p.s also, I'm not 100% sure we will have the dining table there permanently so a flexible lighting system could also work ie say we move the table more towards the island and put a coffee area in the current dining end (couple of tubs chairs and a coffee table for example for Summer use). Anyone know of anything like this that would work? Perhaps the lights on cables that could be hooked across the ceiling and moved??

Hi Tani, Looks like a great space. My first thoughts would be to re locate the dining table as far over to the breakfast bar as you are comfortable with. this will then allow for greater flow around the dining table and easier access in an out the patio doors. I can see that the breakfast bar stools tuck under the counter to allow for more space. It looks like there is plenty of space. You will be fine! There are lights out there that hook from the power source to where you need them to be as you suggested.. I can see if I can find some options for you. There will be a solution! Nikki

I would decide where you want the table to be and only put the feature light over the dining table. I wouldn't have two lots of feature lighting.

I think if you move the table, then the other 'space' in front of the doors will be good just to be 'space' and you can leave it free for flow in and out of the room. It also looks like you have room outside for more seating, and if needed those chairs could be moved inside as well as outside. Good luck!

Really like the idea of the pendants on ropes that you hook up wherever you like. I too would move the table like this so that everyone gets a view of the garden, presumably you wouldn't have a table with just 3 chairs.

No - we were possibly having bench seating on the one side or 6 chairs.

Won't the skylight look odd if we change the table around that way? ie the skylight will be a bit pointless as it will be lighting an area we aren't using?

ie if we turn the table about as per the plan above then we still won't have space for a cosy reading area either. Hard to plan it until the room is ready and we try the furniture in but then it will be too late to decide on lighting! LOL

what shape is the skylight? are you able to show us it?

The standard lamp idea is great, just make sure you have power in the floor for it. I don't think it will look odd that you have the roof light over an area without furniture, think of it as another light. The table won't be moved so far over that it won't be partly lighting the table too. And on dull days and at night you will have the feature light in its new position. Just think during the day when it is hot you will be glad that the roof light isn't directly over the dining table.

Ok so we have done it that i will suspend cables either side of the roof light that join in the middle over the table - so if we have a coffee table and chaise there instead, it will act as ambient lighting.

Then we worked out where the dining table would go if I moved it nearer to the Island and they are going to leave a long cable in the joists for a pendant light so I can decide once the room is finished, where I want the table. Phew. A lot to work out in a few hours as we didn't think the cabling was being done until next year due to the delay in the building works. LOL.

thanks everyone! I am having lots of sockets put in so they said I could also have lights made into plug in lights if i needed hanging lights elsewhere. Or there is the spider light of course....

We have downlights round the roof lantern but also have an arc floor light hanging above the dining table which can easily be moved if required. Works well.

We also have a rooflight above our dining table, and the issue that it may move. We’re installing 3 angleable spotlights that attach to the side of the rooflight recess. They can be positioned to shine down onto the table, but if the table moves we can also redirect them (To some extent).

The pendant light with long cable and hooks doesn’t really work unless you’re willing to put a bar across the rooflight so you can hang the cable from it.

I like the swing arm lamp idea but do they look odd when not in use and folded against the wall?

A big arc floor lamp could work well for us, thanks for the suggestion above

Yes I think I see what you mean - the lamp itself is hanging central to the rooflight and it hangs from two cables, one coming diagonally from each side? That works if the table is going to be central to the skylight and I think that solution could look really good in that case. In fact I’ve seen some modern light fittings which are designed to hang from two separate points like that.

Not sure if our table will be central though, in fact I suspect we’ll be moving it around a fair bit.

Another idea is a lamp like the Foscarini Twiggy ceiling lamp - sorry terrible at pics but google and you’ll see what I mean.

Flos Notch is the one I was thinking of designed to hang from two cables.

Just updating this thread as we are still trying to decide on what lights to have. Think I have ditched the idea of a hanging one between the skylight as I can't be bothered to make one at the moment with everything going on.

So as mentioned previously, we have put another light in which is more central to the room that doesn't have a fixed location as yet. I was thinking of making that one the main one to work either as a central light or over the dining table if we move it closer to the island. Do you think then, a large spider type fitting would work here? That way we could just fit hooks in the areas we might have the table in so we can adjust it whenever we want to?

OR

The spare cable we have at the side of the rooflight - we could have a ceiling mounted extending arm light that could swing out over the table (would need to reach 1m long though so not sure if they exist without us spending hundreds of pounds??)

@Emily - I did actually like your wall light idea of extending arms but the cable isn't long enough to put another set of lights in so we could just go for one using the existing cable if we don't do a ceiling mounted one.

Lighting is SO complicated, urgh.

I like the ceiling extending arm light option. There are definitely some around that don’t cost loads eg

https://www.lighting-direct.co.uk/catalog/product/gallery/id/64468/image/126450/

Or I really like this but it is more expensive

https://www.hollowaysofludlow.com/shop/lighting/spot-lighting/single-wall-spots/bolt_celing_lamp_double_arm

Or a big arc shaped floor lamp which is probably what we will do with our similar problem

Hi Tani, sorry no lighting advice from me... way too complicated for my simple brains... :-)

Can I ask you though how you are finding your sliding door in practice? Does it slide fairly smoothly, does it feel sturdy etc? I have been contemplating turning our double doors into sliding ones in a similar way to yours, that's why.

We could start a new thread if you think that's easier.

Your 'barn' door.

Ahh, I got tricked by the 'artist's impression' haha.

Yes, sensible tip from your joiner :)

Oh interesting Tani, I might have to rethink the arc floor lamp for us then. Hadn’t paid that much attention to the height of them to be honest! Thanks for the warning

Have you considered a custom made crystal chandelier? I can fabricate the lighting plate portion of a design which would suit the room and overcome most obstacles :-) I like the swing arm idea a lot, but if you've committed to a central ceiling location, then a Chandelier could be fabricated to allow a variety of table locations, ie splitting the design into a few smaller pieces.

Understood :-) you may be surprised at our costings though, everything we do is handmade but at a reasonable cost as its all done in house, sometimes words like bespoke, custom, crystal and chandelier tend to mean high prices but not with us. If you want to explore your options with me just let me know, no commitment or expectations. You can check out some of the work I've done on instagram here:

https://www.instagram.com/littlejohnlighting/

@coral77uk may i just ask, ,as we are also contemplating having a dinner table under a sky light, is it a comfortable place to work from ? i am worried it is too bright for a work station and sunshine might be a nightmare if you stare at a computer screen.

How about directional Track Spot Lights around the perimeter of the rooflight?

Ah this post is a few years old now and we have already finished it 😉

• apologies to the previous poster though a si never saw the question 😢

Artemide Tolomeo Mega. Can be used over a sofa or a dining table. With an in built dimmer they give soft diffused light. I have two in my home and they are excellent.