A Guide to Light Fixture Hanging Heights

Knowing how to properly hang a light fixture can be difficult. Even for us, sometimes unique ceiling heights or odd-shaped kitchen islands throw a wrench in the measurements we always work off of. It’s an important detail not to overlook though, as pendants that hang too closely to the island can throw off the look of the entire kitchen, or over a dining table it can be a hazard. To help, we asked Shea and the design team to give us a comprehensive guide to light fixture hanging heights. Here, a height guide for hanging light fixtures over a dining table, over a kitchen island, and on taller-than-average ceiling heights.

No. 01 | Dining Table

No. 02 | Tall Ceilings

No. 03 | Kitchen Island

No. 01 | Dining Table

For eight-foot dining room ceilings (the standard height found in the majority of homes), plan for 32 to 36 inches between the top of the dining table and the bottom of the chandelier or light fixture. In addition, add approximately three inches for each foot above an eight-foot ceiling height.

No. 02 | Tall Ceilings

For ceiling heights over 10 feet, add together the width and length of the room in feet for the approximate diameter needed in inches. The bottom of the light fixture should be approximately one-third of the height from the ceiling to the floor. For a more specific measurement, start with seven feet and add three inches for every foot over an eight-foot ceiling height.

Adversely, for ceilings under 10 feet, hang your light fixture with a seven-foot to 7.5-foot clearance below.

No. 03 | Kitchen Island

For eight-foot ceilings (the standard height of kitchen ceilings), hang kitchen pendants 30 to 36 inches above the kitchen island. A good rule of thumb is to add two to three inches for every foot above eight feet your kitchen ceiling is. The widest part of the kitchen pendants should be approximately 30 inches apart, but be careful to allow for at least six inches on each end of the kitchen island.