Dining Room Light Fixtures & Fittings

The dining room is the place where you can really layer your lighting. One thing to remember, though, is to always, and we mean ALWAYS, choose ambient lighting. When you’re thinking about dining room lights, their main role is to set the mood. Not too ambient though, we still need to see what we’re eating after all. Think table lamps and floor lamps dotted around the room and the all-important pendant lights for your dining area lighting.

Lighting for dining rooms needs to fit the space, first and foremost. As much as you might want the statement piece to wow your dinner guests, it still needs to be in proportion with the room overall. There are so many options to choose from, though, so you’ll always find dining room lighting to suit the space. All you need to do is measure the area you’re working with and go from there. If you’re short on ceiling height though, flush lights will be the best choice to save on head room.

Once you’ve measured the space, you’ll know what size light fixture to get and then you need to decide how low to go. Whether you want pendant lighting to hang just above the dining table, or you’re more of a statement chandelier type, make sure to check the dimensions. If your lighting is in a walkway, or an area that’s likely to be in people’s way over the table, don’t have the fixture hanging too low. Nobody wants to be reaching for the mashed potato and banging their head on a light.

Again, this will depend on the space you’re working with and whether you want an oversized, statement look. Some people like to go for something subtle and understated, just to provide enough illumination for the evening meals. Others want more of a grand affair, to make the dining area a spectacle for when they entertain. And remember, you don’t have to go for just one light. A row of lights over the dining table looks super stylish and creates an atmospheric ambience.

Open plan living is great for giving you a sense of space and free flowing movement, but you might still want to create distinct areas or zones to indicate the separate living spaces in your home. Lighting is perfect to achieve this. Overhead, pendant ceiling lighting is great to highlight the dining areas, specifically over the dining table. Whereas floor lamps and table lights work well illuminating the living area. If there are any areas where you need more practical lighting, then spotlights will be great, especially since many are directional and can be adjusted to suit.