Finding the Perfect Chandelier for Your Plymouth Home

Where Beauty Meets Practicality — Installed by the Pros at Nipper Electric
Choosing the perfect style for your chandelier is about balancing looks with practicality. All chandeliers are considered pendant lights, but not all pendants are chandeliers. You will have many options, such as tiered pieces with various lights, shaded versions that tone down bright and spread light, and crystal or beaded chandeliers that leave light bouncing around the room. You’ll also see modern looks with clean lines and industrial materials, while rustic designs are made of reclaimed woods, antlers, and aged metals.

Consider the style of your home so the chandelier doesn’t clash. A beachy-style chandelier with sea-glass embellishments could be stunning in a Cape Cod-style home, while a brushed-nickel fixture might be perfect in a modern kitchen. Our staff can also help you find the style that goes best with your space, the lighting needs of the room, the room’s decor, and your own personal preference. The result is a design that illuminates a room and finishes it.

Sizing Your Chandelier: Getting the Proportions Right

Size is everything when it comes to your chandelier and the role it plays in functionality and appearance. Install a fixture that’s too small, and it feels anticlimactic; one that’s too large can overpower the space visually, or hang out of scale. A straightforward way of roughly sizing a light is to add the room’s length and width in feet and convert that total sum into inches. That number is the perfect diameter for your chandelier in that room. For example, a 10-by-13-foot room would require a 23-inch-wide fixture.

The formula changes slightly if you’re installing a chandelier above a table or kitchen island. Take the length of the table in inches and divide it by two — that’s a great starting point for chandelier width. For a multiple-fixture installation in a home (over a long dining table, say, or hanging above a kitchen island), divide the total width of the table or island by the number of chandeliers you would like to hang, then also add an inch or two for leeway. Nipper Electric will also help verify all that math, making it a perfect fit for your space.

How High Should a Chandelier Hang?

The height of your chandelier is as critical as its size. The chandelier should typically be hung eight feet above the floor for rooms where people will be walking under the light. This overall keeps the light source in working order while staying out of the way of movement or sight lines. Taller ceilings may allow the fixture to hang a bit lower — especially in entryways or great rooms where a dramatic effect is desired.

Chandeliers above dining tables: In general, chandeliers over dining tables should be hung 30 to 36 inches above the table top. This is the ideal solution to exchange functionality and visibility while accentuating the chandelier. If you have a bigger table or high vaulted ceilings, we suggest hanging it a little higher for scale. Nipper Electric will find the correct location for comfort, aesthetics, and safety regardless of your ceiling height or room size.

Don’t Overlook Weight: Safety Starts Behind the Scenes

Chandeliers aren’t just beautiful — they can also be heavy. Standard ceiling-mounted electrical boxes are generally rated to hold up to 50 pounds. However, many chandeliers — especially those made of crystal, iron, or other dense materials — can exceed that limit. When this happens, the mounting hardware and ceiling supports must be upgraded to ensure the fixture stays secure.

We make it a rule to examine how heavy your light is once you choose the fixture before the installation starts at Nipper Electric. If additional support is required, we’ll provide the necessary support to ensure your chandelier is safe and stable and to provide you with years of service. We never take shortcuts when it comes to safety, and we make sure all of your lighting meets the Massachusetts building and electrical codes.

Why Professional Installation Matters

Installing a chandelier — especially in a high or hard-to-reach location — is not a DIY job. It’s more than just attaching a fixture. That means calculating weight load, anchoring into safe ceiling joists, running new wiring (where necessary), and ensuring everything is grounded and connected to a secure circuit. All it takes is one misstep during installation; the fixture can fail or pose a fire risk.

Nipper Electric in Plymouth, MA, is an expert in home electrical installations and fully informed about any requirements for chandelier installation. With over 25 years of electrical service in Plymouth, Nipper Electric has serviced hundreds of chandelier installation jobs in and around Plymouth and over the South Shore. We’re experienced at mounting virtually anything, securely and cleanly, without damaging your walls or ceilings. When we’re done, you’ll only notice how beautiful your new chandelier looks — not how complicated the job was behind the scenes.

Ready to Light Up Your Home?

For custom chandeliers, Nipper Electric is Plymouth’s choice for quality chandelier installation. Whether you’re selecting a sleek contemporary pendant for your kitchen or an extravagant crystal showstopper for your foyer, our professionals will assist you in picking out the perfect fixture, locating it properly, and installing it with care.

Call us today to schedule a consultation or book your appointment online. If you can dream it, we can install it — safely, beautifully, and built to last.