Our perception of the most looked at object in the world – the human face – is finely tuned. Our eyes and inate senses, can differentiate the smallest of details from the moment we are born. Yet it takes fine artistic judgement to capture a true likeness on paper as a drawing. It seems we have a natural sense of knowing what is right but replicating it is another thing entirely.

Now enter the designer … who studies the component parts of a wonderful interior. Sorts them into quantifiable decisions. It’s all in the detail afterall.

The size and proportion of an object projects a message. Small and discrete, loud and proud, Importantly our choice of light fittings – communicate these messages too.

Professional terms like ‘Contract’ size as opposed to ‘domestic/residential’ sizing indicate that bigger sizes are used in offices and hotels. Does this suggest that every hotel and office has huge lighting? Well in general yes but it’s subtle in some cases and blatantly not in others.

With pendants, chandeliers and lanterns it’s particularly hard to perceive what size of fitting to choose. Will it look ridiculous when finally it arrives on site and is installed, looking lost in such a big space? Will it look too big?

Now, allow those keenly adept eyes of yours to tune in. What is a good proportion? Try this out next time you are in a hotel lobby or suite.

My rule is to sense about the right size and opt for a slightly larger size. Lighting needs to have a sense of presence, a statement. Opulence can sometimes be distinguished by excess – bigger than it needs to be.

A sign of opulence is the tastefully overstated. Contract sized rather as opposed to domestic scaled fittings – what is the difference? A generous sizing without being obese.