How to pick the perfect lighting for your dining room

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Your dining room is a special place in the home. Where people not only eat, but socialize, celebrate, and learn. So of course you want to make the dining room as perfect as it deserves to be. That includes picking lighting that will create the right mood and be practical at the same time.

One of the first steps to picking the perfect lighting for your dining room is to examine how you will 

be using the space. 

Do you like to host lots of parties with your friends or do you mainly use your dining room for your family? Will your children be doing their homework at the table or will you be doing work there? If you need a lot of light, you may want to consider multiple lighting fixtures and recessed lighting. If you want to be able to control the ambience of the room, then you will want to get fixtures that are dimmable.

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Next you need to assess the space you’re working with. If it is a large dining room then you will want a large main fixture that is to scale with the space. If you have a more compact dining room, then you will want something that isn’t so large that it overwhelms the space. Are there any architectural details, like built-ins or nooks, that would look nice highlighted by spotlighting?

After looking at the practical side of choosing your dining room lighting you can move on to the fun part. Style! There are so many amazing light fixtures available today; in designs that cater everyone’s own unique taste. When choosing the perfect lighting for your dining room take into account the style of your home and your own design preferences. Looking for something glamorous? Then gold and crystals are a must for your lighting. Looking for something industrial chic? Then sculptural metal would be a good start for you. The list of lighting finishes and designs is endless, so there really is something for everyone.

Now that you have the basics covered, you may be wondering what lighting options are out there. Which one or ones do I choose? There are many variations, but in general there are 4 main categories. Those categories are chandeliers, ceiling lights, wall lights, and lamps.

Chandeliers are a traditional multiple light fixture that are great for placing above the dining room table. They traditionally came draped in crystals, but they now come in contemporary styles as well, for the more modern home.  

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(I like the photo with the black dining chairs and plates on wall)

Ceiling lights have several variations. Pendant ceiling lights are usually on a long cord. Large pendant lights are beautiful hung above the dining room table as an alternative to a chandelier. Mini pendants are smaller and are great above an eat-at-bar or as a unique buffet lighting option. 

If you have a lower ceiling in your dining room a flush mount ceiling light or semi-flush would be ideal for your main light source. Since they are closer to the ceiling, they won’t interfere with the line of sight around the room. Another popular ceiling light option is recessed lights. These small lights are recessed into the ceiling and are great for casting a soft spotlight on points of interest. They also give dimension and character to any room they are installed in.

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Wall lighting options that might be of use in your dining room are sconces or cabinet lighting. Sconces can be used to frame a window, to be put on each side of a hutch, or to add some glow to a dark spot in the room – just for example. If you have built in cabinets, bookcases, or any type of display case in your dining room, then cabinet lighting could really play up their best qualities and add some drama to an otherwise dark area.

Since lamps are movable lighting, they are the perfect solution to any dim areas that you may want to brighten up. Table lamps look very nice as part of a buffet server tablescape. While floor lamps can enhance that corner that you just don’t know what to do with.

Whatever lighting options you choose for your dining room, they are sure to bring a design element to your space that you can’t get with any other piece of décor. Great lighting design can create a romantic mood or can brighten a dark day. If you follow the steps set out here, then you are sure to pick the perfect lighting for your dining room.