How to Choose the Right Size Lighting Fixture

No matter what type of light fixture you're looking for, choosing the right size is crucial to achieving a balanced look. Pick a fixture that's too big and it can throw off your decor. Pick one that's too small and it's no longer functional. Grab your measuring tape and use our tips below to choose the right size light fixture in a few simple steps. If you need further assistance, give our trained lighting specialists a call at 1-866-688-3562 or reach out on social media.

You'll need to measure different things depending on where you want to use a chandelier: above a table or as ambient overall light in a room.

Measure the width or diameter of your table in inches. Then, look for chandeliers that are between 2/3 and 3/4 of that width or diameter. A fixture with a busy or complex design will actually appear larger, so if that's what is catching your eye, you may want to scale your maximum width down slightly.

Assuming you have 8-foot ceilings, the bottom of the fixture should hang between 30 and 36 inches above the tabletop. But if your ceilings are higher, the suggestion is to add 3 more inches above the table for each additional foot of ceiling.

If you have a long dining room table, you can use 2 chandeliers to light it. In that case, choose fixtures that are 1/3 the length of the table. (A table that's 60 inches long would need two lights with 20-inch diameters or widths.) Center each of those chandeliers over its half of the table.

For ambient lighting use, measure the length and width of the room you wish to light. Then convert this number to inches by adding them together. This is the ideal width of the fixture.

For example, an 18-inch wide fixture would be ideal for an 8x10 foot room.

To find an ideal height for a chandelier, take the room's height, then multiply it by 2.5 and 3, which will give you 2 numbers. (For example, if your room has a 10-foot ceiling, you will get 25 and 30.) Those two numbers are a good range for chandelier heights.

The standard height for hanging a chandelier in ambient use is 7 feet from the bottom of the chandelier to the floor, but adjust this as needed depending on the size of the fixture, your ceiling heights, heights of the room's occupants, etc.

If you have a very high vaulted ceiling, hang the chandelier from a longer length of chain or a longer downrod so the fixture is closer to the people who will be in the room (and who will need light to see) instead of being far up in the ceiling.

Special note: If you are considering placing a chandelier over a bathtub, know that the National Electric Code requires that there be 8 feet between the highest point of the bathtub's walls and the lowest point of the fixture, which does include crystals that descend past the fixture's structure. You may have local building codes that further restrict or even ban this practice. (In that case, an alternative is to center the chandelier in the bathroom, where it will still be visible from the tub.)

You'll need to measure different things depending on where you want to use a pendant: above an island/table or as ambient overall light in a room.

Measure the width or diameter of the surface and then subtract 12 from that number. That's the maximum limit for the width or diameter of a hanging light in inches. Remember that a fixture with a busy or complex design will actually appear larger, so if that's what is catching your eye, you may want to scale your maximum width down slightly. On the other hand, if you want a larger pendant to create a dramatic look, that is fine too.

For hanging the pendants, start with 28 to 34 inches above the surface as a guideline, but make sure to consider the sight lines of the people in the room so no one gets glare in their eyes or runs the risk of hitting their head on the pendant.

Space a pendant every 2 feet or so above a kitchen island and pick the right size of pendant to suit your island length.

Small islands (4 to 5 feet long) can handle 1 large or 2 medium pendants. Large islands (6 feet and longer) can handle 2 large or 3 medium pendants. Using 3 pendants is very pleasing to the eye.

Small pendants are 10" or smaller, medium pendants are 10" to 20" wide and large pendants are 20"+ wide.

If you want to use a pendant above a sink, use a smaller one so as not to block out the view (if a window is also there). Remember to leave lots of room for the tallest person in your house to stand at the sink! Hang it a little higher up than the general 28 to 34 inches advice.

Add up the width and length of the room in feet to find the ideal diameter or width of a pendant to light it.

To find an ideal height for a pendant, take the room's height, then multiply it by 2.5 and 3, which will give you 2 numbers. (For example, if your room has a 10-foot ceiling, you will get 25 and 30.) Those two numbers are a good range for pendant heights.

Ceiling pendants should hang 12-20 inches below an 8-foot ceiling. Add 3 inches for every additional foot of ceiling. There needs to be at least 1 foot of clearance for people walking below the pendant.

Measure the width of the bathroom mirror (or mirrors). That number will be your limit for the width of vanity bar lights. Many people choose vanities that are about 75 percent the width of the mirror and then mount them centrally.

If you have multiple sinks or a very long mirror, you may need to choose a bar with more lights or even use more than one bar.

Allow 3 inches of space between the top of the mirror and the bottom of the light fixture if you are using a bath bar.

We do recommend using sconces on either side of the mirror instead of a bath bar for the most ideal light, but also understand this is not possible in every bathroom. More information about properly sizing sconces for bathroom mirrors can be found in the Sconces section below.

Check out our bathroom light fixtures guide for more advice!

You'll need to measure different things depending on where you want to use an outdoor light: on a wall/lighting a door, to light a garage, on a ceiling, hanging or on a post.

For just one lantern, go for one-third the height of the door/surface.

If you're flanking a door with two lanterns, use wall lights that are a quarter of the height of the door.

Mount the lanterns slightly above eye level: the center of the bulbs should be 66 inches above the door's threshold.

Knowing what size lights should be on the outside of a garage depends on the size of your garage. Choose fixtures that are a quarter to one-third the garage door's height. Centrally-placed fixtures need to be large enough to light the entire width of the driveway, which you can figure out by measuring the garage door height as well as the driveway width.

A 1-car garage can be well-served with one of these suggestions: a larger wall-mounted light between the house and garage; a light over the garage door; 2 smaller wall-mounted lights flanking either side of the garage door.

A garage that's 2-car or larger easily supports one light on each side of the door. Or, if your garage has many doors with a break between them, try putting wall-mounted lights on the break(s) and each side.

For outdoor ceiling lights, measure the length and width of the area you want to light and convert this number to inches by adding them together to find the ideal width of a ceiling mount. For example, a 12-inch wide ceiling mount would be ideal for a 6x6 foot area.

For outdoor hanging lights, follow the same rules as for pendants: they should hang 12-20 inches below an 8-foot ceiling. Add 3 inches for every additional foot of ceiling. There needs to be at least 1 foot of clearance for people walking below the light.

For post or fence lights, go as big as you would like since the lights will look small from far away.

The general rule of thumb to keep in mind is this: a ceiling fan that is too big for the space will be overwhelming, but a fan that is too small for the space won't allow you to feel the fan's benefits. Find the square footage of your room (multiply the length and width in feet) and match it with these general guidelines.

• 29 to 36 inches: great for rooms of up to 75 square feet (bathrooms, breakfast nooks, small rooms and utility rooms)
• 42 to 48 inches: great for rooms of up to 175 square feet (bedrooms, kitchens, dining rooms)
• 52 to 56 inches: great for rooms of up to 350 square feet (large bedrooms, living rooms, media rooms)
• 60+ inches: great for rooms of more than 350 square feet (large living rooms, great rooms, etc.)

You'll need to consider different things depending on where you want to use a ceiling fan: in a bedroom or in any other room.

The best mounting location is centered above the foot, not the head, of the bed. If a bedroom ceiling fan also has a light kit, this means the ambient light will cover a lot of the room and you won't have light bulbs glaring right above your face when you're sitting in bed.

Ceiling fans are often mounted in the middle of the ceiling. Remember that ceiling fans need to be at least 12 inches away from walls and air vents.

Fans should be at least 7.5 feet above the floor. Don't put your ceiling fan up too high or you won't be able to feel the breeze! In a taller room, you may want to use more downrods to bring the fan closer to 7.5 feet above the floor.

To learn more about getting the right size ceiling fan for your room, check out our Ceiling Fan Buying Guide.

For flush ceiling lights or semi flush ceiling lights, measure the length and width of the room you want to light and convert this number to inches by adding them together to find the ideal width of a ceiling mount. For example, a 12-inch wide ceiling mount would be ideal for a 6x6 foot room.

A good rule of thumb is to add up the width and length of the foyer in feet to find the ideal diameter or width of a light. For example, a 20-inch diameter foyer light would be ideal for a 10x10 foyer.

To find an ideal height for a foyer light, take the room's height, then multiply it by 2.5 and 3, which will give you 2 numbers. (For example, if your room has a 10-foot ceiling, you will get 25 and 30.) Those two numbers are a good range for foyer light heights.

For a ceiling height of 9 to 10 feet, make sure the bottom of the light is 7 feet above the floor. But if you have a very tall foyer, you may hang the light higher. Be aware of any potential glare in sight lines on second stories or other practicality issues in large multi-story foyers.

If you have a picture window near the top of the foyer, center the light there so it can be seen from outside as you approach the house for a great first impression.

You'll need to measure different things depending on where you want to use a sconce: as bath vanity lighting, beside a staircase, beside artwork or beside a bed.

Mount sconces at eye level, often 65 inches above the room's finished floor. If the sconces have shades, put the bottom edges of the shades a little below eye level. Consider eye level when it comes to reducing glare and ensuring that the tallest person using the space can't see down into the sconce.

In bathrooms, places sconces 36 to 40 inches apart, flanking the mirror, 18 inches from the sink's center line.

For smaller spaces, try smaller sconces of 12 inches or less. You may also want to look at ADA-compliant sconces, which are allowed to extend no more than 4 inches from the wall--they're good for narrow and small spaces.

For an average size bathroom, choose bathroom sconces that are about 18 inches tall or a few inches less.

In a larger bathroom, you could go for sconces that are 19 inches tall or even taller!

Measure the height of your ceiling in inches. Then, multiply that by 3/4 because most sconces are placed three quarters of the way up the wall. (If your home has 8-foot/96-inch ceilings, a sconce would then be about 6 feet or 72 inches up.)

Adjust that height as needed based on your own considerations, such as if you have taller or shorter people in your home.

Also, consider using sconces with an enclosed shade because if you can see down into the bulb, it can hurt your eyes. ADA-compliant sconces are also a great idea for staircases.

When hanging sconces beside artwork, pick sconces that will be centered beside the picture. To find the center, measure the length of the picture and divide by 2. When you find that center spot, measure 4 inches away from it. That spot will be where you place the center of the sconce. Avoid disproportionate looks by making sure there are 2 free inches above and below the sconce.

If you want to use picture lights above artwork instead, here's the sizing info: 

Picture light sizing is based on the width of the picture you wish to light.

If your image is 30" or less in width, look for picture lights that are half that size.

If your image is 30" or more in width, choose picture lights that are 2/3 that size.

But if your image is very large, like 60" or more in width, look for picture lights that are 3/4 that size.

When mounting sconces or swing-arm wall lamps beside a bed, get the most ideal height by sitting in the bed normally and then having someone else measure the height from the floor to just above your shoulder. The most ideal spot for wall lamps is between your head and the work surface (in this case, things like a book or tablet computer).

Measure the width and height of the table where the lamp will sit. The lamp should be no more than 1.5 times the height of whatever the lamp is sitting on and lampshade diameter should be no wider than the tabletop.

The ideal lampshade location is with the bottom of the shade at eye level when you are seated. You don't want glare in your eyes!

Also consider the type of room where you're adding a lamp:

• In living rooms, 26 to 34 inches is a good height for a lamp.
• In dining rooms, try slightly taller and slimmer buffet lamps of heights up to 36 inches.
• In bedrooms, go for up to 30 inches when lamps are on bedside tables.

To make sure recessed downlights are spread evenly, divide the ceiling height by 2. An 8-foot ceiling, for example, would yield recessed lights placed about 4 feet apart. This is just a general rule of thumb and may not apply, especially if you want to place recessed downlights in very specific areas or you're adding the lights to a small room. If you need to place lights closer together, place them on a dimmer so that you can adjust the light level for comfort. Place the lights about 3 feet away from the walls so that the lights don't create shadows that make the ceiling seem lower. When you're planning out a recessed downlight it's a good idea to draw a diagram of the room first and include representations of the furniture and objects (particularly if you need to put a light above certain things).

Learning how to choose the right size light fixture does involve a little measurement and math, but your room will look its best! Remember, if you need any help, feel free to contact us on social media or call us at 1-866-688-3562!

Emma Harger-Young - Lights Online