Lighting plays a huge part in the look and feel of a restaurant. Think about it. It’s a romantic candlelight dinner, not a romantic fluorescent light dinner.
Direct lighting in a restaurant can help to create a bright and invigorating atmosphere, perfect for a busy sandwich shop or lunch counter diner. On the other hand, the soft flicker of votive candles creates an intimate setting, ideal for cozy little bistros and elegant restaurants.
Restaurant lights are as important to your décor as the color of the walls and the style of the furnishings. Despite this, it is easy to overlook restaurant lighting when designing the interior of a restaurant.
Restaurant lights dress up all parts of a restaurant, including the:
- Dining room
- Waiting area
- Lounge or bar
- Restrooms
- Entryway
Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done
Make a statement with your restaurant lighting fixtures
Banish boring fluorescent ceiling fixtures. Instead, select restaurant light fixtures that enhance the overall feel of your restaurant. Hanging pendant lamps add an elegant and intimate touch to utilitarian booths, while attractive wall sconces dress up typically plain areas, such as restrooms.
I recommend: LightingShowroom.com carries a wide variety of lighting fixtures for restaurants, including vanity lights and chandeliers.
LampsPlus.com and
Pottery Barn are two other vendors of attractive fixtures, ideal for every area of your restaurant.
Choose safe restaurant lighting
Open flames from candles and fuel cells present safety problems, including fire and burn hazards. Err on the side of caution by purchasing electronic candles. These rechargeable, battery operated restaurant lighting options are also much easier to clean up, with no wax or soot build up.
I recommend: DiningbyCandleight.com carries a large selection of rechargeable candles, as does
RestaurantLights.com.
Enhance table settings with restaurant table lamps
Some restaurants need table lamps or votives more than others. An intimate table for two wouldn't be complete without the soft glow of a candle votive or other small restaurant lamp. Restaurant table lamps and lighting are also an easy and inexpensive way to add extra lighting without costly electrical work.
I recommend: TrinityLighting.com,
Tabledecor International and
Hospitality Designs all carry a large array of table lamps, glass votives and other small lighting fixtures that are both beautiful and functional.
Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide
- Select restaurant lighting that can be dimmed in the evening and brightened in the day time, to create two distinct looks in your dining room.
The official source of Restaurant Lamps and Lighting is
the Restaurant Lamps and Lighting page at Business.com
Featured Vendors
Restaurant Lamps From Wax to LEDTabletop and architectural lighting products with a complete online selection of the newest designs including electronic candles & lamp design tools.
RestaurantLights.com
Lights and LightingIndustrial LED lights for industrial power plants and utilities. Incandescent lamp and bulb replacements, no modifications needed.
www.powerlineLEDs.com
Lights and LightingIndustrial product directory allows users to send RFQs, view catalogs and compare suppliers. Find suppliers of Lights and Lighting.
www.ThomasGlobal.com
GlobalSpec.com: LampsDatabase of suppliers for halogen lamps, fluorescent lamps, high intensity discharge lamps, incandescent lamps, stage lamps, sockets, and ballasts.
www.globalspec.com
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