Your breakfast bar can be one of the most useful parts of your home. It not only provides convenient seating for quick meals, but you can use it for entertaining, food prep, as a study area for the kids, for large-scale crafting projects, or almost anything else you can think of! But to make it as practical and convenient as possible, you need to pay close attention to breakfast bar lighting. The lighting you choose can make or break your breakfast bar, influencing how, when, and how often you use it. And whether or not the space is truly practical.
So, what do you need to consider when choosing breakfast bar lighting?
Four Things to Think About When Choosing Breakfast Bar Lights
The size of the space
Size matters when it comes to breakfast bar lighting. If you have a compact breakfast bar, you may be able to get away with a single light, like the Maxwell Mirage. But if you wish to make a larger area truly functional and comfortable to use, you’ll have to consider the instalment of multiple lights. This can be achieved through the placing of three (or more) individual lights. Or, you might want to choose a bar light, like this black glass bar light.
The height of your ceiling
Pendant lights, like the Endon Urban, are usually the aesthetic preference for breakfast bars. But if you’re working with a low ceiling, they may not be practical. As a rough guide, your light fixtures should be positioned no less than 75cm above your breakfast bar countertop. So, if you can’t achieve that with pendant lights, you may wish to consider other options, including flush lighting, spotlights, and downlights.
The type of lighting you prefer
As we’ve just discussed above, while pendant lights are usually the first thing to come to mind when considering breakfast bar lighting, there are many other lighting styles to choose from. So, don’t limit your options. Remember that it’s your breakfast bar, in your home. So, whether you select a cluster pendant light, like the Endon Studio, a couple of kitchen chandeliers, the most important thing is that you are happy with the aesthetic.
What you want to use your breakfast bar for
How you intend to use your breakfast bar should influence the style of lighting you select. If you are going to use it for food prep and other tasks – such as homework – you’ll need to install lights that provide a clean, bright light. If you’re looking for ambience for entertaining, then softer lighting can provide a better atmosphere. If you’re going to use the space for both, then you either need to install two types of lighting – spots and pendants are a common combination. Or you can select dimmable lights, like the Endon Lyra or Hoop. Delivering three lighting levels, they provide a happy compromise and an all-round breakfast bar lighting solution.
Breakfast bars are often the focal point for a kitchen. They are smart and stylish at the same time as being immensely practical. And the lighting you choose should reflect that. So, think about your space, your needs, and your desired aesthetic, and you really can’t go wrong.
View the full collection of First Choice Lighting’s breakfast bar collection. Looking for a bargain? Don’t forget to check out our clearance breakfast bar lights.
