How to Choose Recessed Lighting for a Dining Room

The lighting you choose for your dining area can help set the mood for a casual family supper, a romantic dinner for two or an elegant party. Follow these tips for a recessed lighting plan that creates an inviting, warm space for dining.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Copy of local lighting ordinances
• Blueprint or sketch paper to lay out your lighting plan

Create a Lighting Plan

1. Define the areas in your dining room that need lighting.

2. Decide whether each area should have general lighting, task lighting, accent lighting or a mixture of types.

3. Choose general lighting over or around the dining room table. Recessed downlights above and around the edge of the table can be set on a dimmer switch to provide mood lighting for dining or full light for doing the family bills.

4. Accent artwork or provide a focal point on the walls with recessed directional spots.

5. Supplement recessed lighting with undercabinet strip lights in china cabinets, wall sconces or pendant lighting above the table.

Choose Your Lights

6. Measure your room. Usually, you'll need one recessed fixture for every 4 to 6 feet of ceiling space for general lighting.

7. Choose the type of lamps you'll use. Fluorescent and halogen lights offer a wide variety of color choices and are more energy-efficient than incandescent bulbs.

8. Choose the right housing for your ceilings. If insulation is installed above the ceiling, you'll need a special kind of housing.

9. Choose the right trim for your lights. The trim is the most visible and obvious part of the recessed lamps. Choose colors and styles that coordinate with your dining room.

Tips & Warnings

• Fluorescents and halogen lights cost more up front, but they'll save you money and energy every time you use them. Some states require energy-efficient lights or a mix of energy-efficient and traditional lights. Check your local ordinances before starting to plan.