The interior of the house is as essential as the exterior, and when you want your home to be your relaxation haven, the decors on the beach house should be well suited to its theme and should embody that coastal ambient.
The lighting for a beach house’s dining room should have natural textures and materials that embody the airy atmosphere of being in a coastal location. Incorporating unique and beautiful lights will add warmth to your dining room, such as iron and rope chandeliers or shells and sea glass pendant lights which will help define the space, bringing more attention to the area.
Choosing the proper lighting is like choosing the right accessory for your outfit, so it’s best to understand the house’s overall aesthetic, so you won’t regret hanging a fixture that doesn’t go well with your interior.
Understanding The Different Types Of Lighting
Before choosing the proper dining room lighting for your beach house, it is necessary to understand the basic lighting types and how they differ from each other.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is best recommended to help you highlight a specific area or point of interest. This lighting will give you an impression of a larger room, and it’s primarily used to showcase an architectural feature, collections, or artworks in the house.
An adequate accent lighting necessitates an installation of three times more light compared to ambient lighting. It is a way to add style and drama to your home,
- Wall Lights
- Recessed
- Landscape
- Track
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting offers an equal level of illumination all over the space. Also known as general lighting, this is one of the most common types of lighting that has a soft glow and is intended to light up an entire room. Its purpose is to create an overview of the room.
When appropriately used, ambient light provides an environment where one can relax. To create a specific mood using ambient lighting, you can use the following:
- Chandeliers
- Pendants
- Recessed
- Track
- Ceiling
Task Lighting
Task lighting is more miniature, and it’s meant to help you get a good view of what you’re doing; that is why some refer to it as office lighting. It is intended to help you see clearly what you’re doing, such as cooking, reading, or writing.
Task lighting works better when used as a contrasting light, as it stimulates your brain and helps you feel more alert and focused. Task lighting fixtures include:
- Pendants
- Swing Arm Lamps
- Under Cabinet
- Vanity
Choosing The Right Beach House Dining Room Lighting Fixture
What are the things you should consider when choosing lighting for your dining room?
There are a lot of factors to weigh in before deciding on a dining room light, adding to the fact that it is for a beach house. A lighting fixture not only illuminates the dining area but also reflects your style. Some, if not most of the beach houses, have an open floor plan, and the lighting fixture you choose can set the mood for your entire living space.
A well-lighted dining space is important because no one wants to have meals in a dark dining room. The dining room is a space where you can spend more time talking with family, friends, or relatives, so it needs to be inviting and gives a positive feeling to those who use it.
Here are the essential things to consider when choosing your dining room lighting:
- The shape and size of your tables and chairs can help you select the proper lighting for your dining area. Double light installations are recommended for long tables, while bowl-shaped lighting fixtures are best for round tables.
- The scene you want to create around the area. What are the emotions you are trying to evoke from your space? What kind of lighting would complement your style and your location?
The dining area is not just for eating. It is a multi-functional space where you can do work, and children can do their homework, play games, and do other tasks. So providing a lighting fixture that is sufficient to create a mood for the room is the key.
- The amount of light you would need is an essential factor when deciding on the proper lighting for your space. Today, many use state-of-the-art LEDs that use less power than incandescent bulbs while producing the same amount of light. So, how many lumens would you need to light an entire dining area? Note that a 6 x 3-foot dining table would need 540 lumens.
- The position and height of your lighting fixture also matter when choosing the proper lighting. If you have accent decors on the wall or a beautiful ocean view, the light shouldn’t cover or block the view.
Dining areas will look nice with pendant lights or chandeliers but make sure that it is positioned centrally over the dining table and hung 28″ -36″ above the tabletop.
- Consider the color and how critical it would be to your dining area. Colors could come alive with the perfect lighting. Choosing the wrong fixture would make patterned surfaces or other elements in the room fade.
For a beach house, would you use warm light or soft white? You can pair cool light with cool colors and warm light with warm tones to keep the colors intact.
- The shade and material of the lighting can also affect the light’s output. Linen shades produce an inviting glow. For bright ambient light, a clear glass shade will brighten the space, and metal shade is the option for low-key lighting, metal shade
Best Beach House Dining Room Lighting Fixture
Aside from setting up a relaxing vibe for your beach house, you also want to make a statement with your lighting choices. Your light fixtures should inspire the nature you are surrounded by, so elements like sea glass, driftwood, shells, or corals are the best choices for your dining room.
Woven rattan pendant lights can add texture to your coastal kitchen. Pendant lights illuminate the dining space and reflect the wood tones of a rustic beach house with wooden furniture.
Photo Source: http://www.home-designing.com/buy-rattan-wicker-pendant-lights-for-sale-online
Chandeliers made of capiz shells can add luxury to your dining space while retaining the comforting ambiance of being on the beach. It also adds freshness to the room, which is essential when having a meal.
Photo Source: https://www.designstiles.me/portfolio/rhodes-ave/
Lights made with glass can also signify the moon’s surface, and it works well with a beach house dining room, adding more aesthetic to your space. You can also opt for a lighting fixture that stands out like a coral-inspired pendant light. It can add glamour to your room without overpowering the other elements in your interior.
For subtle lighting, you can use pendant lights or lanterns that enclose the light on all sides. If you need a spotlight effect, you can use bell pendant lights or keep it light with chandeliers made of shells. Layering lights will also add a warm glow to the dining room, and using wall sconces or table lamps can help you achieve that.
There are multiple varieties of lighting fixtures to choose from, and you just have to decide on one that matches the theme of your beach house.
Conclusion
Choosing a lighting fixture for your beach house is not simple, especially if you only want to focus on one specific area, such as the dining room. Lighting is essential for adding brightness to the room and more personality and drama to the entire living area.
Chandeliers made of capiz shells, wooden beads, or warm woven pendant light can be perfect for any coastal dining room, but it is essential to consider your taste when choosing the right lighting fixtures. Homeowners may benefit from buying the lighting first before the dining table and design the space based on that foundation.
In the end, you have to find a light fixture that you love, and one that will complete the look of your dining room, from the furniture, wall décor, and color.
Sources
- https://www.standardpro.com/3-basic-types-of-lighting/
- https://www.houzz.com/products/coastal/lighting
- https://www.lightology.com/index.php?module=how_to&sub=dining_room_lighting_ideas
