10% discount on your first order – Use code: FIRST10

Dining Room

The dining room is much more than a place to eat dinner. It is a space meant for gathering with your friends and family to spend time together and share a meal. Dining room lighting plays a large role in the atmosphere of the dining area while making it brightly lit and functional.

Proper use of dining room lights is an easy way to transform the space into one you are proud to entertain in. Here, we offer a broad range of dining light fixtures for you to light your space. With a variety of styles to choose from, you’re sure to find the best one for your home.

Top Sellers

ultrabeamlighting logo

Shop with Confidence

ultrabeamlighting logo

Why Good Dining Room Lighting Is Important

Lighting is a powerful tool that can be used to alter the mood and perception of your space. This is especially important in dining rooms, as they benefit from having different moods during different settings.

Dining rooms are variable spaces, therefore dining room lighting should be as well. When hosting a lively dinner party, doing homework at the table or having a romantic dinner with a partner, the lighting will need to be different for each occasion.

Having various dining room light fixtures will allow you to alter the lighting depending on what is happening in the room. Dimmer switches are especially beneficial to this effect.

It can also simply enhance the interior design of the space while improving upon its functionality. Having quality dining area lighting can create focal points, such as using a statement dining table pendant light. By making the room as beautiful and as usable as possible, it can also add value to your home if you’re intending on selling down the line.

Current Dining Room Lighting Trends

Dining room lighting trends shift and change just like any other space. Stay on top of them and make your dining room a stylish, future-proofed space by getting familiar with some of the latest popular dining area light fixtures and design trends.

Oversized Lighting

One of the trendiest options for dining room lighting these days is statement dining room lights over table areas. Having oversized pendant lights in the center of the table creates a focal point while also generating ample illumination.

Earthy Tones and Natural Finishes

Bringing nature from the outdoors to the indoors is a popular thing to do. Choosing lights made with bamboo or rattan fixtures, recycled glass shades and linen details will keep you in line with this trend

Layered Lighting Design

While layered lighting is always a good idea, emphasis has been placed on it in recent lighting design trends. Layering ambient light, such as dining ceiling lights, with accent and task lighting in the form of wall lights for dining area space, you can ensure you have a well-lit and balanced room.

Vintage Design Styles

The past is coming back around in the form of beautiful dining room light fittings. Materials like aged brass, ribbed glass and Murano-style finishes are on the rise, bringing plenty of charm and character to your dining room.

Bold and Vibrant Colours

Many homeowners are breathing fresh life into their dining rooms by adding vivid and eye-catching fixtures to their spaces. Choosing bold colours and artsy dining room pendant light fixtures can give your space an updated and energetic feeling.

How to Choose the Right Sized Ceiling Light for Over a Table

When it comes to the dining room, over table lighting tends to be the main focus. It can create a central focal point while also providing the main layer of illumination. Because of its large role, having the right kind of dining table light is important.

Choosing the size of the light can feel like its own separate challenge, but there are some general guidelines you can follow to point you in the right direction.

The Golden Ratio

A tried and true method of figuring out the proportional size would be to choose a fixture that is 1/2 to 2/3 of the width of the table. So, for example, an 80 centimeter wide table would work well with a 40 to 53 centimeter light. A 120 centimeter wide table would look balanced with a 60 to 80 millimeter light.

Think About the Shape

The table itself will influence the kind of light that will work best. Square or round tables work best with a single chandelier or pendant. Oval and rectangular tables get their balance from a linear suspension light or some evenly spaced pendants.

Consider Ceiling Height

The height of your ceiling plays a big role in what light should be installed. Standard ceiling heights between 2.4 meters and 2.7 meters can accommodate most pendants. Higher ceilings above three meters should have taller fixtures, or even multi-tier ones.

LPL412-BK-1 black LED pendant light installed over dining table

How to Light a Small Dining Room Area

Having a smaller dining room presents unique challenges that larger ones do not. You want to illuminate the space without making it look cluttered or taking up precious real estate. To accomplish this, opt for lights that are low profile.

For example, recessed ceiling lamps for dining room areas sit flush with the line of the ceiling and won’t jut out. You can also choose wall lights to illuminate the room, which will free up vertical space and floor space as well.

Choosing metallic finishes for the light fixtures will help by bouncing illumination around the room. Incorporating a decorative mirror or two can also help to this effect. 

Another passive way to light small dining rooms is simply to open the curtains and make the most out of natural lighting. You can also simply swap out heavy drapes with sheer or semi-sheer curtains that allow for light to come in even when they’re closed.

How to Layer Lighting in a Dining Room

Layered lighting is an important aspect of any lighting design scheme. In the dining room, it is crucial to creating the right atmosphere to dine by, as well as enough light to be functional. Layered lighting consists of three elements: ambient, accent and task lights.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lights lay the foundation for the other lighting in the space. Typically, in a dining room, this will come in the form of dining table hanging lights. You may also see recessed dining area ceiling lights for this layer as well.

Task Lighting

Task lights provide more direct focus on certain areas of the room. Adjustable hanging lamps for dining room areas or directional wall lights work best here.

Accent Lighting

Accent lights are responsible for highlighting certain areas in a room. When used correctly, they can also provide mood lighting. Opt for picture lights, LED strip lights and wall lamps for dining room accent lighting.

The style of your dining room will impact the sort of light you will need to brighten it. Different design schemes ask for different styles of light to match it in order for it to look streamlined and balanced.

Modern Minimalism

Contemporary dining rooms work best with minimalist fixtures that prioritise clean lines and angles. Slimline LED hanging lights for dining area spaces, neutral finishes and recessed ceiling lights are preferred here. You can also dress up a minimalist space with a geometric pendant that makes a statement.

Farmhouse Rustic

This style of dining room emphasises warm textures, wood and vintage appeal. Exposed filament bulbs, wrought iron dining room wall lamp fixtures and lanterns are ideal for this space. Opt for this light style especially if you have stone walls or wooden beams.

Victorian Homes

Characterised by ornate details, traditional architecture and soaring ceilings, this style of home works best with classy chandeliers, frosted glass shades and dining room wall light fixtures finished in brass.

Urban Industrial

This style of dining room puts focus on the use of raw materials and exposed brick to create a sort of utilitarian design. Metal cage pendants, vintage filament bulbs and concrete housing are an ideal choice for this kind of design scheme.

CCT, or colour correlated temperature, is a way to discuss how warm or cool a light is perceived to be. Colour temperature plays a huge role in the overall atmosphere and vibe of a space, and different areas call for different temperatures.

CCT exists on a scale between 1,000 and 10,000 Kelvin. Warmer temperatures are at the low end of the spectrum, while cooler temperatures are at the top.

It is generally agreed upon that in domestic settings, such as dining rooms, the light should be warm. Choosing a warm toned dinner table light between 2,700 and 3,300 is ideal. This provides warm illumination that is gentle on the eyes while still being bright enough to comfortably dine by.

When lighting dining rooms, there are a few hiccups that some people tend to run into. Be sure that you are satisfied with the end result of your new dining room lighting design; get familiar with some of the most common mistakes so you can avoid them.

  • CHOOSING THE WRONG PROPORTIONS. Having oversized lights in a small dining room can make it feel crowded and cramped. Similarly, having small lights in a spacious dining room can make the light feel like it is being swallowed up. Be sure you are choosing dining room lights that work well with the dimensions of your space.
  • OVERLOOKING FINISHES. If you want to seamlessly integrate the new fixture into the space, you can ensure the best results by choosing lights with finishes that match the existing decor. Also, for smaller dining rooms, consider adding in reflective finishes. Metallic finishes will help move light around the room to improve upon its brightness without any extra effort.
  • IGNORING GLARE AND SHADOW. By placing the fixtures poorly in the dining room, you may be causing abrasive glare or unattractive shadows. Take care to place the lights carefully to avoid this. You may also want to choose fixtures that softly diffuse and spread the light around more evenly, such as frosted glass.
Shopping Basket
Scroll to Top