Dining Lighting Ideas

Lighting your dining room is a creative expression of the mood you want to establish. This is where you gather with family and friends, and setting the tone facilitates memorable meals together. This room benefits from the use of a dimmer switch to create a special ambiance. A dining fixture can become the highlight of the space, viewed as a sculptural form over the table. A crystal chandelier glistens during a romantic sunset dinner.

Size Up Your Lighting

A round dining table that seats four is going to benefit from a different size light than a rectangular table that seats eight. In a traditional setting install a dining light fixture so that it is about one half the width of your table. For an eclectic or modern setting, push the boundaries and go for an oversize pendant or drum shade for a sense of drama and whimsy.

Quality of Light

Avoid glare over the dining table by installing a fixture that has diffused light, such as one with a long rectangular linen shade so that guests can linger. Or use a chandelier with candelabra bulbs that cast a warm glow and top with miniature shades over each bulb for an even softer look. Install a traditional metal chandelier with glass diffusers facing light upward to the ceiling rather than downward to avoid harsh glare to those sitting under the light.

The No-Chandelier Option

In an ultra-modern setting, install a straight line of swivel directional recessed lights that direct narrow beams of light onto the table, creating a warm, inviting, sophisticated atmosphere. In a dining space with a low ceiling, an adjustable track lighting kit adds an industrial feel to the space. Two flush-mount ceiling lights with glass diffusers installed an equal distance from each other is a symmetrical presentation.

Functional Sculpture

In a dining room with high ceilings, create a wow factor and install an unusually shaped light fixture, such as a group of blown glass balls hanging at varying heights or a suspended modern light that hangs from thin cable and floats above your table. Or install a fixture that mimics candlelight with an open surface that holds cylindrical diffusers that emit a low light for ambiance.



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