Sizing & Installation Guide

Everything you need to choose the right fixture for your space — and install it with confidence.

1. Measuring Your Ceiling

Every Gleesia fixture is sized for a specific range of ceiling heights. Before you select a configuration, take three measurements — accurate measurements eliminate most sizing mistakes.

What You'll Need

• A laser distance measure (most accurate for high ceilings) — or a long measuring tape with a helper
• A pen and notepad
• For sloped ceilings: a smartphone with a level or angle measurement app

The Three Measurements You Need

Measurement 1 — Floor-to-Ceiling Height
Stand directly below where the fixture will hang. Measure from the floor straight up to the ceiling. For staircases, measure from the lowest stair tread up to the highest ceiling point above the stairwell opening.

Measurement 2 — Stairwell or Foyer Opening Width
For staircase and foyer fixtures, also measure the width of the void or opening where the fixture will hang. This helps determine the visual scale of the fixture.

Measurement 3 — Walkway Clearance
Identify the area below the fixture where people will walk. The bottom of your fixture should sit at least 7 feet (84 inches) above any walkable surface, for safe passage and visual balance.

Measuring Sloped or Vaulted Ceilings

If your ceiling is sloped, measure to the highest point — that's where the canopy will mount. Then use a smartphone level app to check the angle of the slope.

All Gleesia fixtures are compatible with sloped ceilings up to 45° using the included canopy adaptor. No additional hardware needed.

2. Staircase & Foyer Sizing

Staircase chandeliers and foyer pendants are designed for tall vertical spaces — typically 12 feet of ceiling height and above. Each Gleesia fixture has its own ceiling height requirements based on its total drop length, so the specific configuration you choose depends entirely on your ceiling height.

How to Match Configuration to Ceiling Height

Here's the general framework for selecting a configuration. Always check the specific product page for exact ceiling requirements for that fixture — different fixtures with the same number of lights can have different drop lengths.

Light count is only one factor — total fixture drop length and visual proportion also matter. Always cross-check with the "Ceiling Height & Placement Guide" on each product page.

Drop Length: How Low Should It Hang?

The bottom of the lowest light should sit at least 7 feet above the lowest walkable surface — typically the staircase landing or the foyer floor.

For grand foyers and stairwells visible from two floors, position the visual center of the fixture at approximately eye level from the upper landing — usually 5 to 6 feet above the upper floor surface.

Stairwell Width Consideration

The visual width of your fixture should feel proportional to the stairwell or foyer opening — generally about one-third to one-half the width of the opening. A fixture that's too wide will feel cramped; too narrow will look lost in the space.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Choosing too few lights. When in doubt, size up. A slightly oversized fixture looks intentional. A slightly undersized one looks like a mistake.
• Forgetting the view from above. Walk up to your upper landing and visualize looking down — that's the view you'll see most often from your home's upper floor.
• Ignoring sloped sections. Always measure to the highest ceiling point, not the average.

3. Dining Room & Kitchen Sizing

Unlike staircases and foyers, dining and kitchen lighting has a simple universal rule: the bottom of the fixture should hang 30 to 36 inches above the surface below it — whether that's a dining table or a kitchen counter.

Above a Dining Table

Why the distance varies with ceiling height: Higher ceilings make a low-hanging fixture look disproportionate. Raising the fixture as the ceiling rises keeps the visual relationship between fixture, table, and ceiling balanced.

Fixture Size for Dining Tables

Measure the width of your dining table. The fixture diameter should be roughly half the table width.

• 48-inch round table → 18 to 24-inch fixture diameter
• 72-inch rectangular table → 30 to 36-inch fixture, or a linear suspension
• 96-inch long table → use 2 to 3 pendants, or a linear fixture spanning most of the length

Above a Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands typically have a counter height of 36 inches (standard) or 42 inches (bar height). The fixture should hang 30 to 36 inches above the counter surface.

Multiple pendants over a long island:

• Use an odd number (3 is ideal for most islands)
• Space pendants 18 to 24 inches apart
• Outermost pendants should sit at least 6 inches from the island's edge

4. Living Room & High-Ceiling Sizing

Living rooms — especially open-plan or high-ceiling spaces — need a different approach. The fixture should anchor the room without dominating it.

Fixture Diameter for Living Rooms

A common starting point: add the room's length and width in feet, then use that number in inches as a rough guide for the fixture's diameter. This is a starting estimate — final selection should also consider ceiling height and the surrounding furniture.

For High Ceilings (12 ft and above)

A single small fixture will look lost in a tall room. Use a multi-light pendant chandelier with lights at varied heights — the multi-point design fills vertical space and brings illumination down to where people actually sit.

Drop Position

Position the visual center of the fixture at approximately 7 to 8 feet above the floor. For a 14-foot ceiling room, this means a drop of about 6 to 7 feet from ceiling to fixture midpoint.

5. Installation Basics

All Gleesia fixtures ship ready to install with adjustable cables, ceiling canopies, sloped ceiling adaptors, and integrated LED bulbs. Here's what to expect.

Who Should Install Your Fixture

For safety and warranty validity, installation should be done by a licensed electrician. This is especially important for:

• Fixtures installed above 12 feet (high-ceiling installations require proper ladder or scaffold setup)
• Sloped ceiling installations
• Installations requiring new wiring or junction box repositioning
• Any fixture over 50 lbs total weight

What's in the Box

Every Gleesia fixture ships with:

• The fixture body with integrated LED bulbs pre-installed
• Adjustable hanging cables (longer than needed — trim to your desired drop)
• Ceiling canopy
• Sloped ceiling adaptor (compatible up to 45°)
• Mounting hardware (bracket, screws, ground wire)
• Step-by-step installation guide

What You'll Need to Provide

• A properly rated electrical junction box that supports the fixture's weight (check product specifications)
• Standard electrical tools: wire stripper, voltage tester, screwdriver, ladder or scaffold
• Optional: standard leading-edge or trailing-edge dimmer switch (most Gleesia fixtures are dimmable)

Typical Installation Time

For a licensed electrician familiar with chandelier installations:

• Single pendant or small fixture: 1 – 2 hours
• Multi-light pendant (8 – 12 lights): 2 – 3 hours
• Large staircase chandelier (12+ lights): 3 – 5 hours, including height adjustment for each cable

Time estimates assume a standard installation. Sloped ceilings, high ceilings requiring scaffolding, or new wiring will add to these estimates.

Sloped & Vaulted Ceilings

All Gleesia fixtures include a sloped ceiling adaptor compatible with angled ceilings up to 45°. No additional purchase needed. The adaptor allows the canopy to sit flush against the slope while keeping the fixture hanging perfectly vertical.

Smart Home & Dimmer Compatibility

Most Gleesia fixtures with integrated LEDs are compatible with standard dimmer switches, including:

• Lutron Caséta dimmers
• Standard leading-edge and trailing-edge dimmers
• Most smart home dimmer switches (Philips Hue compatible switches, etc.)

If you want dimmable functionality, please mention it when placing your order so we can confirm compatibility for your specific configuration.

6. Need Personalized Help?

If your space doesn't fit the standard sizing guidelines — or you'd like a second opinion before ordering — our design team is available to help.

How We Can Help

• Sizing recommendation — Send us your ceiling height and stairwell or room dimensions. We'll recommend the right configuration within 12 hours.
• Custom configurations — Need a non-standard number of lights, drop length, or finish? We design custom orders regularly.
• Sloped ceiling consultation — Unusual angles or vaulted geometry? Send us a photo, we'll confirm fit.
• Pre-purchase questions — Compatibility with your dimmer, smart home setup, or specific brand of electrical hardware.

What to Include in Your Email

To get the fastest, most useful response, please include:

• Your ceiling height (measured to the highest point if sloped)
• Width of the stairwell opening or room dimensions
• The fixture you're considering, or a description of the style you're looking for
• A photo of the space, if possible
• Any specific concerns or requirements

For general questions, you can also browse our FAQ page or explore the full Gleesia collection.