Signature Lighting and Fans, Calgary, Alberta

Designing with Light

Dining areas

Lighting Tips from Signature Lighting & Fans

THE FOCUS HERE is the right dining table, which can be lit by a traditional chandelier, modern pendants, recessed downlights – or, even better, some combination of these. The proportions of a dining-table light fixture in relation to it’s surroundings are critical. To keep diners or passerby from bumping into it, a hanging fixture should be at least 12 inches narrower than the table. Hanging it about 30 inches above the table surface will help cut down on reflected glare from the tabletop.

A decorative fixture like a chandelier should not be the only light source – it’s sure to cause discomfort from glare when turned up. Instead, augment a decorative fixture with one or more adjustable downlights that really do the work. Dimmers can be a real plus – turned up high, the light aids in the task of setting the table or directing guests; turned low, the gentle beam creates a festive atmosphere and minimizes glare. In order to dispel harsh glare and shadows, augment your table lighting with softer fill light on the walls or ceiling. Ambient options include built-in cove lighting, wall sconces, and movable torcheres. Accent light on paintings or inside display niches can double as ambient fill, too.

A separate set of fixtures over a buffer will supply light for serving as well as providing background light at mealtimes. Traditional candelabra-style fixtures and modern wall sconces are both popular choices, depending on the room’s décor.

Dining Room Lighting Tips from Signature Lighting & Fans

Good things can come in threes-like these blown-glass pendants, a decorative departure from the traditional chandelier.

Dimmable eyeball MR-16s are the work horses here, recessed in hollow box beams above the large dining table. Wall sconces flank a built-in buffet, supplying glare-free ambient wash. Candles add decorative glow for formal occasions.

A three-tiered paper shade makes a hand-some dining-room accent, doubling as a centerpiece while cutting a hanging pendant's glare-prone output. Staggered wall sconces add fill light while echoing the angle formed by the nearby staircase.

Three beaded pendants hang from low-voltage cables, marking the line of a sturdy waxed-pine dining table. Fixed table lamps are mounted in window alcoves flanking the far fireplace; MR-16 monospots wash firpaneled walls, lending ambient fill to middle zones. Display cabinets are backlit with strip lights tucked behind rear valances.

Dining Room Lighting Tips from Signature Lighting & Fans
Candles form the focal point, while more modern
sources-tucked away-contribute accent lighting.

A classic chandelier provides sparkle, not glare; most light comes from the hard-working cove overhead. Four eyeball-trimmed down-lights add even accent across the wall screen.

Dining Room Lighting Tips from Signature Lighting & Fans
Beam-housed fixtures bounce warm light
down off the wood ceiling.

A row of modern glass pendants follows the dining-room table: each halogen fixture includes a frosted diffusing ring to minimize glare. The sculptural room divider beyond houses sparking, end-lit fiber optics inside each niche.