As a general rule, the linear light over a dining room table should be 1/3 to 1/2 the length of the table. This distance provides a little breathing room for the table and ensures the light emitted above doesn’t overwhelm the sight of the activity below.
Linear lighting should be placed 30 inches above the table's surface. This height ensures no one is looking directly into the fixture while seated, which prevents glare and allows everyone to see each other during the activity. For ceilings more than 9 feet, add 3 inches to the height.