3 Tips for Finding the Perfect Entryway Chandelier for your home in 2021
Looking to update your entryway lighting? So were we a few months ago.
The lighting in our 1991 home was dated to say the least. As in, they didn’t do one update since building the darn thing 28 years ago. Let me tell you, the entryway chandelier was one of the pieces that screamed “We are the 90″s!” the loudest. 😉
As many of you know, I am all about painting/updated/DIYing lighting to change up a room. Feel free to grab my 5 ways to create the home of your dreams below. There are a ton of budget savvy tips in there!
However, I just couldn’t see a way to repurpose or DIY this chandelier into anything other than . . . well guys, it’s just plain ugly. No way around the fact. So, we needed to find a new statement piece for our entryway!
Thankfully, I know this amazing gal named Heather, who is the owner of Tin Roof Furniture in Spokane WA. Her showroom is drop dead stunning. When she heard through a guest post I did for Chandler over at Spokane Eats that I was looking for a new chandelier she messaged me and said look no further! My day (and entryway) was made in that moment!
Heather welcomed me into the showroom a week later and we looked over potential options for my space. This is where the three tips come in. I couldn’t pick any light that my heart dreamed of, it had to fit the space and feel of the overall entryway and my living room which is off to the right as you enter our home.
Tips for your entryway chandelier
Tip 1: Go off the height of your ceiling
This is going to be one of the main factors that dictated what kind of options in chandeliers you have. If you have a high ceiling, you’re in luck! There is a lot more variety out there for those with the room.
If your ceiling is low, it removes some of the possibilities, but you can still pick the perfect light and create a beautiful space. It might take more time in searching, either through scrolling online or shopping in person to find the one, but you can do it!
Tip 2: the size of your entryway
Is your entryway narrow, wide, or opens up into an adjoining room? Ours is off the formal living room. To the right when you enter the front door. This is fine, but since it’s attached to another room we had to make sure our entryway chandelier didn’t clash with the lighting and feel of the adjoining space.
A standard guide for entryway lighting:
Interior designers generally say to do a little math to figure out what diameter you should look for in a chandelier. Length plus width in feet, equals diameter of your lighting in inches. So a 12 by 12 foot room would mean a 24″ diameter fixture.
Another consideration is height above floor. The professionals rule of thumb says to hang a chandelier no closer than 7 feet above the floor. If the foyer is two stories high, the trick of the trade is to level the chandelier with the second story. This could make the chandelier higher than 7 feet, which is fine in that situation.
Since we have the coat closet that juts out into the entryway, we knew our chandelier would have to be on the smaller size so it wasn’t too close to the closet or wall. Part of dealing with a 90’s home.
Tip 3: what is the overall feel you’re going for in your entryway
What do you want your guest to feel when they first enter your home? You never get a second change to make a first impression, so you want your entryway to summarize your home.
Like the trailer to a movie, or the synopsis of a book. You want it to be a short preview of what they are to expect from the rest of your home.
I wanted my entryway to feel welcoming, warm, and comfortable. Like they knew hot coffee and fresh from the oven cookies were waiting around the next corner in the kitchen. The desire I have for my guests is to feel immediately welcome, that they let their guard down and know they’re among friends. This was extremely important to me.
My entryway summarized in a few sentences would be:
Farmhouse modern, with a fun twist on home decor (because of the book wall). I want them to know they are among creative, spirited friends that love to express themselves throughout their home. The modern mixed with the farmhouse shows we’re adventurous but also down to earth and appreciative of where we came from.
Wow, can an entryway really say that you may be asking? I sure hope so!
I picked several options with Heather in the Tin Roof showroom, but then ultimately I let my Instagram friends pick the entryway CHANDELIER for me!
You read that right, I let my instagram friends, who are some of my most loved and closest followers, help decided on the lighting with me! I posted my top four picks out of what Heather and I had discussed, and the voting commenced!
It was so fun to watch all the votes come through, and ultimately the winner of the contest was this stunner!
Truly I would have been happy with any of the four, but the reasons I really loved this particular one was:
1. It’s design was see-through, which really allowed the book wall behind it to pop and not be overshadowed by the light.
2. It’s very similar to the industrial-ish lighting we have throughout the rest of the home. I didn’t want my husband to feel our home was girly, and only made for me. I love the masculinity that the bold black metal lights add to our otherwise lite and airy decor. It’s a good contrast and keeps the whole feel grounded.
At the end of the day, pick the chandelier that makes you heart sing
Unless you’re flipping a property or planning on moving in the near future, go with the entryway lighting that makes you happiest. At the end of the day, all these tips and recommendations are just that: recommendations. You don’t have to go by them, it’s your home! You want to walk in and out of your house every day in love with what you picked.
Help from the Tin Roof
If you’re local to Spokane, make sure to check out Heather and the Tin Roof. They have a full design team standing by to guide you through the process and create a space you love. They do in home consultations, design presentations, and are there to walk you through the entire process. Sometimes we just need a little help, and that’s okay.
Want my Chandelier?
Loving the Chandelier I picked? A little bird told me Heather has several more in stock so head to her website and shoot her a message! It also comes in larger sizes perfect for your entryway!
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