Lighting for Entertaining: Setting the Perfect Ambiance

When entertaining at home you want to make sure you’re creating a welcoming atmosphere, and one of the key ways to do this to make sure you have a well planned lighting scheme. You can enhance a festive mood, highlight decor and create a comfortable setting allowing conversation to flow.

In order to come up with a good plan you should be familiar with the different types of lighting and how to use lighting for entertaining. Ambient light is the general illumination for an entire space, think recessed lighting. Task lighting is the lighting for specific activities, such as a chandelier for the dining table or a lamp by a grouping of furniture. Accent lighting is especially useful around the holidays for showcasing your seasonal decor as well as any architectural features.

So now that you know the different kinds of lighting you can use in a space, you need to know how to create a layered lighting scheme. When you use a mix of overhead fixtures, lamps and candles My favorite adjustable lighting solution is to make sure as many lights are on dimmers as possible. If the light can’t be dimmed, see if you can swap the bulb for a smart color changing bulb. Not only can you change the color to anything you can imagine, but you can also adjust the brightness through an app on your phone.

When choosing lighting for your space you want to make sure you’re selecting the correct fixtures. In your dining area I recommend making the chandelier a statement piece. If you want to go with a larger chandelier over the dining room table, selecting a fixture approximately 2/3 of the table size and installing it with the lowest part of the chandelier 60” from the ground will keep everything looking proportionate. Similarly installing pendants over a bar or island will provide good task lighting, while floor and table lamps help create cozy pockets for conversation in living room seating areas. The final touch is to light candles for an extra bit of interest and warmth.

The atmosphere of a space is really what we’re looking to curate, and you can do this very easily with the help of some accent lighting. Some accent lighting ideas are to create focal points and enhance your decor by incorporating LED strip lights in bookshelves or under cabinets or by using decorative sconces to flank an architectural highlight such as a fireplace.

When you use candlelight for entertaining it immediately adds warmth and intimacy. To create a visually interesting source of warm light try creating a grouping of candles of different sizes and heights. You can also use scented candles to set a festive mood.

You might find yourself tight for space entertaining indoors, but weather allowing you can extend the festivities into the outdoors. It gets dark early in the winter here on Long Island, outdoor decor centers around illumination and warmth. Fire pits, propane heaters and gas fireplaces all create a place to gather. String lights give a festive atmosphere and candles help create ambiance. Having solar lights lining your pathways will help guests stay safe in the dark.

We hope you try some of these ideas out in your own home to help create a cozy, calming nest away from the hustle and bustle. Take time this winter season to slow down, enjoy the company of your family and friends. If you need help re-imaging your space to create the cozy home of your dreams, you know where to find us! Happy holidays!