6 Top Tips For Restaurant Lighting Design

When it comes to restaurant lighting design, there is a lot more nuance to it than just placing the fixture in the right place and being done with it. From restaurant lamps to bulbs and hanging lights, every fixture and light source has its use and place. And getting the right balance between everything is essential if you want to create a beautiful and moody ambiance for your restaurant.

So, let’s take a look at six great tips that you can use to perfect your restaurant lighting design:

Tips For Restaurant Lighting Design

• Not Too Bright, Not Too Dim

There is a delicate balance that needs to be achieved between the brightness of lighting. Too bright, and your restaurant will start looking sterile, like a hospital. And people will think it is hurting their eyes. But if it’s too dim, then that is wrong because then people wouldn’t be able to see each other and even read the menu. The focus, in these situations, should always be the food. After all, that is why people are coming to your restaurant. So, a lighting setup with fixtures and restaurant hanging lights that focus on the food is a setup that you can’t go wrong with. 

• Consider Natural & Ambient Lighting

This depends on the time when your restaurant will be operating and the kind of environment your restaurant is in. Again, too bright is the wrong approach. So, if you think too much natural or ambient lighting is something people might not like, then you should avoid it. Hang up screens and drapes to control the amount of light that you are letting in. 

• Choose The Right Mood

Not every restaurant has to have the same ambience. If you install dim, moody and romantic lighting in a fast-food restaurant, that will not make sense. If you install bright, fluorescent bulbs in a fine-dining restaurant, that wouldn’t make sense either. 

So, when you are considering lighting design, think about the general vibe of your restaurant, the time of day it will be operating at, and the kind of food you are serving. Once you have accounted for all that, then you can focus on building the kind of mood you want.

• Flatter Your Customers Too

We’ve talked about your lighting being set up in a way that the food looks good. But you also have to make sure to use a setup that doesn’t make the customer look bad. Let’s say you put up a spotlight shining directly downwards over a table. The shadows that it would create wouldn’t exactly flatter your customer. Instead, lower, dimmer, more angled lighting can be much more flattering for the customer. So, a setup where you can combine both aspects will be perfect.

• Not All Bulbs Are Made Equal

Bulbs come in many shapes, sizes, and even colors. So, you have to ensure that you are using the right ones. Fluorescent bulbs would be appropriate when you want to fill up the room with light, like a fast-food place. But if you want a dimmer, warmer lighting effect, then you can use incandescent bulbs. And if you want to save energy and have a general ambience about the place, then you can consider LED bulbs.  

• Keep Your Décor Consistent

You don’t just hang bulbs as they are. You use fixtures that look nice. But not all fixtures are made equal. Some are sleeker, with a more contemporary edge. Some are vintage with a retro vibe. And some are either abstract or come in specific designs. So, you should choose the kind of vibe you want your restaurant to give off, and choose designs accordingly.  

To Wrap Up

Take all this into consideration, and you should be able to come up with a perfect lighting design for your restaurant that will dazzle your customers.

Are you looking for lighting options, such as restaurant bulbs or restaurant hanging lights for your restaurant? Check out Ultronics Lights’ beautiful collection and make the right choice for your restaurant.