I am not sure if you have noticed but in the last couple of years, there has been a dining room lighting revolution going on. Lighting is no longer just one basic chandelier; we’re seeing fixtures become statements and focal points in spaces more than ever and I am in love with the look!
If you need help choosing lighting for your dining room, today’s post will for sure inspire you with ideas for task, ambient, and accent lighting.
1. Embracing Nature
I’m a huge fan of rustic decor because it has such a simple, natural, and casual feel. It works so well with clean white or beige walls, which create the perfect backdrop for warm woods, stone accents, and simple metal touches.
The lighting in a rustic dining room should absolutely reflect those same organic materials.
Because this style is so relaxed, it’s totally fine if your lighting elements don’t perfectly match. You don’t have to worry about everything being symmetrical. A cool, vintage-inspired wrought iron chandelier can look amazing next to a ceramic lamp with a simple canvas shade.
If you’re going for more of a rustic lodge vibe in your home, a chandelier made from actual wood branches is a total showstopper.
For that really authentic rustic, farmhouse, or shabby chic look, I love repurposing things I find at thrift stores or using family hand-me-downs. You can even turn an old barn beam into an incredible light fixture to hang over your dining table and chairs.
8. Sophisticated Dining Experiences
If you’re ready to splurge on some luxurious dining room lighting, crystal chandeliers are a classic and proven choice. While a traditional fixture dripping with crystal beads looks beautiful in certain homes, a high-end space might call for a more updated look.
Sometimes, an elegant dining room fixture is the one thing that can take a boring dining room and turn it into a total showplace.
Designer dining room light fixtures often have cool accents like rectangular glass panels, long icicle-inspired details, and even colored crystals. If your dining room is extra large, hanging two matching chandeliers over the table can make a really impressive statement.
Once you’ve picked out your main lighting, try to find lamps, sconces, and other light sources that have similar design elements to tie the whole room together.
9. Focal Point Illumination
When you’re thinking about dining room lighting, don’t forget about your tabletop! Candles are the most obvious way to add some ambient light right from the center of the table.
Whether you have them in an ornate candelabra or scattered along a tablescape, candles give off a warm glow that’s pretty much unmatched by any other light source.
If you’re worried about open flames, there are so many styles of battery-powered “candles” out there now. A lot of them have flames that flicker just like real candles, and it can be really hard to tell the difference.
Battery-powered lamps and light strings are other great options to include in your dining room table centerpiece for some extra sparkle.
10. Enhancing Ambience
Walking into any home improvement store or lighting shop can feel a little overwhelming with all the dining room lighting options. There are ideas to match any style, from traditional to modern and everything in between.
The latest trends include oversized single pendant lights, clusters of bare Edison bulbs, and sleek linear pendant fixtures.
If you have a small dining room, it’s a good idea to keep your light fixture scaled to the size of the room. Look for a pendant or chandelier with an open, airy design, like a basket-weave lamp shade or a simple metal chandelier.
More elaborate dining room lighting looks best over a big dining table that can handle the visual weight.
