Residential Lighting Concepts for the Dining Room
For residential lighting, the dining room often has the chandelier as the focus. This often provides for the ambient lighting. Make sure that just a comfortable degree of brightness is produced, just enough for people to move around safely. This should be hung around 30 inches to 36 inches above the table, and a minimum of 150 watts total in the chandelier. You can actually combine this with downlights by placing one on each side of the chandelier for even lighting. Adding recessed lighting to the corners of the room will also make the room appear larger.
Check out the color you want in your dining room and bring that out with the proper lighting. Use accent lighting if you have an artwork on the wall of your dining room.
The use of wall sconces makes the dining room appear spacious. Place this high enough so as not to glare the eyes. Match the style of the sconces with that of the chandelier for consistency of theme and uniformity for your residential lighting.
Avoid fluorescent lighting, but if you should decide to use it, it would be better if it would only provide for indirect light. The same case if you should want to use a low-voltage halogen light, one should choose the type that produces a relatively natural effect. When you place a light under the cabinet, the position should be nearer to the front so as to illuminate better the objects below.
You can also have the option to make use of wall grazing to illuminate special textures of materials. These are also good for polished surfaces without having a distracting reflection. Make use of wall washers, which are special downlights, that direct light upwards.
Dimmers should also be considered as these can easily be adjusted to change the mood and atmosphere. With your family and friends, you might want to light it up to match the liveliness and warmness of the mood. But if you want to adjust to times that would require a somewhat formal setting, you just have to lower the brightness level down. Residential lighting dimmers used in the dining room will give you the ambiance you need.
A good residential lighting plan involves making use of accent lighting, task lighting and general lighting to light an area fittingly. Just keep in mind that lighting a dining room should include beauty and functionality. You will eventually know that you have had a good residential lighting design in your dining room, when after all the lights are set, everything just feels right for you.