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Restaurant Lighting: How to Pick the Right Lights for My Restaurant

It’s normal for people to “eat with their eyes” first. It’s why you might turn down an ugly-looking food dish without trying it.

The same principle applies to restaurant interiors. Interior design impacts restaurant revenue because no matter how good your food is, no one is going to want to eat at your restaurant if your place is unattractive. Customers are more likely to spend a longer time in and come back to a restaurant that they find visually appealing.

Lighting is crucial to restaurant interior design. Restaurant lighting should be one of the first things you consider when planning your eatery. Many may find it difficult to find the right restaurant lighting for the type of ambiance they want to set.

If you’re a beginner restaurateur and want to maximize the interior design of your new business, check out this in-depth guide on how to pick restaurant lighting.

Know Why Restaurant Lighting Matters

Something as simple as lighting can make or break the mood in a food business. For example, bright restaurant lighting can make customers feel uncomfortable and give them headaches. Dim restaurant lighting can make the dining experience equally as awkward for your customers by keeping them from being able to read the menu and see the rest of their party.

Learn Common Methods of Lighting

The right restaurant lighting for you depends on the kind of mood you want to set. Don’t feel constricted to just using one method of lighting. Consider layering methods of lighting to control the ambiance throughout your restaurant space.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient refers to the main source of lighting in any given space. Its main purpose in restaurants is to help customers see well and be able to move around with ease.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is self-explanatory. It “accents” any area you want to draw focus to. To give an example, you can use accent lighting to highlight the liquor selection behind your bar or to show off an art piece.

Task Lighting

Task lighting is also straightforward. It’s a concentrated source of light meant to help you perform a specific function. This method of lighting is ideal for the kitchen, hostess station, and dining area.

Understand the Types of Lighting

You don’t have to go with one type of lighting for your business. It’s encouraged that you layer types of lighting in your restaurant space. Here are a couple of ideas regarding types of lighting you can use (and even how you can double-up on them).

Natural Lighting

Natural light comes from the sun. It can be manipulated to highlight certain areas of your restaurant space with light fixtures and windows. Natural lighting is perfect for breakfast and brunch eateries where the majority of the customers come in during the day.

restaurant light fixtures

This type of lighting can also be used in tandem with light fixtures to illuminate the outdoors for any restaurants with outdoor bars or outside seating areas.

Lighting Fixtures

Lighting fixtures are the most versatile type of lighting. They can be manipulated to create all sorts of effects in your restaurant space.

Smart lighting is available to environmental-conscious restaurateurs. Smart lighting is any light fixture that is designed to use less energy and do no harm to the environment.

Restaurant light fixtures from Blingle! of Northwest Houston are also ideal for lighting outside bars and dining areas.

Color Correct Your Restaurant

You read that right. You can color correct your restaurant just as you would with film to highlight certain colors and soften others.

Light fixtures are assigned a “temperature” according to the color of light they emit. White light falls into three general categories: warm, neutral, and cool. Which category white light falls in depends on its measurement in Kelvins (K).

Warm white light, which has 3,000 K or below, adds a yellow tint to whites and greens, dulls blues, and enhances shades of red and orange. Warm lights can make your restaurant space feel smaller and more comfortable and intimate.

Neutral white light, which is between 3,000 and 3,500 K, enhances all colors equally.

Cool white light, which is 3,500 K and above, enhances blues and dulls shades of red. Cool light can be used to make your restaurant appear more spacious.

Maximize Lighting for Time of Day

If your restaurant is opened all day, you may consider having different lighting for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The easiest way to achieve this is with dim-able lighting. Light fixtures with dimming panels allow you to control the feel of your restaurant throughout the day.

Find the Best Light Fixtures for You

Popular lighting fixtures for restaurants include floor, pendant, and wall lamps. They also include ceiling lights and chandeliers.

Pendant lamps and chandeliers are ideal for creating accent light, but can also be used to provide ambient light if used in multiples. Ceiling lights and floor and wall lamps are versatile because they can be used to create ambient, accent, and task lighting.

Looking for new light fixtures for your restaurant but don’t know where to start? Interior Deluxe restaurant lights come in a variety of options.

Set the Mood With the Right Lighting

Lighting is essential to setting the right mood in your restaurant. The best restaurant lighting makes your place somewhere where customers will want to stay longer and come back frequently.

As a restaurateur, you have many types and methods of lighting to choose from. Meaning, there are endless possibilities when it comes to what kind of effects you want to create.

Did you find this article helpful? If so, make sure to check out the rest of our site for more informative content!

Cheryl Henson

Cheryl Henson is a passionate blogger and digital marketing professional who loves writing, reading, and sharing blogs on various topics.

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