Dining Room Design Help: Resources, Products and Ideas

Following are sizing and positioning guidelines to help you to select the correct chandelier.

When choosing a chandelier for your dining room, it should neither overpower your table nor look too small.

With that said, measure your table (if it's round, measure its diameter, if it's a rectangle, measure its width), and then subtract 12" from that number. For example, if you have a 42"-wide table, your chandelier should be 30" in diameter. A properly proportioned chandelier comes to within 6" of each edge of the table. Using this easy formula will help you achieve that balance. Note, some manufacturers offer oval chandeliers for extra long rectangular tables.

Proper positioning is very important for a balanced look. Since a chandelier is the focal point in your dining room, it should hang over the center of your table. If the electrical connection in your ceiling doesn't match up with the table's center, insert a heavy duty decorative hook into the ceiling above the center of the table, then attach a length of decorative chain to carry the wiring from the electrical connection to the hook or better yet have an electrician center it for you.

The bottom of your chandelier should be 30" above the tabletop if you have 8' ceilings. If your ceilings are higher than 8', raise the chandelier 3" for every extra foot of height.

Lastly I can't stress enough how important dimmers are. I think they are a great investment for any dining room and really make a difference in setting a mood.

The Lamps Plus tag line is "the source for professionals" and I can attest because I am and they are. :) Check out this link for all lighting needs, their search engine is great and you'll find the perfect lighting for your home in no time.

Dining rooms always need some kind of art. With the traditionally bigger pieces of "wood" in that room art always will help lighten it up and who doesn't want to look at something nice while eating?

Check out these canvas pieces, they have a richer look.

Basically you don't want your chairs falling off or getting caught up on an area rug that is too small and you want the rug to work visually with the dining table.

To determine what size of rug should be used in a dining room, measure the top of the dining table and add 24 inches (some experts say 27 to 30 inches) all around. This allows space for a person to get in and out of the chair and to move closer to the table or move back from the table and all the while the back legs of the chair are able to remain on the rug.

Other furniture in the dining area, such as a china cabinet or serving table, should not be on the rug, only the dining table and chairs.

This site has a great search engine for area rugs. Remember if this is going under your dining room table make sure it's not too thick that it's hard to tuck a chair in our out. And you may want to consider patterns on your rug, it is a dining room rug so there will eventually something spilt on it and patterns hide a lot more.

There are 3 different sizes to consider when looking for barstools....

1) COUNTER HEIGHT STOOL: This stool is for most counter heights (35"-37").
From the floor to the top of the seat it's between 24"-26".

2) BAR HEIGHT STOOL: This stool is for most bar heights (41"-43"). From the
floor to the top of the seat it's between 29"-31".

3) ADJUSTABLE STOOL: This stool is for maximum flexibilty, it can fit most bar
and/or counter height counters. They adjust anywhere betwen 22"-34" from
the floor to the top of the seat.

For a great selection in barstools, click on this link.