top of page
Design is about experiences.

The beauty of nature and the human spirit at the focus of architecture and interior design - a blog  - learn more.

Family Dinner Table Setting - Plus a 7" Lamp

dijohnsonf

Updated: Jun 18, 2024


Setting a table is an art form that mixes the worlds of function and creativity. Today, countless blog posts exist on how to set a table for any occasion and to any degree of formality. While tablespaces can be outright necessary for certain events, there’s also a certain beauty to the rawness that comes with our tables (or counters) on a day-to-day basis. It’s lovely to have a raw table, highlighting all its use from the evening into the next morning.

Homework, newsletters, magazines, computers/tablets, phones, pens, and pencils—they’re all beautiful in their day-to-day lives. But when it comes to dining, how can we elevate a raw table specifically for dinner to be more intimate? How can we increase our connection to each other for every meal, or at least every dinner?

The answer is simpler than you might think: add a 7" lamp.

The Family Dinner Table Setting & A Lamp or Two


Pictured: Bar Sprezzatura, Claridge's Restaurant, Sparrow, Riviera, The Parlour


Lighting is often considered one of the most important elements to plan when designing a restaurant, regardless of the hours of operation. In either scenario (day or night), lighting can significantly impact the diners' behavior and experience and influence the level of the meal itself. Yet when it comes to eating at home, it’s often forgotten—even when we’ve had time to set our tables.

Let’s start by looking at low lighting—the ideal option for eating dinner in the evening, even if it’s chaotic.

Low lighting is an important element of the dining experience. We know this from our time at restaurants and their increased desire to make the atmosphere more intimate. But how specifically does low lighting impact our dining experience?


If you’ve read this post – you know I’m a big fan of low lighting in the evening, which triggers relaxation. It allows for melatonin to be released steadily in preparation for bed and for you to be more able to just enjoy the moment. With an increased sense of relaxation, diners are likely to stay a little longer, lingering with each other and, of course, at the said establishment.


Lower lighting also helps you to eat slower. Although this can sometimes be argued as a negative for restaurant dining, I can’t help but think, who wouldn’t want their dinner time to last a little longer with their loved ones? If everyone took just 5 minutes more to eat, that’s 35 more minutes together a week.

In terms of atmosphere, lower lighting also helps with increasing a diner's perception of coziness. Since 7” table lamps are task lights, they create just enough like for just what’s around them. This creates a sense of privacy – allowing diners to enjoy the bubble that they’re in and ignore everything outside of the light line in the darkness. Such a beautiful idea for at-home evening dining – putting emphasis on what matters most: the people at the table, in the light.  

For Those Objecting to the Family Dinner Table Setting with a Lamp

Now I realize the obvious protester to this is in favor of the candle—seeing it as being more romantic. While I can’t disagree (candles are romantic), they really don’t function the way we need them to, and given how hard they are to source at the right size (and without a scent), they’ve become increasingly impractical.

There's also some data out there suggesting that eating in the dining room can make you so relaxed that you not only eat slower but also make more unhealthy decisions. Design can truly impact our lives in way more than we realize or take advantage of!

The history of this is straightforward. Prior to the invention of electricity in the 1880s, candles were used for any form of light in any scenario. By 1925, over half of the US homes had electricity, but even today, we still emphasize candles on the table—especially at restaurants.

It’s time to finally encourage the return of the 7” lamp, not only to restaurants but to our tables at home, too.

Remember to sign up below to receive D.&Co. in your inbox—you’ll get new posts, announcements, and special content.


For the love of design,

 

Florence

Interior Designer and Founder of DiJohnson & Co.

6 views0 comments

Comments


Subscribe to CCC

The beauty of nature and the human spirit at the focus of architecture and interior design for more connections, experiences, and memories -- right to your inbox.

bottom of page