Lighting 101

Hanging a new light fixture is exciting but also anxiety inducing because you want to get it right. The first time! If you’ve ever had to repair drywall because your fixture was too high or low, you know what I’m talking about.

While ceiling height plays an important part, these are some general rules that work for pendants or chandeliers for a kitchen island and dining table, as well as wall sconces in your bedroom and bathroom.

Lighting is so important in the kitchen so make sure you choose a pendant light that allows for task lighting. Use in combination with recessed lighting and pay attention to the scale of your island in determining the size of your pendants. The larger your island, the larger the base the pendant diameter can be.

Over a dining table you want to pay attention to the room size, but even more so to the size of your table. A good rule of thumb is for the fixture to be half the width of your table.

I love having the ability to adjust a wall sconce next to the bed when I’m reading or watching endless Tik Tok videos. Plus, a sconce frees up space on your nightstand and adds a custom touch to your room.

Lighting experts will tell you that the best lighting for makeup application, etc. is lights on either side of the vanity mirror. The light over the vanity mirror that most houses have is famous for casting shadows. Sconces for vanity mirrors come in every style you can imagine from traditional to modern.

Bonus Tip:

For lighting in an open area, such as a living room or foyer, a general rule for most ceiling heights is to hang the bottom of the fixture at a height of 7’6″. If in a foyer or near a door, allow at least 6″ from the top of the door to the bottom of the light fixture.

Let me know if these tips were helpful!

By Design,