Well-placed dining room pendant light fixtures can transform your dining space and make it more inviting for hosting guests. In this article, we’ll discuss modern pendant lights for dining areas as well as how to best incorporate them into your space.
Different Pendant Light Styles for a Dining Room
When searching for the best dining room light fixtures for your specific space, knowing what sort of lights there are to choose from is a good place to start. There are a variety of dining table pendant light fixtures for you to consider when choosing the right pendant light materials. These include:
- GLASS PENDANTS - This type of pendant light is among the most versatile. With glass pendant lights, you can easily style the room around them without clashing. They are also more evenly diffused and distribute the light, helping to spread the illumination around the space.
- SHADE PENDANTS - Ceiling mounted pendant lights with shades are among the most popular and versatile types of hanging pendant lights. They have a wide range of material options to choose from, making them easy to incorporate into dining rooms of any aesthetic or style.
- MULTI-LIGHT PENDANTS - LED Ceiling lights for dining room areas with large amounts of space can benefit from multi-light pendants. This type of light will feature more than one light head, providing a higher lumen count and therefore spreading brighter light throughout the room.
- GLOBE PENDANTS - Like their name suggests, globe pendant lights have a globe-shaped bulb or shade. These spherical lights tend to have some sort of diffusing effect that softens the light and makes it easier on the eyes. They tend to work well hanging in a line over dining room tables.
- DRUM SHADE PENDANTS - Those who prefer a more classic dining table ceiling light are sure to love drum shade pendant lights. These have a round, wide shade that looks similar to a drum, giving it its name. They tend to feature lampshades with fabric materials, which can soften the appearance of the room.
- LINEAR PENDANTS - Linear pendant lights over dining tables are long pendant lights that shine light across a wider stretch of space. These bar lights are well suited for longer dining tables that require ample illumination to light the whole furnishing.
- CORD PENDANTS - Lovers of modern hanging lights for dining room tables will fall for cord pendants. These minimalist lights tend to have a long cord with an exposed bulb at the end. This gives the room a more urban and industrial feel.
- LANTERN PENDANTS - Lantern pendant lamps look like traditional lanterns, which can give your dining room a nostalgic feel when placed above the table. These lights usually consist of a metal frame with glass or acrylic diffusers in their design.
How To Position Pendant Lights Over a Dining Table
Hanging ceiling lights as centre pieces in dining areas are well suited for hanging as the main source of light for making guests feel welcome and comfortable. Even if you use more than one light above the dining table, they should still be centred to achieve a balanced look.
If you are using multiple lights, then you should work within the rule of three. Repeating a design element three times is considered to be a universal success, and this is also true with light fixtures. Light fixtures arranged in odd numbers tend to be more appealing and memorable. So, if you use more than three lights, move up to the next odd number.
When it comes to the height and spacing of the dining table lights hanging fixtures, there are a few common guidelines that work well in most dining rooms.
- Space the lights by the diameter of the widest point of the pendant light.
- Hang them around 70 to 100 centimeters above the top of the table.
- Be sure that the lights are not hung at such a height that they are causing glare in your guests’ eyes.
Are Dimmers a Good Idea For Dining Room Hanging Lights?
The dining room is a place where you do more than just eat. You entertain friends here. Kids work on their homework at the table. Families play board games together. For this reason, various levels of lighting will benefit you.
Using a dimmer switch, you can change the brightness of the lighting on a whim to suit the needs or atmospheric requirements of your space. Dimmer lights can also be easier on the eyes and can lessen eye strain of those in the space.
Check the LED lights that you purchase and be sure they have dimmable capabilities if you want to take advantage of these benefits.
General Advice on Lighting and Styling a Dining Room
When it comes to hanging lights for dining table areas, you can take inspiration from some of the tips below:
- CREATE CONTRAST - Using various materials and shapes, you can create contrast against the other design elements of the dining room and make them stand out.
- MAKE A FOCAL POINT - Chandelier pendant lights and other large, dramatic styles of lights make a great focal point in the dining room. Hanging one over a central position at the dining table is sure to wow your guests.
- LAYER YOUR LIGHTING - By adding subtle indoor wall lights around the dining room, you can balance the lighting levels and more evenly distribute the light throughout the space.
- SHINE UP THE SPACE - Adding pendant lights with metallic shades can help bounce light around the room. These are particularly useful in smaller, darker dining spaces that you want to make the most of.
- MIRROR THE LIGHTING SCHEME OF THE KITCHEN - If your dining room is connected to your kitchen, you can extend the lighting style from one room to the other. This will create a sense of symmetry and balance throughout the area.
- BRING IN SOME COLOUR - If your room’s decor is already mostly neutral, a black pendant light fitting will probably just blend into the space. Instead, use the opportunity to introduce some vibrant colour to the dining room through contrasting pendant lights.
- USE LINEAR LIGHTS ON RECTANGULAR TABLES - You can be sure that your dining table will have ample light across a large surface area by choosing a linear ceiling light to illuminate it.
What Are Swag Pendant Lights And How to Use Them Over a Dining Table?
A light that grew in popularity in the 1920s, swag pendant lights are a vintage style of lighting you can add to your dining room. They are often bare socket or shaded hanging pendant lights that take up little space and offer an economic light source.
If you want to add these versatile classic lights to your home, it is a good idea to have a qualified electrician do the job for you. But, if you are confident in your DIY work, you can follow the steps below:
- CHOOSE THE LIGHT - Determine the swag light you want to use. It should complement the size and style of the dining table, including the hanging cord. Modern black pendant lights are a universally good choice as they match the decor of any dining room.
- GET ALL THE TOOLS TOGETHER YOU WILL NEED FOR INSTALLATION - This includes a ceiling hook, drill, ladder, wire cutters, a screwdriver and electrical tape.
- FIND THE POWER SOURCE - Determine where you plan to wire the walls, whether that’s a junction box or an existing ceiling outlet.
- TURN OFF ALL THE POWER - Before you start the job, double-check that the power supply is completely off for safety.
- MARK IT UP - Measure out the spacing and mark on the ceiling where you want to place the light.
- INSTALL THE HOOK - Using a drill, make a pilot hole on the spot you’ve marked on the ceiling. Then, insert the hook into the drilled hole.
- CONNECT THE WIRES - Strip the insulation from the end of the cord wires of the light and connect them to the wires in the ceiling. After twisting the ends together, you can cover them with electrical tape.
- HANG THE LIGHT - With the hook in position and everything connected, you can hang the light on the hook. Be sure it is securely in place.
- TURN THE POWER BACK ON - Test the light and make sure it works. Make any adjustments to the light once you’ve verified it is working.
Direct Versus Indirect Dining Table Lighting: What Are the Differences?
Direct lighting is a type of light that shines directly down onto the area it is meant to illuminate. In a dining room, this type of lighting usually comes in the form of a pendant light hanging directly above the dining table.
Indirect light, on the other hand, comes in the form of lighting away from the table. This includes interior wall lamps, cove lighting, table lamps and floor lighting.
These two distinct lighting styles work well on their own, but they work even better when layered together. Using direct and indirect lighting, you can create a well-balanced dining area that you’ll love to be in.
How To Create Ambient Lighting with Your Dining Room Lighting
Ambient lighting is the main layer of light in a room. It is responsible for generating most of the illumination that all other light complements.
Pick the Best Light
Before anything else, you’ll need to choose the right pendant light. This can look different for everyone depending on the style of dining room, so you’ll want to take note of the style of your room and work from there. You will also want to note the size of your dining room and choose a light that is appropriate for it.
Add Indirect Lighting
Indirect lighting can be used to create ambient light alongside the main chandelier or pendant. Using cove lighting, wall lighting or lamps, you can brighten up any darker corners of the dining room.
Layer the Lights
The ambient and task lighting in a dining room tend to be one in the same; your main ambient light source is generally going to be the light hanging above the table where you dine. Combine this with indirect lighting in the form of indoor wall lamps or floor lamps to complete the layered scheme with accent lighting.
Use the Right Colour Temperature
For dining rooms, you want to go with warm white light between 2700k and 3000k. This will make the room more inviting and the light gentler on the eyes, encouraging guests to linger around the table comfortably after the meal is finished.
Consider Natural Light
In some cases, you may not need to add too much daytime lighting to your dining room. Let any natural light do most of the work for you during the day and supplement it with additional lighting where needed.
