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Light Fixture/Table centering

8 years ago

OK, let's start with the answer we all know -- "Yes," do center the fixture over the table. Got that. You can cheat a little -- but not with a 37" fixture over a 60" table. Got that.

The current fixture (26"?) is roughly centered in the room, which means it is also in line with the ceiling fan over the family room (a 2 head fan with vertical blades), The ceiling above these two spaces is vaulted to 14 feet height and the level portion in the enter is a bit less than 5 feet. Both of these rooms are open to the kitchen, which is offset to one side by about 2 feet. As a result, the fixture over the kitchen island hangs about 2 feet to the side of the fan in the family room and the fixture over the breakfast room table. The ceiling over the kitchen is also level at 10 feet, so different height and center. These three rooms are basically one long open space -- just not an entirely straight one. Centering the breakfast room fixture would mean the three fixtures would be in a diagonal line across the open space.

Main question: if each fixture is centered over what is going on below it, is that enough? Would you notice the diagonal of the three fixture hanging points -- and would it bother you if you did?

The lesser question: would it bother you that the already slightly off center medallion would be moving even further away from the center point in that less that 5 foot section of level ceiling? By about 6 inches.

Am I overthinking this?

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Comments (5)

Kippy
8 years ago
I an curious what others think. I have the problem of fixtures centered in rooms. But the rooms are small 12x14 and centering the light over the dining room table means a small table With extra room at one end and the other a walk way

Since want room for everyone at the table I centered on one end of the table. Not ideal.....
deeinohio
8 years ago
We have one long room at our lake house: chandelier in dining, then 2 lights over island, then fan in living area. I had them hung in a straight row because I was afraid it would bother me, but the ceiling is also slanted, so I didn't want any additional asymmetry. I'm not sure anyone else would even notice it, though, particularly if your kitchen is to one side. Do you have a picture?
lascatx thanked deeinohio
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lascatx
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
Yes, hanging scattered on a slanted ceiling would be tricky. My hanging surfaces are all flat, so that is good. The fixture we like best for the room is 36-37", but there is another one that I think is more like 26-28" that would likely be the second choice. It would "fudge" better since it wouldn't fill as much space, but it would still be off center over the table -- its about the size of the fixture we have now.

I don't know if thiss is getting no response because it's the week before Christmas or if no one has an opinion (on GW/HOUZZ??? LOL). I may try to mock it up after Christmas, but the idea has gotten laughs from the guys I will need to help me (we had a 60" cardboard circle trying to check out the table size -- my plan had been for a smaller table, and they laugh any time that comes up).
missymoo12
8 years ago
I'm here! - nursing a bad hip and not finishing Christmas preps.

I think you will be fine just centering over what is happening below. Since the ceiling height is 14 ft in the LR and DR? Then drops to a lower 10 foot over the kitchen? Then yes the light fixtures should relate to what is going on under them, your eye will know that the kitchen is 'different" because of the different ceiling height.

Don't know if it would bother me without seeing a picture of the space- ideally with balloons hanging down to show the size of the lights and placement. Yes I did that and had the balloons hanging on and off for about 6 months during construction to help decide. So no, you're not over thinking... IMO but I overthink a lot...
lascatx thanked missymoo12
lascatx
Original Author
8 years ago
Missymoo, so sorry you hip is troubling you, but thanks for taking time to reply. I don't have a photo of the room as a whole -- just pieces from construction, and the kitchen is full of holiday projects. The rest is almost put back together after painting and getting a new sectional, breakfast table and chairs. My gut reaction to DH saying we'll just move te box was that it would look bad to have everything hanging down from a different place rather than all in a line, but as I think about it more I'm not sure it would be that big a deal. If it would work out to be fairly evenly spaced between the other two, I think it will be best. I'll have to figure out how to mock up a large wheel with candles -- cardboard, balloons or other toys.

Feel better!

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