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Chandelier Buying Guide: How to Choose the Right One

How to choose a chandelier

Five things decide whether a chandelier fits the room and looks right:

  • Size: match the diameter to the table or room it sits in.
  • Tiers and light count: more tiers and lights give more scale and sparkle.
  • Crystal or glass, and finish: sets how much it catches the light and whether it reads warm or sharp.
  • Ceiling height and drop: the fitting needs room to hang without crowding the space below.
  • Where it's going: dining table, entry, stairwell or living room, each has different demands.

Here's how to weigh each one up.

1. Size the chandelier to the table or room

Evangeline large 90cm satin brass chandelier in a stone-walled living room

Over a dining table, a chandelier looks best at roughly half to two-thirds the width of the table, centred above it. In an open room, scale up with the floor area and ceiling height so the fitting holds the space rather than floating in it.

Our sizes give you room to match this. Our Celestial range runs from a 29cm four-light up to a 49cm ten-light, our Odeon crystal chandelier comes in a 40cm and a 51cm, and for a larger room our Evangeline reaches 90cm with twelve lights and Alara 60cm with nine. Measure the table or the space first, then choose the size to suit.

2. Tiers and light count set the presence

Zurich 18 light crystal glass chandelier in gold in a heritage sitting room

A single-tier chandelier reads lighter and more restrained. Stacking tiers adds height, sparkle and a sense of occasion. Our Celestial range shows the full span, from a compact two-tier wall-height piece up to a five-tier, ten-light centrepiece, so you can dial the drama up or down to suit the room. More lights also means more spread, which matters over a long table or in a room with little other lighting.

3. Crystal or glass, and the finish

Evelyn crystal chandelier in antique brass in a bedroom

Crystal and cut glass throw light around a room, which is much of a chandelier's appeal. Our Celestial, Odeon, Marseilles, Zurich, Evelyn and Emporia ranges all work in crystal or cut glass. Finish then sets the mood: satin brass reads warm and classic, chrome cleaner and sharper, antique brass and bronze warmer and darker, black moodier, and brushed nickel soft and contemporary. Pick the finish to sit with the metals already in the room.

4. Match the ceiling height and drop

Calista extra large brushed nickel crystal chandelier in a curved staircase foyer

A tiered chandelier needs ceiling height to sit well, and a stairwell or double-height entry turns that into an asset: a large statement piece like our Calista extra large can hang low and full without crowding anything. Over a dining table, hang it so the bottom of the fitting is around 75 to 85cm above the table top, adjusting for taller ceilings. In a walkway or open room, keep the lowest point at least 2.1m off the floor so no one walks into it. Where the ceiling is low, a flush or semi-flush tiered fitting gives you the same look without the drop, our Celestial flush is built for exactly that.

A quick way to choose

  • Measure first. Table width or room size decides the diameter before anything else.
  • Set the scale. More tiers and lights for a statement, fewer for something restrained.
  • Choose the finish to match the room. Warm brass, sharp chrome, dark bronze or black, soft nickel.
  • Check the height. High ceilings suit a full drop; low ceilings suit a flush tiered fitting.

Browse the full range on our chandeliers page. For a period or deco look, see our Art Deco lighting guide (our Celestial and Odeon crystal chandeliers sit in both), and our guide to finishes to get the metal right.