How do you pick lighting for a large entrance with a vaulted ceiling? Well, hot on the heels of sharing the new chandelier in our foyer, I am back with some inspiration and a round up of large light fixtures that are perfect for just that!
Choosing the right fixture can be daunting. What style do I go for? How many light bulbs should the fixture have? How big should the light be? How high do I hang it? Have no fear, this post is here to help.
1. Chose a light fixture that is the correct scale for your space.
In the image below you can see that although this staircase has a vaulted ceiling, it isn’t open to the rest of the house on either the left or the right. As a result, even tough this space is large, it is still relatively closed off.
Had the homeowner chosen a chandelier that was too heavy visually, it would have overwhelmed this space. In addition, anything too heavy or dense, would have blocked out the natural light coming through the window. The light fixture they chose is light, airy and perfectly scaled for this staircase.
2. Chose a finish or material that suits your space
By selecting a light fixture that has a similar finish to other elements in the room you make your space feel cohesive. Although a black chandelier could have worked perfectly here, (playing off the black door, windows and spindles nicely), choosing a chandelier that pulls from the wood tone in the floors, stair treads and coffee table, really warms up this space and makes a statement.
3. Chose a light fixture in a style that suits your home.
The home in the photo below is quite traditional. Choosing a chandelier that compliments (rather that opposes) the design style of your space, will help make sure everything looks connected visually.
4. Chose a light fixture with at least eight bulbs.
This one is generally personal preference but I suggest going with a minimum of eight. If you are lighting a large area, anything less can leave you with a dark room. Generally speaking, fixtures with only four or six lights are going to be too small for a two-storey space anyway.
Another tip – put your chandelier on a dimmer so even if your light is too bright at full ‘volume’, you can dim it as needed to suit your lighting needs at the time. You might have it dimmer during the day, but turn it up at night.
5. Make sure to hang your chandelier at the correct height.
The general rule of thumb is that the bottom of the chandelier should be in line with the second storey. So, in a house with a standard 8′ ceiling, the bottom of your chandelier will be about 8′ from the ground. If you are blessed with nine or ten foot ceilings, your chandelier will most likely be higher.
If you have a window in front of the light (over the front door, in a stairwell etc), make sure your light is visible and ‘framed’ nicely from the outside.
If you follow the line of molding that meets the floor in the left foreground of the photo below, you will see that the bottom of this chandelier, hits at that point.
Below I have rounded up some of my favourite chandeliers for a vaulted ceiling and/or two storey space. And the best part, you can actually get these in CANADA! If you’re like me, finding a light fixture that actually ships to and/or is available in Canada can be as tough as finding one that you like! Some stores outside of Canada will ship, but the duty can be as much as the cost of the light and how do you return it if it’s not the right fit?
The sources for all lights are listed at the bottom of this post.
Sources: 1 / 2 / 3 / 4 / 5 / 6 – {ours! See it in our home here} / 7 / 8 / 9 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 / 17 / 18
So many styles, finishes and options out there – have fun!
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