Perfect Light Fixtures

Today, we often spend the bulk of our time in open, airy rooms used for a variety of activities, such as relaxing, watching television, reading, listening to music, and entertaining friends or even working on hobbies, homework, or special projects. We refer to these spaces with an assortment of terms, such as great room, family room, den or even the plain, old-fashioned-term living room, but in essence, they re hardworking, multipurpose spaces that have to accommodate a range of disparate endeavors.

Just as lighting draws attention to actors on a stage, it must highlight and accommodate the various parts of the set in these sorts of rooms. At the same time, the lighting must play up the room’s best asset. It is necessary to focus adequate amounts of the right kind of light on various furniture groupings and, at the same time, complement and enhance he décor of the room. Reconciling these needs requires a combination of the three types of lighting (namely, general, task, and accent lighting).

In dining areas or those portions of multipurpose spaces that are used for dining, the chandelier is still the fixture of choice for good reason. Not only it is suitable and often even superior source of light, it is an exceptional decorative asset that can go a long way toward expressing the specific style of a room. A frothy crystal version adds elegance and grandeur to a space, while a rustic wrought-iron fixture can convey intimacy and warmth. Today, pendant fixtures are available in a broad range of styles and are used with the same frequency as the chandelier.

It is important to keep several considerations in mind when selecting a hanging light fixture for a dining area. The light fixture should complement the size and shape of the dining table as well as the décor of the room. Before electricity was commonplace, such lamps were fitted with candles and hung high over a table to eliminate the danger of fire, but now, a hanging fixture should be suspended about 30 inches (762 millimeters) above the table. If the light fixture has an open shade and bare bulbs, it should be suspended as high as necessary to avoid harsh glare in diners’ eyes, or a bulb with a silvered crown should be used to reduce glare. Also, the diameter of a hanging light should be at least a foot shorter than the table below it, and when the ceiling height is over 8 feet (2.4 meters), balance the space by raising the light fixture 3 inches (76.2 millimeters) for every additional foot of ceiling space. Tame dramatic but too-dazzling pendant fixtures and chandeliers with a dimmer control.

Finally, remember that no rule dictates the use of a hanging fixture. Recessed cans or tracks equipped with down lights can also be used to adequately light a dining table, which can be accented with flickering candles to change the ambience or mood.

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