When choosing your dining room ceiling lights, there are a few things to consider to ensure that your dining room works for everything you need. From a dinner party to helping your kids with homework, our dining room table has a lot of different uses. Because of this, we need the lighting to work just as hard to make sure you always have the perfect atmosphere in the room.
If lighting is chosen last when you are decorating a room, I encourage you to think about it earlier. Lighting can change the whole atmosphere of a room and, with it, how well the room works for you.
Here are 8 tips for dining room ceiling lights to help you.
Dining room ceiling light ideas
Use different types of ceiling lighting
Different types of lights will work better in different situations, especially in a dining room. A layered lighting scheme works best. This means that no matter what you do in the room, you will always have the most helpful lighting for your needs.
The first type of ceiling light to consider is a pendant light. This will be the feature light in the room and sit directly above the dining table. Using this light to make a statement or tie in other design features within the room is very common. It is also a great way to zone the room if you have an open-plan space. A pendant light is not always the most useful for task lighting, but it should comfortably light the table while you are sitting at it.
Installing downlights is a good idea if your dining room is used for work or homework. These will usually sit between the edge of the table and the wall rather than above it so as not to get in the way of any pendant lights. Downlights will make sure that your room is easily lit enough to be a practical space.
Once you have chosen these lights, adding some wall lights or a table lamp on the sideboard can also be a good idea. This will add an extra layer to your lighting scheme, giving the room a cosy and welcoming feel.
Use your table to decide the shape of the lighting
When choosing a pendant to hang over your dining room table, it is a good idea to keep the shape of your table in mind. Matching your pendant shape to the shape of your table will make your room feel more cohesive.
If you have a square or round table, choosing a single pendant lamp with a shade that will work well in your chosen interior style is better. If you want to use multiple pendants, I recommend going with three and hanging them at separate heights. You can also use a single ceiling rose with multiple pendants to create this effect.
Suppose you have an oval or rectangular table. In that case, using either a long pendant or multiple pendants spaced along the table is better. This will help highlight the size of your table and make sure that the whole table is lit well.
Create a focal point above the dining table
A statement light above your dining room table is the perfect way to create a focal point within the room. It is an excellent idea if you don’t have any other features in the room to highlight. You will want to choose a light that creates interest and ties in with your interior style. But it is also essential to consider how it will light the table. Some ceiling lights look beautiful but make you feel as if you are eating in the dark. Choosing a ceiling light with multiple bulbs and a glass or fabric shade will help keep the room light while creating a statement.
Related post | 7 Ideas for creating a focal point without a fireplace
Install dimmer switches to adjust lighting levels
Suppose your dining room is used for multiple purposes. In that case, adding dimmer switches is an easy way to control the room’s lighting level. You will be able to make the light much brighter when you or your kids need to work, but you can dim them down when you are hosting an intimate dinner party. Making sure that the atmosphere is always suitable for the occasion. You will need to make sure that the lights and bulbs you use are suitable to work with a dimmer switch, as not all are. But there are lots of options out there, and lights will be compatible.
Choose warm white bulbs
When it comes to the bulbs you choose for your home, the temperature or colour is one of the most important things. The temperature is measured in kelvin. For reference, natural daylight is a cool white light and is between 5500k and 6000k. At the other end of the scale, candlelight is a warm white light and is between 1000k and 1500k. For a pleasant atmosphere within your home, try to use bulbs that have a temperature between 2700k and 3000k. These are warm white and will help to create a relaxing atmosphere within your home.
Choose a pendant light that ties in with your scheme
Your choice of lighting is a great way to tie your interior scheme together. A metal pendant light in a bright colour or a bold fabric shade will make a statement and is an easy way to update your space. A polished metallic pendant will work best if you want to add some glamour to your space. A textured metallic pendant will work better if you wish to update a traditional interior. It also works well to keep your colour palette neutral. Glass shades are another modern option for pendant lighting. These work especially well if you want to create an industrial feel to your interior scheme. A natural shade like jute or rattan will work excellently with a bohemian or coastal as they create a very relaxed feel to the room and softly diffuse the light.
Play with the height of the ceiling lights
Ideally, the lowest point of a dining room ceiling light must hang 60cm above the top of the dining table. This is to ensure that the table is lit well and that no one hits their head when standing up. If you want to hang multiple pendants to create a statement above your dining table, especially a round or square one. It is a good idea to vary their heights to add interest to the room. This works well in a modern interior scheme.
Add in natural light where you can
While a ceiling light will get you so far, nothing can beat natural light. I encourage you to get as much natural light into your dining room as possible. This can be from windows or doors directly to the outside. However, if that is not possible, you can add internal windows or doors to add ‘borrowed light’ from another room. The more natural light you can get into the room, the more likely you are to use the room throughout the day, as the lighting levels are better.
This post has been all about ideas for dining room ceiling lights and ways to light dining rooms so they work for you.
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