The dining table should be well lit - who would like to look for food on the plate in the dark. Romantic dinners don't count!
Hang one or two lamps above the table, depending on the table configuration.
Distance to table
A pendant lamp in the kitchen above a table with a long cord should not hang too low - it will be easy to hit your head.
The lower edge of the lamp should be at least 100 cm above the table surface.
Place one lamp above the round table. The optimal diameter of the chandelier is about half the width of the table.
It is better to hang several pendant lamps over a long rectangular table - step back 30 cm from the edges of the table and place them at an equal distance from each other.
The best option for lighting the dining area are pendant lamps.
It is important that the lamp is beautiful, original, and unusual.
Recommendations for stretch ceilings
You need to decide on a chandelier for such designs even before stretching the fabric. The need is caused by the finishing features. When installing the frame, special embedded parts are attached to the base floor, to which, after installing the stretch ceiling, a chandelier is mounted.
It should also be taken into account that PVC fabric is afraid of high temperatures. It is better to use suspended models with it or with a metal diffuser to dissipate heat so that the case does not heat up.
The recommended distance from the lamps to the suspended ceiling is at least 20 cm.
Another nuance concerns texture. The glossy canvas reflects everything underneath. Therefore, for such a ceiling it is better to choose a chandelier with arms facing down or with closed shades. Otherwise, glare from the light bulbs will be reflected in the mirror surface and blind your eyes.
How to adjust the height?
If your chandelier is on a chain, adjusting the height is very simple by reducing the number of links. If the lamp hangs on a cord, this cord can also be easily shortened to the desired size.
But if the lamp has a rigid mount, the so-called rod, it is not always possible to change its height.
Therefore, carefully study the information in the manufacturer’s catalog, make calculations, taking into account the height of your kitchen, and only then buy the right model.
Other nuances of placing sconces in the bedroom
When placing, in addition to the main parameters, others should be taken into account. These may include:
Arrangement of surrounding objects
It is important to consider light diffusion in a room filled with a lot of furniture. Length of daylight. Observe and choose the side that is the worst lit during the day. This is where the lamp will be most needed. Safety Compliance
The wiring and heating effect of the lamp must comply with fire safety regulations.
All this will help create the best lighting and allow you to comfortably go about your business.
Shape and size
Before choosing a lamp, decide on the size and shape. As a rule, the chandelier should not be larger than the width or diameter of the table. A single pendant lamp is usually used above a small round or square table. It can be small, or it can be impressive.
And just in this case, it is important to correctly calculate the diameter: subtract 30 cm from the diameter of the table, otherwise the lamp will “press with its volume” - those sitting at the table will feel discomfort.
Say, in a spacious room above a table with a diameter of 120 cm, a chandelier with a diameter of up to 90 cm will look beautiful and proportionate.
About 30 years ago, the concept of “sconce” meant a lighting fixture with a base in which electrical wires were hidden, and an on-off mechanism, and the light bulb socket was located on a horn pointing up or down. Everything else was considered wall lights. Today, there is no longer such a strict gradation, and what is called a sconce may have a horn or be without it, or may even be located on rails with several lamps, thanks to which the height of the sconce above the bed can be easily adjusted.
To have or not to have?
How many design “battles” befell these small lighting fixtures! Fashion trends either categorically rejected sconces as outdated bourgeois paraphernalia, or, on the contrary, recommended placing all light sources in the bedroom on the walls, abandoning the ceiling. And yet, over the years it has become clear that using sconces in the bedroom is practical. The convenience of this type of lighting is undeniable: by choosing the height of the sconce above the bed in the bedroom, you can illuminate only the desired area in the bedroom, adjust the direction and brightness of the light, and thereby create a relaxing, calm environment in contrast to a chandelier under the ceiling. You can also zone the bedroom, using lamps of a certain shade to suggest that here is a quiet relaxation area, and here is an interesting interior detail that deserves emphasis.
Both beauty and functionality
Before deciding at what height to hang the sconce above the bed, you need to decide the purpose of using this lamp. But goals can be very different!
- As additional illumination in the early morning or evening, when a too active and rapid transition from twilight to lighting (or vice versa) is not needed.
- The night light, that is, the sconce, is activated if there is a need to get up at night and turn on the light.
- A complete wall lamp for functional evening lighting, such as reading or crafts.
- For a specific interior purpose - when creating an appropriate style (for example, sconces in the form of candelabra), for illuminating paintings, figurines, and decorative elements.
In addition, one lamp can combine several functions. That is, based on the purpose of the sconce, they choose it.
Can I buy now? Not yet. You also need to figure out the direction of the light. If it is necessary to illuminate something (a book, embroidery in hand, a picture on the wall), then the horn should be directed directly at the object. And if a lamp is needed to create diffused, soft lighting, then two options will be optimal. The first is lighting “smeared” across the wall (the sconce is practically pressed against the wall, and the light comes out of the slits, either on the sides or decorative), the second is the light beam is directed upward. But now you can...
... buy and hang
The level of the chest or shoulders of a standing adult of average height is optimal for placing the sconce above the bed, that is, the height of the sconce from the floor in the bedroom is approximately 120–160 cm. This is an approximate distance that can be easily adjusted in the desired direction.
If the head of the bed is low or without a backrest at all, like NUVOLA ALBA or ORMATEK ROCKY BASE , then the sconces are most often hung in a standard way - on the wall above it or slightly on the sides, and the height of the sconces in the bedroom will also be standard. You can check the convenience of lighting in practice in a store: one person holds the lamp, the second, from a half-sitting position, evaluates the quality of lighting. At home, all that remains is to finally determine the height of the bedside lamps, mount the fasteners, and position the switch so that it can be reached from the bed without strain.
If the bed has a high headboard, like SLEEPART MAFIN or SONBERRY LOY , then you will have to go deeper in search of the correct height of the bedside sconces - so as not to damage the bed and not spoil the originality of its design with incorrect lighting. The approximate distance in this case is calculated from the pillow: it is best to hang the sconce 100–120 cm from it. At what height should I hang sconces if the headboard is higher? Or if it is a bed like GALAXY VENUS 3 WITH A LIFTING MECHANISM ? Most likely, you will have to consider the issue of placing sconces on the side or choose an option with a variable suspension height.
The issue with bedside wall lighting poses a certain difficulty if a transforming bed like VOLKHOV C-510 M TRANSFORMER or COMFORT SERVICE GARUN K03 TRANSFORMER : it will be difficult to install a sconce above the headboard. In this case, it is possible to install the lamp into the cabinet structure or use a track lighting system.
How to move a lamp above a table?
Very often we see a situation where builders make an electrical connection for a lamp above the table approximately, give or take. And then it turns out that the chandelier hangs not where it is supposed to - ideally in the center of the table, but where it is necessary.
The case when the chandelier hangs in the center of the kitchen (unfortunate option)
This looks very sad, but there is a solution for this too! Choose a lamp with a long cord. Place the extra hook over the table and pull it through.
How to control the amount of light in the kitchen
Use a dimmer for the central chandelier or a 2.3-key switch, and all other lamps - general lighting, work area lighting, etc. - turn on using independent keys.
This is especially important with open floor plans, because in this way we not only create comfort for ourselves and our household members. But we also save energy.
A good solution is a height-adjustable lamp suspension: lower it lower when you want to create an intimate atmosphere at dinner or raise it to the ceiling if you need general, uniform lighting.
Installation instructions for the chandelier
We are armed with knowledge about the types of fastening of chandeliers, about how to install them on different types of ceilings, is it time to get to work? We will need:
- Stepladder - how else to do work under the ceiling. Don't have a stepladder? You can get by with a table, but only if the ceiling does not exceed 2.5 meters. Of course, the table must be reliable and strong.
- An electric drill or hammer drill, but they must be powered by a battery, not from the mains - you will turn off the electricity.
- A screwdriver, also battery powered.
- Several different screwdrivers, flat and Phillips, an indicator screwdriver for checking the voltage in the wires.
- A device for measuring electrical voltage, called a multimeter.
- A knife for stripping wires must be sharp.
- Soldering iron and solder.
All consumables and mounting tools are usually included with the chandelier. And you will probably need an assistant to carry tools when you are near the ceiling and hold the chandelier.
And finally, a few more very important recommendations:
- Make all connections and connections in strict accordance with the diagram specified in the instructions for the electrical device.
- Wrap the exposed parts of the wires in several layers of electrical tape.
- Do not use random supports when working: no boxes or crates, this is very dangerous. Only a reliable stepladder with a latitude limiter.
- All tools must be in good working order and not slip out of your hands.
- When drilling holes, be sure to ensure that no wiring is running through there. Use a sound locator for this.
- Pay attention to the switches; if they are not connected correctly, you may get an electric shock when connected.
Hanging a chandelier yourself is difficult, but it is possible. The main thing is to approach this issue responsibly and seriously. Follow the strict sequence of work and follow the instructions. Electrical work is associated with increased danger. Wear goggles over your eyes and rubber gloves on your hands.
How to hang a lamp above a table - design methods
Single lamp above the table
To create an atmosphere of intimacy and comfort, we use a pendant hanging low over the dining table.
Two identical lamps
If the light spot from a single lamp does not completely cover the surface of the dining table, find a companion for it.
If the table is large and elongated, make a line of single pendants, clearly defining the distance between the lamps.
Thin pendants are suitable for this, as in the photo above.
Two identical at different levels
If you have a large table, one light above it may not be enough. Instead of increasing the number of arms in your chandelier, break away from the patterns!
The height of the pendants does not have to be the same: asymmetry will add dynamics to an overly calm interior of the dining area.
Two identical pendants, different colors
Group of thin pendants
In interiors of a brutal nature, such as a style direction such as loft, thin pendants in the form of a set of lamps or a solid chandelier are often found.
Different pendants from the same series form a group
Light track
An elongated lamp over a long rectangular table
Chandelier over the dining table
Sconce lamp
Geometric lamp, pendulum
Group of identical lamps
Wiring connection
To connect electrical wiring, first turn off the voltage at the input panel.
Then follow these steps:
- determine the power supply system - three-wire or two-wire;
- then mark the separation of the wires at the place where the chandelier is connected to the wiring, the phase wires should have red, brown or black insulation, and the neutral wires should have blue or light blue;
- connect the phase and neutral conductors to the corresponding terminals of the chandelier; if the wiring also has a grounding conductor, connect it to the lamp body;
- if the chandelier has several lighting circuits or each LED lamp has a separate pair of terminals, then the sockets are connected to the wiring through special clamps.
After connecting to the wiring, the lamps are covered with a lamp cap, and decorative elements are installed. If the design of the chandelier includes a decorative cup near the ceiling, then it is also put in place.
