10 Top Tips in Choosing the Perfect Dining Table Light

Dining with the family is one way to establish a good relationship. It is the perfect time to share stories and talk to each other about what happened that day. Because of this, the dining area needs to be inviting and homey. It needs to give a positive feeling to those who will use the space. Adding a light fixture or two to your dining room is putting the special touch that can imbue style, atmosphere and just the right amount of illumination but finding the ideal setup is not always easy.

In the dining room, a light fixture is a particularly significant design element because it not only provides adequate light while you eat, but it can also have a powerful impact on the mood or vibe of the space—thus playing a vital role in its overall aesthetics. Continue reading to learn some helpful tips on the right height, type, and size of fixture you should be looking for.

1. Position

Dining areas with suspended lighting like chandeliers or pendant lights look really nice. When you hang your lighting, whether it’s an enclosed room or an open plan, you have to make sure that the light fixture is placed centre over the dining table.

2. Height

In terms of the length of the cord of a pendant or chandelier, you should play around a bit and see what feels right. You don’t want the chandelier to be so low that it’s blocking your view of people across the table or hitting a centrepiece or flowers, but you also don’t want it to be so high that it doesn’t shine light on the table. See if you can turn the fixture on while it’s being hung to see where you like it best usually, this is about 30 to 36 inches above the top of the dining table. The fixture should be hung 28″-36″ above the tabletop.

3. Get the right size and shape of your lighting fixture

The size and shape of your dining room light fixture will have a great impact on your space. A fixture should be 30 cm or 12″ smaller than the table in all directions. This way, it will not look too big or too small for your space. Another way to determine the size is to add the length and width of the room together then use the sum as the diameter of the fixture. Use feet for the room’s dimension and inches for the size of the fixture. For example, if your room is 5 feet by 8 feet, then the diameter of your light fixture will be in the range of 12-inches. As for the shape, we have mentioned this in tip number one. But you can also choose the ones that you think will look great for your dining area.

4. Consider table shape and size

The shape and size of your dining table can help you select your lighting. For round tables, it is recommended that you use a round or bowl-shaped or hexagonal lighting fixture. If the table is square or rectangle, you can try using an oval or rectangle or square fixture or any linear pendant light. When it comes to table size, a small table would look good with a large pendant light. For a long table, it would look great with double light installations.

5. Decide on your room’s style

Your choice of a lighting fixture will also depend on the room’s style. You have to decide if you want a dining area that is modern, eclectic or whatever you want. For a more formal vibe, get fixtures that have crystals or use metals on it like bronze or gold fixtures. But if you prefer a casual look, get a fixture with jute, ropes or wooden beads. Using fixtures made from natural materials will warm up the space.

6. Decide on how bright you want your room to be

When considering the brightness of a fixture, remember that lighting plays a key role in setting the ambiance of a space, so you don’t want it to be too bright but you also need to be able to see what you’re eating! The total wattage of all the bulbs in a fixture (a single fixture often requires multiple bulbs) should be between 200 and 400 watts. Putting the light fixture on a dimmer switch and purchasing dimmable bulbs is a great way to accommodate different levels of lighting throughout the day in your space. 

7. Do not obstruct the view

Some dining rooms have a great view from the area or features interesting wallpaper or wall decor. If that is the case, make sure that your lighting fixture will not obstruct the view. Choose an open fixture like cage chandeliers. You can also hang it higher than usual, above eye level, so that it will allow a good view of the area around it.

8. Mix with other lighting

Most homes will just use one lighting for the dining area. Well, this is not enough! Try to add additional lighting to your focal point fixture. You can add recessed or track lighting that is aimed to a furniture or to a piece of art. Bring in some table lamps on a sideboard or a console table to add some glow in the area. Illuminate your cabinets with LED strip lighting or you can use glass doors for your cabinets so it can add sparkle to the space. 

9. Types of lighting 

There are unlimited options for lighting fixtures. You just have to choose one depending on its design, materials, size, shape, colour, and others. If you want to get subtle lighting, get a drum pendant or lanterns that are enclosed on all sides. Try bell pendant lights to have a spotlight effect. Or you can get a glass chandelier or pendant light to make it look light and open. You can even use lights that can create patterns on the walls and ceilings.

10. Finally…

Picking the perfect dining room lighting is not that hard. In fact, it can even be fun to do that. One big factor that you can consider in choosing is your personal taste. Therefore, it’s best to invest in an item that you really love and won’t get sick of. This might mean a classic, simple light fixture or it might mean a bigger statement piece. It is up to you. Either way, make sure you choose wisely and good luck!