If you’ve been thinking how warm or cool your lighting is is affecting your interior—you’re right, but only partially. Beyond the lighting basics, including the color temperature, there’s one thing that truly affects the ambiance of your luxury home. And that is the scaling of light fixtures in interior design.
Properly scaling your fixtures can make your home feel balanced as well as cohesive. On the other hand, a poorly scaled fixture can make even the most luxe interior feel unfinished.
As a luxury interior design firm, we understand this power of lighting. And we want to guide you on how you can leverage this in your home. Here is why getting the size and scale of your fixtures right is important—and how you can get it done.
What is the Scale of a Lighting Fixture?
Scale means the size of the light fixture in relation to the room and furniture around it. A well-scaled fixture complements the space and makes sure there’s visual harmony. This helps make sure it doesn’t dominate or disappear within the design.
Scale is affected by different factors. For example, the height of the room, the size of the major furniture pieces, etc.
Why Scale Matters in Lighting Design
Proportion Creates Balance
The size of a light fixture directly impacts how balanced—or unbalanced—the room looks. We have to assess whether the fixture looks complementary to the rest of the decor or whether it’s awkwardly standing out/blending in.
For example, a grand chandelier will look great in a foyer with soaring ceilings. But that same piece would look overwhelming in a small dining room. Similarly, small pendant lights will look underwhelming over a spacious kitchen island.
Improves Functionality
A well-scaled fixture also does a lot for functionality. After all, light fixtures aren’t just decorative…they also serve a purpose. Lighting up a dining table; providing task lighting in the kitchen; setting the mood in the living room—the size of the fixture will affect how well it performs in each of these spaces.
Brings Attention to Design Elements
A right-sized fixture can also highlight design elements in your home, for example, the furniture. Say, a dark oakwood dining table sits in the center of your open-floor plan; add on a chandelier to make it the focal point.
Helps Define the Space
In an open-concept floor plan, there should be some elements that can subtly delineate different areas. While rugs are often used, another strategic design element that can help is a correctly sized light fixture. For example, in the living room, which is a larger area, add on a grand chandelier. Use pendant lights over the kitchen. And in the hallway, which is often compact, consider wall sconces. By doing so, you can create visual boundaries and distinguish dining areas, living spaces, and entryways.
How to Choose a Properly Scaled Light Fixture
You understand all the cool benefits of a properly scaled light fixture. But how exactly do you know what size is the right size for the room? A few measurements and calculations, and you’ll find out!
Measure & Calculate
First, calculate the dimensions of the room. A rule of thumb is:
Measure out your space.
Note the height, length, and width of the room.
Find the diameter of the fixture as:
- What length and width did you note down? Example: 12 feet by 15 feet.
- Add those two numbers and then swap feet for inches.
Example: 12 + 15 = 27 feet > 27 inches.
The inches that you came up with will be the suitable diameter for the fixture in the room. For our example, the lighting fixture should have a diameter of 27 inches.
Then, find the height of the fixture that will suit your space.
- Begin with the height of the room (floor to ceiling) in feet. For example, 10 feet.
- Multiply the height by 2.5 to 3 inches per foot. Example: 10 (feet) x 2.5 to 3 (inches) = 25 to 30 feet
- Swap feet to inches. Example: 25 to 30 feet > 25 to 30 inches. You can pick a height in this range.
Think About the Fixture’s Placement
It’s also a good idea to think about where you’ll be adding the fixture. This will better make you understand the considerations to keep in mind while choosing the fixtures. For example…
- Dining tables. A chandelier or pendant should be approximately half to two-thirds the width of the table. It should hang 30-36 inches above it.
- Kitchen islands. Pendants should be spaced evenly. They’re often used in odd numbers, mostly three and sometimes five.
- Living rooms. Ceiling fixtures should suit the scale of the seating area (not necessarily the entire room).
Account for Ceiling Height
If your room’s ceiling is taller than 8 feet, consider fixtures that have a more vertical height. This helps fill up the vacant space. Remember that the fixture should hang low enough so that it illuminates the required area properly, but it should be high enough so it doesn’t obstruct the line of sight/movement in the space. Generally, you want to leave at least 7 feet of clearance between the floor and the bottom of the fixture.
Layer Your Fixtures
Layering lighting is our favorite part of designing Arizona homes. Think: overhead lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting—all layered together, making sure all elements are scaled properly.
The Impact of Properly Scaled Light Fixtures
You put in the extra effort to measure your room(s); what benefits do you get?
A Polished Look
Having properly scaled lighting fixtures completes the interior design of your home. It will help make sure every element feels intentional and thoughtfully placed.
Better Functionality
When you choose the right size for your fixture, it also does its job quite better. This makes the space all the more usable.
Enhanced Mood
The right scale means light is evenly distributed. This creates an inviting atmosphere that’s also comfortable.
Cohesion Across Design Elements
When light fixtures are correctly scaled, they tie together different design elements. Like the furniture, the architectural details, the decor, etc. This makes the entire space feel unified.
Final Words
We love designing luxury homes in Arizona—including taking the work out of measuring your space and choosing the right fixture 😉 Let’s chat and see the possibilities for your luxury home in and around Paradise Valley 🤍