Food is a common denominator that brings people together, whether in a kitchen or a dining room. That is why we have featured these two rooms in this blog on dining and kitchen lighting to create the perfect ambiance for your meal preparation and enjoyment.

Kitchen Lighting

Whether your kitchen is small or large, overhead (ambient) lighting is crucial. Kitchen ceiling lights should never be an afterthought but are essential when planning a remodel of your kitchen. Recessed ceiling lights are beneficial for the entire space as they can distribute light evenly throughout the room. Track lighting is another excellent option for illuminating your work area.

Pendant lights work great over a long counter or kitchen island. These fixtures should hang approximately 35 to 40 inches above the countertop. 70 to 80 lumens are ideal per square foot for preparation areas. You can go with 30 to 40 lumens per square foot in all other areas of the kitchen.

Kitchen island lighting is crucial for both aesthetics and functionality. Layering your kitchen light fixtures in this way brightens the space and gives the room dimension.

Under-cabinet lighting is beneficial for work areas, such as food prep countertops. The last thing you want is to cut food on a dark counter where you cannot see what you are doing. Do not forget task-specific lighting for the stove and sink.

You may also want to consider interior lighting to highlight glass-front and open cabinets. These lights make an excellent way to showcase your dishes and stemware.

If you have an eat-in kitchen, you may want to add a small chandelier above the table, as shown in the photo above. Another option is pendant lighting, using one oversize pendant over the table for a striking effect. You can see how a variety of kitchen lighting fixtures come together to create a warm and inviting space.

Dining Room Lighting

As we move from kitchen lighting to dining room lighting ideas, one thing is crucial – dining room lighting makes a statement. It can enhance your overall design scheme or stand out like a sore thumb. The right choice will set the perfect mood for having an intimate dinner for two or a grand dinner party for a house full of guests.

Chandeliers are typically the first thing people think of when looking for dining room light fixtures. They are often an excellent choice. However, today, you can think outside the box and select from many other statement-making options.

In the photo below, you see how we use hanging pendants as dining room lights, and the striking effect they make. Dimmer switches for lights can also alter the mood in the room.

Dining room chandeliers can consist of a single lighting fixture, or multiple lights, as shown in the photo below.

The crystal chandelier below is an example of the elegance that crystal can bring to a room.

Another option in modern chandeliers is the combination of crystal with another element, as shown in the photo below. That way, you get the best of both worlds while creating a beautiful visual effect in your dining room. As you can see, the image is enhanced by the wall sconces.

For more dining room and kitchen lighting ideas, as well as lighting other rooms in your home, check out our blog “Inspired Lighting Ideas for Every Room in Your Home.”

Call HK Interiors today at 954-401-8542 to learn more about how we can help enhance the beauty of your home.

One of the hardest decisions people have when reimagining or planning their living space is chandelier size and design. Anyone who has ever walked into a lighting store can tell you how overwhelming it can be at first glance. You do not even have to look up to see all the chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. Where do you begin?

There is a trick to selecting the right light fixtures for your home or room. You have to know what size will work best, and then what type of style will compliment your furnishings. Today, we are going to focus solely on chandelier size and leave style for another day.

The most common room in the home for a hanging light fixture is the dining room. Dining room chandeliers can make or break your design, meaning that you must focus on getting the right size.

Some people also opt for a kitchen chandelier, especially if they have an eat-in kitchen. Placing a mini chandelier above a small, corner kitchen table can add ambiance to the space. If you have a kitchen island, that gives you another option for specialty lighting. Just remember to keep the hanging lights a minimum of 28 to 34 inches above the top of the island. Pendant lights, spotlights, orbs, track lighting, box lights, and even a small chandelier will create spectacular ambiance in your kitchen.

Ceiling height is another issue, especially when choosing vaulted ceiling lighting for a living room. Yes, you can spend hours of time researching chandelier options, or you can speak with an interior designer who can help you get it right with minimal time and expense.

Choosing Dining Room Chandeliers

Your dining room chandelier will be a focal point of the room, catching the eye and creating ambiance for all your dinner parties. If you have frequent buffets or gatherings, you are going to want lighting that will truly enhance both the mood of the event and the appearance of the food. Too large a chandelier will be overwhelming. Underestimating your dining room lighting will cause it to look out of place and not enhance your table. The goal is to wash the table in light, elimination shadows without adding heat to the room.

There are two primary ways of selecting chandeliers for dining room ambiance:

• As a fixture for an empty room before purchasing furniture

If you are moving into a new home and have not yet purchased furniture, follow this rule:

Measure the length and width of the room and add them together. The number of feet is equal to the number of inches in diameter of your chandelier. For example, a 10’ x 12’ dining room equals 22’ – corresponding to a 22” chandelier.

• If your dining room already has a dining table

Matching chandelier size to a dining room table is also easy. The rule here is to keep your chandelier no larger than one-half to three-quarters the width of your table.

Hanging height is also crucial when considering chandelier placement in a dining room. The bottom part of the chandelier should hang no lower than 30 to 32 inches above the top of the table.

You may also want to consider using a dimmer switch to adjust the lighting in a dining room. Buffets often do better with brighter lighting, while intimate dinner parties may do better with a softer glow.

How to Select the Right Living Room Chandelier

There is a lot to take into consideration when buying a living room chandelier. You have to think about the height of the ceiling, the size of the room, the style and positioning of the furniture, as well as ambiance.

If you have a high ceiling, your chandelier will have to cover a great deal of space, often hanging low in the room. Creativity is a big part of living room lighting. Again, speaking with an interior designer can make all the difference in the world for how your room will come together in the end. Creating an ideal living room lighting scheme is crucial to the functionality and ambiance of your home.

In addition to selecting just one central chandelier, you can also opt for ceiling lighting to go with the hanging fixture or multiple smaller chandeliers placed around the furniture layout. Using four smaller hanging lighting fixtures is an excellent option when a living room has a ceiling fan. Many ceiling fans also have light fixtures to consider.

A Final Word on Chandelier Size

You do have a little leeway when looking at chandelier size for a room. In addition to the measurement instructions provided in the dining room section, here are some other options to consider:

• Rooms smaller than 10’ x 10’ – select chandeliers between 17” and 20” wide
• Rooms around 12’ x 12’ – choose chandeliers between 22” and 27” wide
• Larger rooms around 14’ x 14’ – select fixtures between 24” and 32” wide

In addition to the rooms mentioned, long hallways or entrances to the home are excellent opportunities for hanging a chandelier. Bedrooms and even bathrooms, especially over a central custom tub are other options for hanging a chandelier.

Please contact HK Interiors to discover how our interior design services can help you transform your home or office into the vision you desire. Call 954-401-8542 today for all your interior design needs.