A guest forms an impression of a house in the first few seconds inside the door, usually in poor light, and the piece overhead does much of that work. Foyer lighting here is chosen for the job: entryway chandeliers with real presence, pendants for the middle ground, and ceiling lights for a compact front hall.

What an entry light has to do

An entry light works at two scales at once: faces at the door, and the view from the street, the landing and every room off the hall. That is why foyer light fixtures carry more design weight than their floor space suggests. The range runs from statement chandeliers for a double-height foyer to compact ceiling lights for a low entrance. Kendall reworks the traditional candle chandelier in contemporary form, every candle adjustable. Obsidian and Onyx set crystal against black for a darker, more dramatic entry, Janice carries the classic gold-and-crystal language, and Kasper steps its lights down in a cascade built for a stairwell.

Sizing, height and brightness

Size the chandelier first: the foyer's length plus width in feet, read as inches of diameter, so a 10 by 12-foot entry takes about 22 inches. For height, allow 2.5 to 3 inches of fixture per foot of ceiling, which puts a 9-foot ceiling at 18 to 27 inches and a two-story foyer at 40 inches or more. Keep 7 feet of clearance under anything hanging where people walk, and in a two-story space center the chandelier on the second-floor line. Plan on about 20 lumens per square foot, on a dimmer.

Low ceilings, stairwells and the second layer

Few entries are double height, and the ceiling decides the approach. At 8 feet, a flush or semi-flush piece keeps proportions balanced, and the modern ceiling lights collection carries those designs. At 9 to 10 feet, a compact pendant or small chandelier works, and a matching pair repeats down the hallway. Above that, the stairwell is the opportunity: a tiered cascade hung down the void reads from every floor at once, and the staircase lighting range is built for the drop. On style, let one metal lead, taken from the door hardware. In an entrance short on daylight, choose crystal, which reflects the light it is given; the crystal chandelier collection holds the classic silhouettes.

Measure the ceiling height and the total drop before you order. The oldest of the foyer lighting ideas still holds: one statement piece overhead, one warm layer at eye level, and the home reads taller from the first step inside.