Why not try a big ceiling medallion to correct this problem, if it will cover existing hole? or make one out of wood stain to match ceiling, then center over table cover up the flaw...

That's a real dilemma. How did he place it 8' off? Well, anyway I think that the only option that makes sense is to hang from the outlet and loop it to right above your table. Get a rope and hang it up there just to get an idea as to how it's going to look.
Short of moving it (which I would not want to do-the ceiling is so beautiful)you choices are limited.

Here is a link that might be useful: Christy's Thrifty Decorating

I'm not so sure about a medallion on an alder ceiling. But I've seen chandeliers wired to the original off center spot and the chandelier itself, chain, etc. molly bolted and hooked on center. A swag of chain hides the wiring from the original off center location. It's the easiest and, I think, best of possible solutions. And, the original off center wiring connection circle could be stained or painted to blend in with the ceiling - though I don't know if I'd even bother to do that.

An aunt had just such a situation in her diningroom. With her chandelier centered, you really didn't notice it wasn't installed in the place originally intended. Much less aware than you might be installing the chandelier off center.

I'd swag it. I recommended that to someone here just the other day.

He probably hung it there because that's where a rafter was for him to attach the electrical box.
Swagging will be the best solution, but unless you have access to the area (attic?) above, it's going to be difficult to put in a block or find a rafter in the right location. Any type of hanging light is going to need good support.

Thanks everyone for your thoughts and suggestions. And, thank you clturner3 for the nice compliment on my ceiling. Why the electrician put it there I have no idea. I told him to center it but wasn't able to be there the day he did this. We've resolved it to being another "Ooops" of building!

I asked DH about putting two pendent's up using the off center one and then cutting another spaced for uniformity. He said that won't work b/c there really is no attic in that location to pull the wires. So, I guess our only option is to do a swag or, a medallion (but that would need to be close to a foot across). My preference I think is the swag. But, I've been looking and so far am only finding the typical ORB type chandeliers, nothing really old rust looking.
I was so hoping to have this done before Christmas. I know that's as silly as it sounds! LOL. But, we're having 40 people here for Christmas dinner so my mind just isn't thinking straight!!!!!

Kats,

You have a spectacular view! Is your table top hammered copper?

kats,

If you want two pendants an electrician can pull new wires using the existing electrical box and he'll be able to do this via the newly cut hole for the second pendant.
For the second pendant, you'd have to know how much it weighs so that the electrician can determine whether a rafter is needed to support the fixture. This would also determine spacing.
DS had several new ceiling lights installed in a basement and it's amazing what a good electrician can do in a small amount of space!

Can you put a sideboard or sofa table along the wall the fixture is furthest from? Then if you put the table under the chandelier it will be centered in the space, even though not the center of the room.

It looks to me as though seeing you had a small dining room, they placed the overhead light fixture for a table that might be off-center so that you could accommodate at least a small sideboard and I think it would be very charming to decorate it that way, a twist on the normal but much more appealing. JMO.

I trust if you are having 40 people, you have other tables and seating so I perhaps not as many will notice the opening if you do not get it finished before Christmas. Don't worry. There is always next Christmas and each one becomes more important than the past.

Kats! Long time, no hear :-) I hope you are loving your beautiful new home (other than the minor aggravating details like off-center chandeliers)!

We had a similar situation caused by our chandelier being in the center, but when we put our sideboard in, it made the chandelier off from the center of the table. We solved it with a swag as you're talking about, and were fine with it. That may be an option for you, but if you could do as others have suggested with a piece of furniture, that might be a fantastic solution. Good luck with it. If you need help finding a chandy, maybe start another post specifically asking for help with that. It's amazing what they can find!

I had this situation when I converted a family room to a dining room: the junction box was off-center to work with a dinette table that was pushed to one side of the room, and it was installed inside a fake beam. The location I wanted was in the center of the room, where there was drywall. I chose a large pendant lamp with a chain (rather than a downrod) so that it could be swagged from a toggle hook in the drywall ceiling.

Lamplus has had a number of rust-finish lamps, and some of them were on sale recently. Mine (below) came from there but wasn't included in the sale.

Most hanging fixtures can be converted to a swag lamp, and/or the chain lengthened/replaced, for minimal cost by a lamp repair shop, so you shouldn't feel confined to fixtures that are already "swag enabled". ;-)

Most hanging fixtures can be converted to a swag lamp, and/or the chain lengthened/replaced, for minimal cost by a lamp repair shop

There are also kits for this in the big-box stores. But if there's a ceiling junction box, sometimes no modifications or additional parts are needed. My lamp came with long enough cord and chain that all I needed was a ceiling hook. In fact, I had several feet of cord and chain left over.

HELLO!!!! Hoosiergirl!!!
Now that I know there's a way to center or, that it will still look ok to swag it, I like your idea to start another thread solely for rusty chandeliers. And I hope you too are enjoying your new home and getting settled. Your home is still one of my all time inspiration favorites. It's amazingly beautiful.

cyn10
Thank You! We're in a canyon with mountains both front and back. For a SoCal girl it's pretty cool to have "fall colors" and that occasional weird white really cold stuff. :)
Our table is hammered copper. Right now it's on an iron base but after Christmas I'm doing a wood pedestal. Our kitchen, LR and DR are all one big room and you see that table when you first walk into the home so the iron base is a bit patio for me.

annz
I really would prefer two pendants. Now that I have a little more understanding I can at least ask the electrician (who is good even if he can't find center) what he thinks. And I think I now know why DH is fighting the pendants so much, he doesn't think there will be enough light given from them.

lionors
No, there is absolutely no room for anything in that space other than the table and chairs. We had a huge dining room in our other home and NEVER used it in 20 years. I wanted instead a "dining-nook" but didn't realize it was going to be this small. Counter to window is only 9' and with people seated it spans 8' AND I still need swing room for the exterior French door.

johnmari and Okmoreh
Thanks! that might be a big help! And Okmoreh, I LIKE that lamp. Might just work for us. :)