lighting for areas where people eat is primarily mood lighting. But it also needs to ensure that guests can find their way around and conduct conversations at the table while facing in any direction. The kind of artificial lighting required for a restaurant depends primarily on the style of the establishment. The range of conceivable lighting moods is endless – from glaring brightness to intimate candlelight. The important thing is that the atmosphere should suit the architectural surroundings, ensure that food is clearly presented and looks attractive, and
that visual conditions at the table are right for conversation. The level of brightness selected then determines the degree of intimacy for diners. And all these priorities need to be addressed
by lighting compatible with the catering concept of the house. This is a good point to look at light colour. The light colour of a lamp is the colour appearance of its light, expressed as a colour temperature in degrees Kelvin (K). It is one of the crucial factors defining the visual ambience of a room. Light colours are divided into three groups: warm white (below 3300 K), neutral white (3300 K – 5300 K) and daylight white (over 5300 K). To ensure that the impression a room makes is not impaired, care must be take – not only on initial installation but also
when lamps are replaced – to use the light colour stipulated in the lighting design.