Lighting Size & Placement Guide

The Ultimate Guide to Lighting Size & Placement

Lighting is one of the defining features of every room, and choosing the right size and placement for each fixture is essential to crafting comfortable, beautiful spaces. To help make your selection process easier, we’re excited to share our comprehensive Lighting Size and Placement Guide—now available as a free PDF download. This guide combines expert-backed advice with detailed diagrams, helping you confidently select and position fixtures throughout your home.

Download the Lighting Size & Placement Guide

Top Tips from Our Lighting Guide

Flush Mounts: These are perfect for rooms with low ceilings—mounting them close keeps your headroom clear while making the space feel taller. Before installation, try mapping your fixture’s footprint on the floor to help visualize scale and placement.

Kitchen Islands & Dining Tables: For kitchen islands, install ceiling fixtures 30–36 inches above the surface for balanced light and visual comfort. When using multiple fixtures, keep them at least 30 inches apart. For dining tables, hang lights 30–36 inches above the table, ensuring the fixture is six inches narrower than your table (or, for round tables, half to three-quarters of the table’s diameter).

Wall Sconces: Aim to place wall lights and sconces 60–65 inches from the floor for eye-level illumination in hallways, bedrooms, and bathrooms. For bedside lights, keep them about 6–12 inches from the bed’s edge and 55–60 inches from the floor. In hallways and larger rooms, space sconces 8–10 feet apart for balanced lighting.

Bathrooms & Artwork: In bathrooms, flank the mirror with sconces mounted just above eye level (60–65 inches from the floor), and keep them 2–6 inches from the edge of the mirror. For artwork, use picture lights about half the width of your frame at a 30-degree angle to reduce glare.

Exterior Lighting: Mount outdoor lights next to doors at eye level, roughly 60–65 inches from the ground, and select fixtures that are 15–20% of your door’s height. When lighting both sides of a door, go for symmetry for the most welcoming effect.

Download the Lighting Guide

Ready to illuminate your space with confidence? Click the link below to download our complete Lighting Size and Placement Guide, filled with diagrams and expert advice to help guide your purchases and installation decisions. If you have any questions or want personalized recommendations, our team at Newport Lamp & Shade is here to help.