How to light a dining table: what to consider

The light over a dining table is looked at every day and has to work for eating, talking and homework. These are the things worth settling before you choose it. The numbers are common rules of thumb, not fixed rules.

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Height and width

The lower edge is commonly hung about 75-85 cm above the table, so nobody has to look around it. Hang it lower in a low room and higher in a tall one.
Choose a lamp, or a group, clearly narrower than the table so it stays well inside the edges. A long table suits a row of pendants or a linear fitting better than one large lamp.
Centre the light over the table, not over the room. If the table can be moved or extended, check that the light still sits well in the new position.

Which kind

One pendant suits a round or square table. A row of two or three, or a linear fitting, suits a rectangular one.
A chandelier suits a larger room and a high ceiling, and it is a heavy object: check the weight and the fixing.
A lamp with an adjustable drop, or a cable that can be shortened, makes the height easy to correct after it is up.

Light for eating and talking

Warm white light (around 2700 K) is the usual choice for dining. Check that it can be dimmed, so the same lamp serves a meal, homework and a late evening.
An opaque shade sends the light straight down onto the table and leaves the room around it darker. Glass, paper or fabric spreads it more widely. Think about how visible the bulb is when you are seated: a bare bulb at eye level can glare.
A second, lower source in the room, such as a wall lamp or a floor lamp, keeps the room from feeling dark beyond the table.

Installation

A hanging lamp needs a ceiling outlet where the table is. Fixed wiring should be done by a qualified electrician, and the rules differ by country.
If you may move the table, think about where the outlet is now. Moving it later is a job; a plug-in lamp on a swagged cable is another option, with a visible cable.
Heavy glass, stone or metal needs fixings that suit your ceiling (concrete, joists or plasterboard).

Materials and care

Glass shows fingerprints and dust, and a lamp over a table in an open kitchen collects grease. Check how it is cleaned and how it comes apart.
Raw brass and untreated metals darken with age; painted and powder-coated finishes keep their look but can chip.

Questions worth asking the maker

What are the exact dimensions and the drop, and can the drop be adjusted? Is the bulb included and replaceable? Can it be dimmed? What does it weigh? Are spare parts and finishes available later? What are the delivery and return terms?

Sources and further reading

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