How do i know what light fixture to buy

A simple way to determine a chandelier size is to add the dimensions of the room together in feet and then convert the answer to inches. The answer in inches should equal the diameter of the fixture. So if your room measures 10′ x 14′ the diameter of the fixture should be about 24″.

As we’ve said before — but it bears repeating — you do not need to match metal finishes in your lighting, in your hardware, in your faucets, or curtain rods. … One important trick here is to keep all your lighting, whether it’s recessed can lights, pendants or chandeliers, no more than 6 to 7 feet apart from each other.

All your light fixtures and hardware finishes do not have to match throughout your entire home. Interior design is all about the expression of your personal tastes. Showcase your individual decorating style, whether you like things to match, complement one another or enjoy an eclectic look.

Choose a ceiling fixture that’s bright enough for your room by using a lighting standard called lumens. First, determine the square footage of your room (simply multiply length by width). You’ll also need to know that: Dining rooms and kitchens need 30-40 lumens per square foot.

A flush mount light is typically a dome-shaped ceiling light fixture that’s mounted flush to the ceiling. A semi-flush mount light is more decorative, and the base of the light extends just below the ceiling.

You need both ambient and task lighting in the bathroom. Vanity lights mounted with shades pointed up provide ambient light, and those with shades pointed down provide task light.

Ideally, you will want the space between each pendant to be the same as the width or diameter of each fixture. For example, if you have 18 inch pendants, the space between each fixture should be 18 inches. This rule of thumb remains true, even if the pendants are hung at staggering heights.

Go Bright in the Kitchen

If you have a kitchen island, consider hanging pendants overhead, he said, which will light the space without taking up room you might need to eat or prepare food. Also, you’ll be able “to see your guests without having to look around a hanging light.”

A general rule of thumb is to hang the fixture 3 feet (36 inches) above your table or 6 feet (72 inches) off the floor. However, all rules are made to be broken and some people consider this too low for casual entertaining.

One method you can use is simply dividing the length of the area up evenly. For example, if your island is six feet long, you could put a light every three feet for a total of two pendants, each one centered over one-half of the space.

Proper Distance Between Hanging Lights

While the recommended height is 28-to-34 inches above the island, or 72 inches from the floor, determining the distance between the lights takes a little more work and a little math. For example, assume the island is 60 inches long, and there are three fixtures to be hung.

Don’t place recessed light too far away from walls.

In a room with a high ceiling, it’s important to illuminate the upper part of the walls so the room doesn’t look cave-like and spooky. Place some of your recessed lights close enough to the walls so that the walls get a soft wash of light.

How many pendants do I need for a 8 foot island? For an 8 foot island, 2 large 15″ wide pendants should be enough to light the space and be proper scale.

1 // THE RIGHT HEIGHT IS KEY

When hanging pendant lights above a bar or a kitchen counter, allow for 30 to 36 inches of air space between counter and the bottom of the pendants. This is the most practical height, especially for pendants used for task lighting.

You’ll want to space your pendant lights 24-inches to 30-inches apart. To space your pendant lights over your island, first find the center point of your island.

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.)

For an eight foot island, you need at least two pendant lights. Depending on the size, you can also go with three smaller lights, too. It’s thought that odd groupings are more visually pleasing, but it’s truly a preference. Regardless of how many lights you go with, they need to be spaced out with the correct symmetry.

Ideally, you want the space between each pendant to be at least the same as the width or diameter of each fixture. … If you choose one long pendant, it should be hung centered with the center point of the island and take up no more than ⅔ or the island (see diagram in next section)

We recommend subtracting 12 inches from the width measurement of your island to get an idea of how wide your pendant should be. If your island measures 40 inches wide, then a pendant that’s 28 inches wide should suit the space well.

Typically, kitchen pendant lights (at their lowest point) are hung about 32 inches to 36 inches above the counter. CRITICAL you need to take the total measurement from the floor. That means to the bottom of the pendant. The ideal height is about 69 to 72 inches from the floor to the base of the pendant.