Free tool
Chandelier size calculator
Enter your room — or your dining table — and get the recommended chandelier diameter, fixture height, and hanging clearance, based on the sizing rules interior designers use.
Diameter
23–29"
Room length + width in feet, read as inches.
Fixture height
23–27"
About 2.5–3 inches of fixture per foot of ceiling height.
Hanging height
keep at least 7 ft of clearance below the fixture
Walk-under spaces need headroom; dining tables are the exception.
These are the standard interior-design starting points, not hard rules. Bold rooms can size up; busy rooms often look better one size down. Always confirm the fixture's listed dimensions before ordering.
How the math works
For open rooms, the classic rule of thumb adds the room's length and width in feet and reads the sum as inches of diameter. For dining rooms, the table takes over: the fixture should span one-half to two-thirds of the table's width so it lights the surface without crowding the people around it. Fixture height scales with the ceiling at roughly 2.5 to 3 inches per foot.
Once you have your target size, browse stores that carry chandeliers or read the full guide to buying a chandelier online.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I calculate the right chandelier size for a room?
- Add the room's length and width in feet; that sum, read as inches, is a workable chandelier diameter. A 14 by 12 foot room points to a fixture around 26 inches across. Treat it as a starting range — bold, open rooms can size up.
- What size chandelier goes over a dining table?
- Size to the table rather than the room: one-half to two-thirds of the table's width. Over a 42-inch-wide table that means a fixture roughly 21 to 28 inches across, hung 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop.
- How low can a chandelier hang?
- In walk-under spaces keep at least 7 feet of clearance from the floor to the bottom of the fixture. Dining tables are the exception, since nobody walks under them — 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop is standard.
- What about two-story entryways?
- For tall foyers, allow roughly 2.5 to 3 inches of fixture height per foot of ceiling height, and consider a tiered chandelier centered in the upper window line so it reads well from outside too.