A chandelier is the first thing a guest sees when they step into your lobby — and the last thing they photograph on the way out. It defines the space, sets the tone for the whole property, and, if it goes wrong, it is painfully expensive to fix after opening night.
This guide walks through the specification checklist our hotel clients use, in the order it actually matters.
1. Scale: let the room set the diameter
A common rule of thumb: add the room’s length and width in feet, then treat the total (in inches) as the ideal chandelier diameter. A 20 ft × 30 ft lobby points to a chandelier around 50 in wide. For stairwells and double-height atriums, scale up with a spiral or tiered fixture — an undersized fixture in a tall void reads as an afterthought.
2. Ceiling height and drop
For a standard 2.7 m ceiling, the bottom of the fixture should sit about 2.1–2.3 m above the floor. In an open lobby with 5 m+ ceilings, you have the freedom to layer: a statement chandelier at 3.5 m with recessed downlights handling the working light. Our guide to sizing chandeliers for high ceilings walks through the drop calculations for double-height spaces. Always check your fire and building codes for minimum clearances before finalising the drop.
3. Finish and materials that age well
Hospitality fixtures run 12–16 hours a day. Cheap plating shows within months. For public areas we recommend solid brass or copper construction with hand-applied finishes — they patina gracefully instead of flaking. Consider the design language of the property: polished brass for classic luxury, matte black or smoked bronze for a modern boutique, antique gold for a heritage feel.
4. Light output: think lumens and layers, not watts
Specify the fixture for what it does best. A lobby chandelier is usually the ambient layer, supported by wall sconces and downlights. A good starting point: 150–250 lux at floor level in circulation areas, dimmed to 30% for evening mood. Ask your supplier for photometric data (IES files) so your lighting designer can simulate the space in Dialux or Relux before you commit.
5. Dimmability and driver compatibility
Specify the driver standard up front: TRIAC for most retrofit projects, 0-10V or DALI for properties with a building management system, or smart (Tuya/Zigbee) for guest-controlled scenes. A fixture designed for one driver standard cannot be silently swapped at the last minute.
6. Maintenance: plan for relamping day one
Specify integrated LED modules with a lifespan of 50,000+ hours, and confirm the driver is accessible and replaceable. For chandeliers with many lamps, ask whether spare bulbs and drivers are included in the order — a 5-year spare-parts commitment from the factory is a signal of a serious supplier.
7. Budget realistically — and include lead time
Made-to-order hospitality fixtures typically take 30–45 days from sign-off, plus 2–3 weeks of shipping depending on your port — see our MOQ, lead time and FOB guide. Add 10–15% contingency for samples and revisions. If your opening date is fixed, lock the sample phase early — that is where most schedule slippage happens.
8. Buy wholesale, or OEM your own design
If you are furnishing multiple properties, wholesale pricing from 5 pcs across the same order line is the standard entry point. If you want a signature piece, OEM development — your drawing, our factory — is often more cost-effective than modifying a stock model. Read how the OEM process runs from drawing to production, and what to verify in a wholesale supplier before you commit.
Quick spec checklist
| Item | Typical value for a boutique hotel |
|---|---|
| Diameter | Room length + width (ft) in inches |
| Ceiling clearance | ≥ 2.1 m from floor; check local codes |
| Ambient lux | 150–250 lux, dimmable to 30% |
| Driver | TRIAC / 0-10V / DALI / smart |
| LED life | 50,000 h+ integrated modules |
| Lead time | 30–45 days + shipping |
| Wholesale entry | 5 pcs per line |
Once scale and finish are settled, it helps to look at real pieces rather than a specification sheet. lotus-leaf art chandelier and wabi-sabi mid-century pendant both work over a boutique dining room, while crystal dolphin chandelier gives a stairwell or corridor its one moment. For the guestroom and corridor layers, stacked alabaster cube sconce, twin alabaster pill sconce and cylinder alabaster sconce cover the same brief at three different budgets. Each page states its own MOQ, price basis and China-port delivery terms.
Talk to the factory before you finalise
Send your floor plans and ceiling heights to our engineering team — we will recommend scale, drop and driver options within one working day, with photometric data to back it up.