Lighting · ceiling fixtures
Chandelier size and hanging height calculator.
Enter the room, an optional table and the ceiling height. The calculator gives the fixture diameter from the room length plus width rule, the narrower table-based range, and how high above the table to hang it, with 3 in added per foot of ceiling over 8 ft. Feet and inches or metres and centimetres. Runs in your browser; nothing is sent or stored.
Room, table and ceiling
Fixture size and height
Worked example
A 14 x 12 ft dining room, a 40 x 72 in table 30 in high, and a 9 ft (108 in) ceiling. Room rule: 14 + 12 = 26, so about a 26 in fixture. Table rule: the narrow side is 40 in, so one-half to two-thirds = 20 to 26.7 in. Hang height: 30 to 34 in for an 8 ft ceiling plus 3 in for the extra foot = 33 to 37 in above the table, so the bottom of the fixture is 63 to 67 in off the floor.
Method
Plain arithmetic. Room rule: add the room length and width in feet and read the sum as inches of fixture diameter. Table rule: one-half to two-thirds of the narrowest table dimension. Hang height above a table: 30 to 34 in in an 8 ft room, plus 3 in for each extra foot of ceiling height (Dutton Brown); Lighting Reimagined gives 30 to 36 in. The bottom of the fixture should be at least 7 ft above the floor where people walk underneath.
Limits. These are decorating rules of thumb, not codes. The cited guides write about chandeliers; for a large pendant treat the numbers as a starting point. Fixture weight, ceiling box rating, chain length and wiring need checking against the manufacturer instructions and local electrical rules, and installation by a qualified electrician is the safe choice.
Rule of thumb, not a standard. These are design rules of thumb from published decorating guides, not building codes or standards. Treat the result as a starting point and tape it out in the room before you buy or drill. Results are shown in both imperial and metric. Conversions use 1 in = 2.54 cm and 1 ft = 0.3048 m.
Sources, each opened 2026-10-08:
- Sizing a Chandelier: Diameter & Hanging Height (Dutton Brown, 26 Sep 2016): room length + width in feet = diameter in inches, 1/2 to 2/3 of the narrowest table dimension, 30-34 in above a table in an 8 ft room plus 3 in per extra foot, at least 7 ft above the floor where people walk.
- How to Size a Chandelier | Diameter & Hanging Height (Lighting Reimagined): same room formula, 1/2 to 2/3 of table width, 30-36 in above the table.
- NIST Guide to the SI, Appendix B.8: Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically (NIST): lists 1 inch = 2.54 cm, 1 foot = 0.3048 m and 1 footcandle = 10.76391 lux.
Frequently asked questions
What size chandelier do I need for my room?
Dutton Brown and Lighting Reimagined both give the same starting rule: add the room length and width in feet and read the total as inches, so a 13 x 14 ft room needs roughly a 27 in fixture. It is a starting point rather than a standard.
What size chandelier goes over a dining table?
Both guides say one-half to two-thirds of the table width; Dutton Brown says to use the narrowest dimension and leave 12 in at each end of a long fixture. Dutton Brown adds that when hanging above a table it may be more important to size to the table than the room.
How high should a chandelier hang above a table?
Dutton Brown says 30 to 34 in above the table in an 8 ft room and 3 in more for each extra foot of ceiling height; Lighting Reimagined says 30 to 36 in. The calculator uses the Dutton Brown figures.
How high should a chandelier be where people walk?
Dutton Brown says at least 7 ft above the floor in rooms where people walk under the fixture. Lighting Reimagined says the same minimum for open rooms and hallways and calls 7 ft 6 in more comfortable.
Does this work for a pendant light?
The cited guides cover chandeliers. For a large single pendant the room and table ratios are a reasonable starting point, but check the fixture manufacturer instructions for height and mounting.