Chandeliers & Pendant Lighting

{"type":"root","children":[{"type":"heading","level":2,"children":[{"type":"text","value":"How to choose a chandelier or pendant"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Start with the room, not the fixture. Add the room's length and width in feet and treat that sum as a diameter in inches for a chandelier meant to light the whole space. A 12 by 14 foot room lands at about 26 inches. Over a dining table, ignore the room and size to the table: half to two-thirds of the table width, and never wider than the table minus 12 inches on each side."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Then decide how it hangs. A chandelier over an open walkway needs at least 7 feet of clearance from the floor to the bottom of the glass. Over a table you can drop lower, because nobody walks under it. Check the fixture's stated minimum and maximum height, including the supplied downrods or cable, against your ceiling."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Finally, look at the bulb and the weight. E26 medium base is the common household socket, E12 candelabra suits smaller arms, and G9 and GU10 appear on compact modern designs. Integrated LED fixtures cannot be re-lamped, so confirm the dimming type first. A standard ceiling box supports 50 pounds; anything heavier needs a brace fixed to the joists."}]},{"type":"heading","level":3,"children":[{"type":"text","value":"Sizing"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Dining table: fixture diameter equals half to two-thirds of the table width. Bottom of the fixture sits 30 to 36 inches above the tabletop on an 8 foot ceiling."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Open floor: keep the bottom at least 84 inches above the finished floor. For every foot of ceiling above 8 feet, add roughly 3 inches of drop."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Entryway: in a two-story foyer, hang the fixture so the bottom clears the door swing. Use 2700K to 3000K for warm household light; 4000K and above reads cool and is better kept out of living areas."}]},{"type":"heading","level":3,"children":[{"type":"text","value":"FAQ"}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"What is the difference between a chandelier and a pendant?","bold":true}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"A pendant hangs a single shade or diffuser from one cord or rod. A chandelier carries multiple lamps on arms, tiers or a frame and is usually the main light source for the room."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Can I shorten the chain or cable myself?","bold":true}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Most chain-hung and cable-hung fixtures ship with extra length that an electrician removes at install. Fixed downrods usually shorten only by removing whole rod sections."}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Do I need a dimmer?","bold":true}]},{"type":"paragraph","children":[{"type":"text","value":"Not required, but a dimmer gives you one fixture that suits both dinner and homework. Match it to the driver: integrated LED fixtures specify TRIAC or ELV compatibility."}]}]}