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Dining Room Lighting Options

A dining room isn’t always just for, well, dining. It might also be where you pay bills, your kids do homework, your family gathers to work on that 10,000 piece puzzle, or where you display your great-grandmother’s crystal. The point is, if your dining room is multi-functional, shouldn’t you have a lighting scheme that factors in all such uses?

Here are a few ideas designed not only to set the right mood but provide exactly the right amount and type of lighting for any given purpose.

Add drama with a chandelier. A chandelier hung over the dining table adds an elegant touch while offering lighting options. Pair it with a dimmer switch to add ambient lighting during mealtimes or accent lighting to highlight a centerpiece. Does your dining room table double as a workspace? Choose a chandelier that casts light downward to most closely mimic task lighting.

Install recessed lighting. A great option for minimalist décor, recessed lights spaced equidistant from one another allow light to be equally distributed into all four corners of a room without disrupting sightlines. Again, pair with a dimmer switch to control the amount of light needed.

Layer in pendant lights. Pendant lights provide focused light for work surfaces, tables, mini-bars, and hutches, without taking up surface space. Install pendants in sets of two or more directly above any surface to provide all the light you need while adding visual interest to the room.

Use sconces to add accent lighting. Sconces emit a small amount of diffused light onto an object on or near a wall. Not only does the soft light add warmth to a room, it’s great for showcasing a painting, antique server, or other special pieces you’d like to highlight.

Add flexibility with track lights. For ultimate control and flexibility, consider track lighting. Add one track above a table for task lighting, one above a buffet or china cabinet to serve as accent lighting, or multiple tracks to illuminate the entire room. What’s more, you can move the lights along the track and angle them to your liking.

Brighten recesses with cove lights. Features such as tray ceilings, ceiling valances and ledges add style and character to a room but can cast dark shadows. Cove lighting – long, narrow, multi-bulb strips – provide just the right amount of light with minimal electricity.

Here’s another idea for your dining room – add a wet bar, perhaps even with its own small fridge and ice maker. It’s a great way to add convenience and class to a formal gathering and to keep people out of your messy kitchen during meal prep or clean-up. Contact Messmer Mechanical today for expert advice and installation – we’re always glad to be of service.