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Ideas for dining room lighting
Practical lighting ideas for atmosphere, style and functionThe right dining room lighting transforms the dining area into a place where eating, conversations and shared moments with the family take centre stage - into a real living space! The right dining room lamps create an inviting atmosphere, emphasise the individual furnishing style and, last but not least, put the dining table centre stage. A harmonious interplay of different types of lighting, precisely selected light sources and aesthetic luminaire designs creates a lighting concept that invites you to linger and enjoy everyday life.
Why is lighting in the dining room so important? The lighting in the dining room influences how we experience the room: it provides orientation, supports activities such as working at the dining table and ensures an atmospheric dinner. With the right dining room lighting, you not only bring brightness into the dining room, but also design, style and character. In short: you make sure that you feel good - every day.
Planning the perfect lighting concept for the dining room
The lighting concept in the dining room takes into account room size, furniture, style, window, table shape and use. In the dining area in particular, it is worth planning to combine pleasant room brightness, special zone lighting and accentuating mood lighting.
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Uniform illumination with ceiling lights, multi-bulb ceiling spotlights or LED panels ensures orientation and a bright, pleasant feeling in the room.
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The dining table in particular can hardly do without a special zone light: the pendant light. It illuminates the dining table and gently fades out other parts of the room.
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LED strips create an atmospheric ambience as indirect lighting in the dining room. Table lamps can also create highlights, for example on a sideboard.
Consider scenarios in the dining room
Different everyday situations such as a family meal, a romantic dinner for two and use as a home office or for a games evening require different lighting scenarios.
- Bright, even lighting, for example with a linear pendant light, is suitable for family meals.
- A dimmed, warm white lighting mood is perfect for dinner in the evening. CCT lights for the dining room are light sources that can change colour temperature at any time. They are ideal for adapting the light to the situation:
- If the dining table is also used for the home office, it needs a more functional light with a cool white colour temperature. Here too, CCT lights are ideal for switching from feeling good to working - and back again.
- Game nights often require a little more brightness, but pleasant and not dazzling. Dimmable, height-adjustable dining table lights are perfect here.
How do I combine direct and indirect lighting correctly? The ideal combination of direct and indirect lighting provides depth and balance: direct light above the dining table puts it centre stage, provides clarity and sufficient lumens. Indirect lighting - for example via wall reflection or behind the sideboard - creates an atmospheric ambience. One example of a modern lighting concept in the dining room is a height-adjustable pendant light above the wooden table and LED strips on the edges of the furniture.
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Dining room lighting at the dining table
Ideas for the centre of the roomThe dining table is the heart of the dining room - and the lighting above it has an immense effect. The lamp that is best suited above the dining table is a pendant light that illuminates the table evenly and matches the style of the room. It is therefore an inseparable part of the lighting concept. When it comes to materials, all design facets from wood to glass and textile come into play. In terms of style, vintage chic and scandi look are just as popular as the more rustic industrial flair. The optimal height for a pendant light above the dining table is 60-75 cm. This means that conversations and dinners are not disturbed. For long, rectangular tables, several small pendant lights or a large linear light are well suited; for round tables, a central, luminous light pendant light is suitable for even illumination. A warm white light colour is essential for a cosy dining room.
Lamp ideas for the dining room
The pendant light is the first choice for the dining table, as it bathes the cosy place in a pleasant cone of light. But the lighting concept for this living space does not end there. The right combination of different light sources creates a harmonious, homogeneous overall picture that leaves nothing to be desired and is adapted to any everyday situation.
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Ceiling lights for the dining room
Anyone opting for a ceiling light in the dining room is well advised to choose a dimmable model. This means that the room can be brightly lit if required, but also made cosy and homely in no time at all. The shape in harmony with the table is less decisive for the ceiling light, as the high suspension does not create a targeted cone of light, but rather a general illumination of the room.
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Spotlights for targeted light in the dining room
Placed on the ceiling and wall, spotlights and spots can add value and round off the dining room lighting concept in a modern way. Flexibly adjustable lampshades can not only illuminate paintings, prints and decorations on sideboards and the like, but can also be simply aligned with the walls. In this way, the entire room is bathed in cosy light - ideally with warm white bulbs of less than 3,300 Kelvin for living rooms.
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The chandelier as the star of the dining room
A special table requires special lighting. If the diverse designs of the pendant lights are not pompous enough for you, you can enjoy a meal together in the light of a chandelier. The facets range from gold-coloured to black chandeliers. Luxurious models with crystals can also be combined well with a large dining table, as can chandeliers with textiles for cosy country house rooms. Tip: Chandeliers work best as lighting ideas for large rooms.
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Wall lamps as creative lighting ideas in the dining room
Pleasant area lighting is added to the dining room with wall lights. They either tower over the dining table as arc lamps or harmonica arm lights, competing with the pendant light, or they stay in the background as a discreet backdrop. A dimming function is obligatory - so it's cosy when friends and family get together for a meal.
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Floor lamps for dining room and dining table
A creative alternative to a pendant light is the lampshade of an arc lamp above the dining table - perfect if there is no ceiling above the dining table at home. In the other areas of the dining room, e.g. next to the sideboard and shelf, floor lamps provide atmospheric additional light and, depending on the model, create exciting eye-catchers. Tip: If you value well-known design pieces, you can set striking accents in the dining room with floor lamps.
How do I choose dining room lighting to match my interior style? Dining room lighting looks particularly impressive when it matches the style of the rest of the interior. Modern and minimalist, for example, are black metal lights, minimalist shapes and clear lines. Dining table lights made of wood, rattan or textile have a natural and Scandinavian look. Elegant and glamorous, the lights combine elements of glass, gold or brass. Every material and every surface influences the light: glass appears bright and clear and distributes light evenly. Metal sets accents and focusses the light. Wood creates a warm, natural atmosphere and textiles are ideal for soft, glare-free light in the dining room.
Practical lighting tips
and smart solutions for the dining room)
In the dining room, opt for LEDs with high energy efficiency, a pleasant colour temperature and a very good colour rendering index (CRI). So that the dinner looks particularly tasty. Make sure you have sufficient lumens, especially for large rooms, and use dimmable light sources for changing requirements.
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Using the app, remote control or voice control, you can programme light scenes, for example "Dinner", "Romantic dinner", "Work" or "Party". A smart bulb that can handle functions such as RGB and CCT is usually sufficient for this.
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It is not uncommon for the dining room to be integrated into the kitchen, or for the living room to be directly adjacent. In this case, it is worthwhile having a room-spanning lighting concept that encompasses all uses. A track lighting system is ideal for this, which - once configured - allows separate lighting for each area.
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Perhaps the most valuable tip for dining room lighting is to use several light sources instead of just one lamp. Different lights create a lighting concept that can be adapted and changed at any time. An example: A dining room that is not being used for dining creates a very atmospheric effect when indirect lighting is left dimmable.
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The pendant light above the dining table should be hung in such a way that it does not block the view to the person opposite. Flexible height-adjustable dining table lights with practical pulley mechanisms can be adjusted in height as required. The higher they hang, the larger and more diffuse the cone of light becomes.
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If the dining table is to be the centrepiece of the dining room, it is worth taking a look at the shape of the table before buying a lamp: 1-bulb or smaller, round lights are sufficient for small, round tables. For longer panels, multi-bulb or wide lights with permanently installed LEDs are the first choice. With an extendable dining table, make sure that the lighting remains flexible - for example with elongated, wide or height-adjustable lights.
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We bring a special eye-catcher into the dining room with multifunctional lights - for example, with a pendant light above the dining table, on which herbs and other green plants can be placed decoratively. Illuminated wall shelves near the table are also a practical option - spices and the like are well stored there.
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Good dining room lighting combines three factors: mood, function and style. Warm white bulbs create a cosy atmosphere. The lighting above the dining table should also be bright enough to illuminate the table evenly. From black, modern LED lights to natural materials such as wood, the dining room light also emphasises furnishings, colours and design.
Conclusion
Lighting moments in the dining roomThe right dining room lighting ideas create a room that is bright, cosy, functional and stylish. A dining room can be cosily illuminated by combining warm white, dimmable light and several indirect light sources. Play with materials and create accents that lend personality to this special room.
Short summary:
- Combine ambient, zone & mood lighting
- Prefer warm white light (2,700-3,300 K)
- Using dimmable lights for a flexible mood
- Choose the right materials for your individual furnishing style
- Utilising smart solutions and modern trends
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