room or family room that is two stories tall, select a light fixture that has a good amount of height. Think something 36 inches or taller. Or find a chandelier that has multiple tiers, either two or three. Shop large chandeliers on Lighting Design here. 

Bedroom Lighting Size Guide

The rules of sizing for bedroom lighting are very similar to living room. Consider the size of the room, add the width and height together, and convert to inches to get the overall recommended width of the ceiling light. Remember, smaller bedrooms with shorter ceilings generally do better with flush or semi-flush mounts. For primary and larger bedrooms, you can apply the chandelier sizing rules. 

Outdoor Lighting Size Rules

Exterior lights need to be the perfect size so as to give off the best amount of lighting for safety and aesthetic purposes. Outdoor fixtures should hang about 60" to 65" from the ground to the middle of the fixture. Typically, outdoor lights need to be a bout 1/4 the size of what they are being installed next to, such as garage doors or front doors. 

Ceiling Fan Sizing Rules

Ceiling fan scale guides are pretty straightforward. Here are some charts to help you find the right size ceiling fan.