How to create mood lighting in a restaurant?

A restaurant is not only a place where you can eat well, but also have a good time and relax. Appropriate decor and well-chosen lighting has a significant impact on that. How to choose lamps to meet the requirements and create an atmospheric and cozy place?

How to choose lighting for a restaurant?

The lighting for a restaurant differs from that in a house or apartment. Most importantly, the lighting must meet certain requirements - health and safety regulations and the PN-EN-1246401 standard. It indicates the appropriate light intensity. In the kitchen, it is a minimum of 500 lux, and in the hall - 200 lux (LUX unit).Make sure to plan the lighting carefully so that the whole decor is a coherent composition. It is necessary to take the utility and decorative functions into account, as well as the colour of light, the appearance of lamps and their optimal number. Also, do not forget about high durability - the luminaires should be resistant to high temperatures, tight so that water and dust do not penetrate them, and have a long service life. Slightly different parameters will need to be considered for the kitchen and the hall, which will help ensure the safety and comfort of employees and guests.As for the type of lighting, it is best to arrange several types of it - e.g. pendant lamps, wall-mounted luminaires, LED strips, eyelets or downlights. Each of them will have a different task and will make the atmosphere cozy and intimate - obviously, if we don't overdo it.

Wall luminaires

Wall luminaires are additional lighting necessary to give the interior a unique and comfortable atmosphere. They are perfect for emphasising decorations or flowers on walls, slight illumination of small tables or creating a light composition that will help you to make sure that the restaurant hall or the zone where the outerwear is left does not inelegantly contrast with the rest of the premises. A restaurant should not be dark, but too bright lighting is not suitable for evening venues or cozy cafeterias.

Kanlux REKA LED is a good choice for modern and exclusive restaurants. The main advantage of Kanlux REKA LED is the visually unique lighting effect. Thanks to the masking flaps at the bottom and top of the luminaire, it is possible to choose the direction and width of the light. Kanlux REKA shines in two directions - up and down - and the light outputs can be adjusted independently of each other to create, for example, a perfectly thin luminous line at the top and wide light cascading from the lamp to a table.

Restaurant garden

Are you opting for something of a more vintage style? Do you want your guests to feel at home in the restaurant? Choose Kanlux VIMO in copper or black colour. Those lantern-style wall luminaires are a decoration on their own, especially if you go for decorative LED bulbs for them. They are also suitable for outdoor use, so they will easily decorate an exterior facade, terrace or a piece of garden. If the garden is large, also choose similar standing lamps apart of them.

You can also instal modern Kanlux GARTO LED or Kanlux BISO LED on the external elevations in the restaurant garden. Those luminaires will provide light that will not dazzle your guests, but will be softly distributed on the facade. Those are minimalist luminaires and are perfect for simple, modern and elegant places. You can also illuminate the surroundings of the restaurant using them.

"Lighting of the restaurant is not only the lamps in the hall. It is also be important to choose the right models for the kitchen, back office, toilets and exterior. Resistance to high levels of humidity or creating a climatic terrace are some of the aspects that should be taken care of. At Kanlux, you can choose the right type of luminaires, regardless of the requirements - says Łukasz Mizgalski from Kanlux."

Łukasz Mizgalski Kanlux Product Manager

Pendant lamps

Kanlux GALOBA C is a pendant lamp that can be placed right above a table. For larger tables you can choose a model with 3 overhangs or a smaller one, with 1 overhang, for tables for 4 people. The round, closed lampshade of Kanlux GALOBA lamps is unscrewable, so you can quickly and conveniently replace light sources. The maximum distance of the light source to GALOBA luminaires is 55mm. We recommend using Kanlux iQ-LED LIFE light sources. Replaceable light source ensures freedom in choosing bulbs.

Are you aware that the colour of the light affects the way we feel after a dish is served? That is why the selection of the light source for the main table lamp is so important. Neutral light is best. Refrain from cold colours, because they can make dishes (especially meat dishes) take on a bluish shade. Also pay attention to the colour rendering index (Ra) and opt for 90 or higher.

Table lamps and LED strips

Table lamps and LED strips are lighting perfect for quiet coffee shops as well as premises that get busy in the evenings.

LED strips will illuminate a bar and the drinks displayed on the shelves. You can also place them on the dance floor. This is where colourful stripes (RGB) will play their role. In the kitchen, above the counters, you can place strips emitting white, neutral light that will illuminate the work surfaces. They can also be placed at the bottom of shelves or directly on the wall in the aluminium profile.

Table lamps, in turn, are the undisputed leader in creating the atmosphere. Cosy light helps to create an unobtrusive atmosphere for quiet conversations over coffee, tea or hot chocolate. Afternoon meetings or resting alone with a favourite book and a cup of latte will take on a completely new dimension with a lamp with an option to adjust the colour of light and its intensity. Such possibilities are provided by the wireless Kanlux INITA table lamp. Create a place with it that guests will come back to.

Energy savings

Running a business comes with costs. Especially in the autumn and winter season, the light is on from early morning until late at night. High electricity consumption means additional monthly bills to be paid. For that reason, you should choose light bulbs that are energy-saving and, at the same time, do not differ in quality and light intensity from classic models.

LEDs are the best and one of the most modern solutions possible. Why? Because, for example, they are characterised by a long useful life (they work up to 50 times longer than incandescent bulbs), they are safe because they hardly ever heat up, and they are energy efficient - Kanlux XLED EX uses 15 times less energy than a traditional incandescent bulb and almost 3 times less than typical LEDs. Look for solutions with energy class A and B.

Choosing the right lighting can significantly affect the perception of a room. If you run a restaurant, consider the aspects mentioned above and plan the lighting fixture arrangement at the very beginning of the decor design. Do you need a design and selection of lighting? Contact us - we will be happy to assist you!

How to create mood lighting in a restaurant?

Other articles