Proper lighting sets the mood for a convivial meal and lively conversation. “People’s biggest mistake with this room is getting all their light from overhead sources,” says New York City–based interior designer Bunny Williams. “It’s cold and not intimate.” She suggests counteracting this effect by dimming chandeliers and pendants to mimic the effect of candlelight.

Create a Centerpiece

If it’s too low, your hanging light will distract your guests. Too high and it will seem disconnected from the table. Ideally, the bottom of a chandelier or a pendant should be about 30 inches above the tabletop, says Ace Hardware spokesman Lou Manfredini.

Strike a Balance

“To give some sense of the room outside that central pyramid of light” — and to keep guests from tripping in the dark when they leave the table — “punctuate the walls with sconces,” advises Bentel. (Candlestick lamps on a sideboard work, too.) Plug-in sconces are easy to install; conceal the cord with a plastic cord cover painted the color of the wall.

Chandelier (shown right)
The bottom of a chandelier should be about 30 inches above the tabletop. Shades soften the glare of bare bulbs.

Sconce (shown on wall)
Sconces — like these mirrored plug-in Versions — should be mounted between 5 1/2 and 6 feet high on the wall, says decorator Bunny Williams. Oly Mosaic Bowl Sconce, $200, www.olystudio.com for store locations. Wire Channel plastic cord cover, $5, Home Depot, www.homedepot.com.