A: A good rule of thumb is to choose a chandelier, be it polished brass, hand painted or a crystal chandelier, with a diameter equal to 1/2 the width of the table. For instance, if the width of your table is 54," select a chandelier that has a diameter of 27." The chandelier should be hung so the bottom of the fixture is approximately 30" above the tabletop.

A: To determine what size of a chandelier would fit best in a foyer—or any room—simply add the room dimensions together. For example, if you are planning a crystal chandelier for your foyer is 12' by 16,' add 12 + 16 =28. The proper size chandelier for this foyer would be 28" in diameter.

A: To enhance your home decor a dimmer switch can be used with any decorative lighting fixtures, such as chandeliers, pendants and even bath lights, to adjust the amount of light given depending on the activity of the room. To use the dimmer switch effectively, use brighter lighting for parties or dim the lights for a quieter, more intimate setting.

A: To find the proper ambient lighting for the room, multiply the room dimensions to get your total square footage (12 x 16 = 192). Then multiply the total square footage by 1.5 for total illumination needed (192 x 1.5 = 288 watts). So, for a 12 x 16 room, two 150-watt table or floor lamps would give more than ample light for a room this size (2 x 150 = 300 watts), or an 8-light chandelier with 40-watt bulbs could create the same ambient lighting effect in a 12 x 16 room (8 x 40 = 320). For specific task lighting within a space, for example, the light needed on a kitchen work island, multiply the square footage of the island (8 x 4 = 32 square feet) times 2.5 = 80 watts, or two 40-watt pendants.

A: To determine the minimum proper fixture size for a given space, add the width and length of the room together. This will give you the minimum recommended diameter of the fixture needed.