Lighting is invaluable to a restaurant’s dining experience. It can make a space feel more warm and welcoming or bright and upbeat. That is why you should pay attention to the custom restaurant lighting you choose when revamping your venue.
To better understand how you can choose the best lighting for your restaurant, here are a few things you need to consider.
Understanding Your Lighting Options
There are three types of lighting every restaurant should have—ambient, task, and accent. Although they have different functions, they all work harmoniously to make your restaurant a success.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting is your restaurant’s main light source. This kind of lighting allows people to see and freely move about in the space. It can come from natural light during the day or overhead lighting fixtures at night.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is the concentrated light that enables people to do certain functions in your restaurant. It is the fluorescent lighting in your kitchen, the table lamp on your hostess station, and the overhead lamps above tables.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is used to add a little flair to the front of the house. These are the lighting fixtures that highlight your restaurant’s name, the small light that showcases artwork, or the island lights that adorn the bar top.
Knowing the Atmosphere You Want to Set
The atmosphere is everything for sit-down restaurants. When you create an inviting atmosphere that makes customers comfortable, they are likely to return and become loyal customers. But you have to consider the type of restaurant you have and the mood you want to set.
When you want to create a refined yet intimate atmosphere, you may want to choose fixtures that give off a warm light. However, if you are going for an edgier and more sterile look, bright and cool lights are ideal for you.
Working with the Venue’s Architecture
If your restaurant is constructed on a separate plot of land and is built from the ground up, you have more control of its lighting design. However, if your restaurant occupies a space in an existing building, your custom restaurant lighting design needs to work around the establishment’s size and shape.
Hanging light fixtures are perfect for larger venues with higher ceilings, but sconces are great alternatives if you want to create a warmer atmosphere. If the area is too large, you have to strategically place a brighter ambient light, ensuring the place is well-lit. On the other hand, if you have limited space, consider adding neon signs to light the room and include more interest in it.
Matching the Space’s Function
You may spend a lot of time planning the lighting in the dining area. But remember that the function of the dining area is different from the kitchen. That is why you cannot use your dining room’s lighting design with your kitchen and vice versa.
While dining room lighting design plays more with ambient and accent lighting, kitchen lighting designs are more about task lighting. This part of your restaurant needs bright lights to let your staff see what they are doing and keep them alert and energized. However, do not put too bright and cool-toned lights either because they can strain your staff’s eyes.
Conclusion
You may have the perfect menu and location, but you may not achieve the success you desire without the right custom restaurant lighting plan. When creating the lighting design for your restaurant, make sure to consider your lighting options, the atmosphere you want to set, the venue’s architecture, and the space’s function.
PTY Custom Lighting is one of the best restaurant lighting suppliers in the US. We offer a wide array of premium quality decorative lighting options to help you create the perfect atmosphere, impressions, and experience. Team up with us today, and let us bring your lighting visions to life!
