It’s no fun to always play by the rules when decorating, but I have several tried and true measurements that I refer back to again and again to help pull a room together. I’ve already shared my must-have measurements for hanging art and my tips for decorating living rooms and now we’re moving on to dining rooms. So if you’re wondering how high to hang a chandelier over your dining room table, the best size chairs to fit your table, or how large of a dining room rug to buy, these tips should help!
What size chandelier should I hang over my dining table and how high above the table should I hang it?
- The width of the chandelier should be about 1/2 to 2/3 the width of the table it will be hanging over. It should also be at least 12″ less than than the width of your table so that you don’t bump it with your head when getting in or out of your seat.
- The bottom of the chandelier should hang between 30″ – 34″ above the surface of the table when there is an 8′ ceiling. For higher ceilings, you can hang the chandelier up to 3″ higher for each additional foot of ceiling.
What size chairs are going to work best with my dining table?
- To determine the seat height that’s best for your table, take the height of your table and subtract 12 inches. For example, most dining tables are 30″ high so an appropriate seat height would be 30-12=18″.
- A seat depth of 16-18″ is recommended for dining.
- The backs of dining room chairs should definitely be taller than the top of the dining table but how much taller is a matter of personal preference. When dining chairs are lower in height, it feels more modern whereas taller chairs tend to make a room feel more traditional and formal. If you’re using different side and end chairs, your end chairs should be taller than your side chairs.
- For rectangular dining tables, ideally allow a minimum of 24″-28″ of table length per person and some additional inches at the corners (how much space is needed at the corners depends upon the table width – more additional space is needed for narrower tables than for wider tables). Always consider the location of the table’s legs/base in determining how many people it will comfortably seat. Also consider the width of your dining chairs – if you have wider than average chairs, the amount of table length per person will need to be greater.
How much space do I need to leave between my dining chairs and the wall or furniture behind it?
- Allow at least 32-36″ of space between the back of each dining chair and the wall or furniture behind it to allow room to pull chairs in and out easily. If the area behind the chairs is a traffic pathway, increase the amount of space to at least 42-48″.
How large of a rug should I choose for under my dining room table?
- Rugs under a dining room table should be 24-30″ wider and longer than the table, allowing the back legs of the chairs to stay on the rug even when the chairs are pushed out.
And what about hanging art in your dining room? You’ll find all of my rule of thumb measurements for hanging art {here}.
And you’ll find helpful measurements for decorating your living room {here}.
Hope you all find a tip or two that’s helpful!
these are all such great tips! i looked all the info up on the chandelier when we were choosing ours. 😉
kris (ms. professional designer)
excellent tips, beautiful format, gorgeous rooms………this entire post is a keeper!
debra
Thanks Debra! Enjoy your weekend!
I love how you put all these kind of tips together in one post….so helpful! The one big thing I see all the time is the rug that is too small, so if you pull out a chair the back legs go off – so awkward!
Happy weekend ahead my friend.
Great round-up again Kris!
I reeally like your dining room chairs. Where can I order them online?
Unfortunately I don’t have a source for the chairs for you Terry. The end chairs were on clearance part of a discontinued Darryl Carter line at Thomasville 4-5 years ago and the side chairs were HomeGoods finds. Wish I could help but I haven’t really seen any very similar chairs in my travels!
I am somglad you posted this. Now i don’t have to dig through my files to find them!!
I LOVE your chandelier!! Where did you get it?
Thanks Tania – it’s the Laurenza chandelier from Ballard. I got it at the Ballard Outlet a few years ago but I think it’s still a current item of theirs.
Thank you very much for the useful tips! Do you know what the rules are for a round table, which extends to oval?
Hi Val! I would use similar rules for a round table that extends to an oval and just use the diameter of the round table as the “width” when applying the guidelines. I LOVE large round dining room tables – they make for the best dinner parties!
Great tips! Any rules on centerpiece size versus table size? I’m thinking a rectangular centerpiece to match my rectangular table but curious on size.
Hi Molly! Sorry I’m so late getting to your question – I don’t know any “rules” about centerpieces – I’ve used all sorts of shapes and sizes with my rectangular table from something as simple as a round centerpiece like here (http://www.drivenbydecor.com/2015/09/my-2015-fall-home-tour.html) to a central centerpiece flanked by two taller vases of flowers like here (http://www.drivenbydecor.com/2015/12/2015-christmas-home-tour.html). Hope that helps! Happy new year!