Lighting in a restaurant can set or ruin a mood for events taking place there. Restaurants are where families come together, first dates happen or birthday parties commence. If the lighting is wrong, a customer may never come back. In fact, by lighting alone, customers can tell the difference between a fast-food establishment and a nice restaurant. Instead, with the right lighting and mood – both indoor and outdoor – your establishment can quickly become someone’s favorite place to eat. Keep reading to learn more about restaurant lighting trends to follow and consider.
Dynamic Lighting Controls
Lighting is a crucial part of setting the mood in a restaurant. Luckily, this doesn’t all have to be done manually. Dynamic lighting controls exist that can help you automatically change the brightness, color, and intensity of the lighting in your establishment.
This gives you far more control over how you present your establishment at different times of the day. If you serve both lunch and dinner, you can choose to have your lights transition in the evening to a more romantic atmosphere, while keeping it open and bright for lunch.
Restaurants are even more interesting when it comes to lighting because of what you are selling. Food has to look appetizing or no one is going to eat it. That’s why warm dimmable LED lamps can be a more appropriate option than harsh white lamps when it comes to lighting choices.
Hanging Fixtures
It seems the newest restaurant trend is to have an industrial, but chic vibe. Of course, lighting can take this to the next level. By choosing the right light fixtures, the visual perception can really come across as enticing. Hanging pendant lights are the perfect addition.
There are a few things to consider when using these light fixtures though. First, it’s important you have ample space. If an area is too small then the lighting will become crowded. They also need to be up high, if hanging over an area where people will be standing. Therefore, ample ceiling space is important.
These light fixtures are also going to be closer to your guests since they are hanging, so it’s important that they are dimmable. This also goes back to transitioning between lunch and dinner. By having dimmable lights, you can give off two different vibes in the same day with just the push of a button.
Outdoor Lighting
Outdoor lighting is where creativity can fly. Not only are they great for the people eating at your restaurant, but they also add curb appeal. Those who walk by may be enticed by quality outdoor lighting – even if they plan to eat indoors.
As far as the actual fixtures, outdoors usually need dimmer ambiance and require less harsh lamps and/or fixtures. Generally, a good mix of floor lighting with string lights will give off a romantic outdoor vibe while still allowing your customers to read their menu.
It’s important to consider the paths your customers will be taking as well. The path from the restaurant to the dining area, the dining area to the restroom, and the dining area to the parking lot all need to have adequate light so your customers and your staff don’t trip.
Ready to take your restaurant lighting to the next step? Let us know. We’re here to brighten your restaurant with expert solutions.