Traditional Restaurant lighting

Arguably the lighting can determine the atmosphere of the restaurant and even override other elements that may not follow the same style with it’s exceptionally strong influence. That’s why choosing the right restaurant lighting to create the right atmosphere to fit the ethos of your restaurant is of paramount importance.

What factors determine the right lighting for a restaurant?

To understand the influence of restaurant lighting contrast the lighting you would expect in a New York style deli versus the lighting in a French Brasserie. Whilst the New York deli would be most suited to lighting that is light, bright and clinical allowing customers to examine the food on offer and choose what to eat, the traditional French Brasserie would be expected to have light fittings that are dark in colour so typically brass, copper, or walnut fittings with low wattage bulbs giving a soft pool of light and a relaxed, nocturnal atmosphere. The New York deli is most suited to lighting that accurately illuminates the food and gives a feel of cleanliness and hygiene. With the French Brasserie it’s all about relaxation and ambience.

Similarly pub lighting is traditionally soft and wall based partly due to the fact that many pubs are old and the buildings have low ceilings, so it is difficult to use anything other than wall lights apart from around the bar area where typically bright lights will hang over the bar. The wall lights used are usually used not only around the walls of the pub but also fitted to vertical wooden beams that are present. Again the atmosphere that most publicans wish to create is one of unhurried leisure encouraging customers to linger.

Typically for a restaurant lighting would consist of the following:

• Exterior lights illuminating the restaurant signage and the entrance and welcoming customers into the restaurant
• Wall lights all around the walls of the restaurant giving evenly spaced soft pools of light and typically located above each table to softly illuminate the eating areas
• Large ceiling lights down the centre of the room at regular intervals to provide lighting for the tables which do not benefit from the wall lighting
• Don’t forget the toilets which should have lights fitting the period and style of the rest of the lighting but should adapted for the location and purpose (washing hands, applying makeup etc) and would typically be lighter, brighter and usually located on the ceiling rather than the walls

The Victorian Emporium has provided interior and exterior restaurant and pub lighting for a variety of establishments whose interior design style is traditional.

Here are a handful of the restaurants and pubs that have purchased our Victorian lighting products to successfully create their own intimate, cosy and traditional atmosphere:

• Antico Restaurant - Bermondsey, London
• Big Mammas restaurant - Paris
• The Mackworth Hotel - Derby
• The Greyhound on the Test  Pub - Hampshire
• The Speaker Public House  - London
• Stylux Restaurant Ltd - Croydon

If you would like to discuss your requirements for Victorian restaurant lighting for your traditional pub or restaurant interior and exterior, please contact us and we will be happy to advise you. We have many ranges of lighting comprising matching products for walls and ceilings both interior and exterior including flush mounted lights for low ceilings, one and two light wall sconces and 3 to 12 light ceiling fittings, all in traditional designs to suit period interiors.