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Dining Room Lighting Tips and Tricks for the Holidays

The right lighting sets the stage for a wonderful evening with friends and family

The holidays are here! Is your dining room lighting ready to greet all your company? Gathering together to enjoy a sumptuous spread is always the highlight of the holidays. Plan ahead this year by selecting the style of dining room lighting that shows off the warmth of your home and a flair of your personality. 1800lighting.com offers an extensive array of dining room light fixtures that set the standard for your holiday parties.

How to Select the Right Dining Room Fixture

Decorate from the top down in your dining area by letting your lighting style set the tone. No matter what fixtures you ultimately select, be sure to keep a few rules of thumb at your fingertips:

• For a standard 8-foot ceiling, the bottom of your pendant lighting should be about 33 inches above your tabletop. Add three inches per foot for higher ceilings.

• Your lighting should not extend beyond six inches from the edges of the table so that tall guests don’t bump their heads.

• Dining table lighting should illuminate the length of the table rather than just the center.

• Coordinate the lighting with your table; for example, select an oval fixture to compliment an oval dining room set.

Determining Your Dining Lighting Style

Dining room lighting fixtures come in all sorts of styles, from traditional to contemporary and beyond. Take a few moments to envision your ideal holiday gathering to get a clearer idea of your preferred style.

If you imagine an elegant event with guests dressed in their finest and the turkey perfectly prepared, you probably would prefer elegant dining room lighting. Select a chandelier from 1800lighting.com to bring a classic style to your holiday meals. Select a set of mini chandeliers from Crystorama or a pair of elaborate pendants from Elegant Lighting. You’ll love the way the crystals shimmer the room with light.

If you love the look of sleek steel and glass, check into our industrial dining room lighting. Hinkley Lighting offers several styles of linear pendants that pair basic finishes like brushed nickel, dark bronze and matte black with square glass globes. If you dream of a modern yet softer decor scheme, consider modern dining room lighting from ELK Lighting in the colors and profile that fits your vision.

Your lighting decisions can also reflect your family’s signature style. Choose from our contemporary pendants with whimsical or artistic influences to tap into the latest dining room lighting trends. For example, the ET2 Lighting line includes unique, slightly quirky contemporary dining room lighting that fits your personal aesthetic.

Also, keep in mind when considering dining room lighting ideas that accent lamps create an intimate atmosphere that goes to the heart of the holiday season. Accent lamps from Meyda Lighting create the romance of candlelight, adding a warm holiday spirit to your special family get-togethers.

Plan ahead this year by giving your dining room definition with the dining lights you love. With the diverse selection at 1800lighting.com, you can design your dream holiday table from the top down with quality fixtures in the styles and value that reflect your vision.

PRO TIP: Put your dining room lighting on dimmer switches so you can adjust the brightness level to suit the occasion. For example, you might want to fill the room with light for a brash holiday bash but dim it down for an intimate dinner party.

Shop a selection of our Chandeliers below

The right chandelier brings the sparkle of the holidays into your home. Select a pair or a trio to fully illuminate the length of your dining table. A crystal styled chandelier can provide the twinkle that makes your winter holidays all the more magical.