How high to hang a pendant light with a 9 ft ceiling?
88 cm (35 in) above the table · 163 cm (64 in) from the floor
Under a 2.74 m (9 ft) ceiling, hang a pendant with the bottom of its shade 88 cm (35 in) above the dining table, 163 cm (64 in) from the floor. Under a standard 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) ceiling the same light hangs 80 cm (31 in) above the table. Here it needs 82 cm (32 in) of cord or rod above a shade 30 cm (12 in) tall.
A tall ceiling leaves a long, empty stretch above a light hung at the usual height, and the light looks as if it has slipped. Lighting shops correct for it by raising the light a little for every extra foot of ceiling, which is the sum used here.
Check the cord before you buy. Many pendants come with a fixed length that suits a standard ceiling, and a tall one needs more than they supply. The drop figure here is the length to ask for.
Worked out for A dining table 180 × 90 cm and 75 cm (30 in) high, under a 2.74 m (9 ft) ceiling, with one pendant whose shade is 30 cm (12 in) tall. Change the numbers
The working
- Ceiling 274.3 cm: 30 cm above 244 cm, so hang 8 cm higher (× 0.25).
- Bottom of the shade 88 cm above the table (range 83–98 cm), so 75 + 88 = 163 cm from the floor.
- Drop = 274.3 − 163 − 30 (fitting) = 82 cm.
- Diameter = 0.5–0.67 × 90 cm, no wider than 90 − 30 cm.
Shops often list the overall drop, from the ceiling to the bottom of the shade.
The rules, and their sources
Pendant above a dining table
A rule lighting shops use: hang the bottom of the light 75–90 cm (30–36 in) above the table under a standard ceiling. The calculator aims for 80 cm.
A rule designers use Sources: Jim Lawrence, Lighting FAQ (checked 31 October 2026); The Lighting Centre (NZ), How to size a pendant (checked 31 October 2026); Mod Lighting (2 Jan 2025), How to find the right chandelier size for your dining room (checked 31 October 2026).
Higher under a tall ceiling
Mod Lighting: for every foot of ceiling above 8 ft, hang the light 3 in higher (about 7.5 cm per 30 cm). Jim Lawrence: 7 cm higher for every 30 cm of ceiling above 2.5 m.
A rule designers use Sources: Mod Lighting (2 Jan 2025), How to find the right chandelier size (checked 31 October 2026); Jim Lawrence, Lighting FAQ (checked 31 October 2026).
Light about half the table's width
A rule designers use: a light over a dining table is half to two thirds of the table's width, and at least 30 cm (1 ft) narrower than the table, so nobody knocks it standing up.
A rule designers use Sources: Jim Lawrence, Lighting FAQ (checked 31 October 2026); Mod Lighting (2 Jan 2025), How to find the right chandelier size (checked 31 October 2026).
Other ceiling heights
The same table and shade. Up to a standard ceiling the height above the table stays put; above that it rises with the ceiling.
| Ceiling | Above the table | Cord or rod above the shade |
|---|---|---|
| 2.4 m (7 ft 10 in) | 80 cm (31 in)155 cm (61 in) from the floor | 55 cm (22 in) |
| 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in) | 82 cm (32 in)157 cm (62 in) from the floor | 64 cm (25 in) |
| 2.6 m (8 ft 6 in) | 84 cm (33 in)159 cm (63 in) from the floor | 71 cm (28 in) |
| 2.74 m (9 ft) this page | 88 cm (35 in)163 cm (64 in) from the floor | 82 cm (32 in) |
| 3.05 m (10 ft) | 95 cm (37 in)170 cm (67 in) from the floor | 105 cm (41 in) |
Change the numbers
Your sizes will differ. The pendant light height and size calculator opens with these numbers filled in: change any of them and the answer, the working and the drawing follow.
Editorial notes
Worked out by the Snuug team on 12 November 2026 with the same code as the pendant light height and size calculator, so the two cannot disagree. Every rule cites its source, with the date we last checked it. A rule designers use is a convention, not a study.