lighting in an odd dining room

13 years ago

I'm remodelling my house and am very excited about it. I've run into problems, however, trying to figure out what sorts of light(s) to have in my dining room.
The new dining room was, prior to remodel, a little room that leads right onto the back porch. The little room was separated from the dining room by a wall. The remodel has turned the former dining room and turned it into the kitchen with the wall between the former dining room & future dining room taken down and will now be a peninsula (so folks can sit at the peninsula looking into the kitchen, with their back to the new (small dining room).

Now, the new dining room is small and, like I said, also is the room through which someone has to go to get to the back porch. All of this works well for me (I'm single and have a dog and will have folks over in very casual capacities). My plan is to have a farmhouse type table that will, for most of the time be pushed up against the wall of the dining room (that is, directly across from the peninsula) and when there are more than, say, 3 or 4 folks over needing the dining room table, we'll pull it out and center it in the room (there'll be just enough room to do this without the room looking like a storage vault).

So, here's the lighting question. What to do? There is a light fixture in the middle of the room already which I can replace, but I'm mystified as to the style. When the dining table is pulled out, this light will be over the center of the table (for the most part) but when the table is pushed to the side, it will just be a light in the room off to the side of the table and providing light in the rest of the main floor (it's now a very open floor plan). Oh, and it has to be a light that's high enough to walk under.

Most of the dining room lights I've looked at look like dining room lights that are intended to be hung over tables but can't, then, exist as a light that can be walked under as one goes to the back porch.

Anyone have any thoughts on a style of light that might work?

(sorry this is so long and lacking pictures Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½" when I have pictures I'll post them)

thanks,

Jennifer

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Comments (3)

annzgw
13 years ago
I'd forget an overhead light and put in wall sconces. Add candles in the center of the table for more light when dining.
Other option: put in recessed lighting with dimmer control, in addition to the sconces.

In addition: with so little space, is the peninsula really necessary?

This post was edited by annz on Sat, Jun 1, 13 at 11:57
chibimimi
13 years ago
You could use a light fixture hung by a chain. Use an S-hook to shorten the chain when the table is pushed back, then unhook it when you move the table out.

Or, you could put a swag hook in the ceiling over the pushed-back location of the table and hook the chair over this when the table is not pulled out, unhooking it when you pull out the table. The light will be shorter in the swagged position. This will only work if both positions are fairly close together.

What are you going to use for seating? Do you have a place to store the extra chairs?

This post was edited by Chibimimi on Sun, Jun 2, 13 at 20:34
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Phronesis
Original Author
13 years ago
Interesting idea. I'll add that into the options.

My plan is to use a church pew for seating on the side of the table that is pushed against the wall Ã¯Â¿Â½Ã¯Â¿Â½" that way, it'll tuck under the table when pushed against the wall.