How to Bring Home the Glow of America's Best-Lit Restaurants
We all know the feeling. You look around a restaurant and suddenly think, Damn, everyone looks good. But don't be fooled. It's all about superb lighting—the right fixtures in the right spots with the right bulbs. Creating the same ambience at home requires precision. Too bright and a space feels like a hospital; too dark and you can barely see your plate.
“Like a great cocktail, a well-lit space is the result of different flavors; some bold, some subtle,” says Ken Fulk, the designer behind spots like NYC’s Legacy Records and Leo's Oyster Bar in San Francisco. “But you gotta fight the inclination to light every single last surface—just put the light where you need it, using different fixtures to define different spaces. It’s all about having an even keel and keeping things at a human scale.”
How do you master the glow at home? Sure, you could shell out a few grand on an interior designer or a set of bespoke fixtures. But why not take a shortcut? From ultra-modern pendants to vintage-inspired table lamps, many of the hottest restaurant light fixtures are buyable right off the shelf. Here are some of our favorites.
Photo by David Alvarado1/6Simone Double Sconce by Schoolhouse
Spotted at: Tusk in Portland, Oregon; designed by Jessica Helgerson
Why We Love It: Inspired by the Jazz era of the early ’60s, this cascading sconce is simple but striking, all clean lines and glowing orbs, available in black or bronze. Take a cue from Tusk and mount a few in your dining room, paired with Schoolhouse's Odyssey 2 Pendant ($259) and a giant portrait of Keith Richards in a Speedo. It’s a vibe.
Photo by Alex Lau2/6Akari Table Lamp Model 1N by Isamu Noguchi
Spotted at: Karasu in Brooklyn, designed by Space Exploration Design
Why We Love It: A table lamp might seem like an odd choice for a kitchen, but this artist-designed icon (tucked next to the pufferfish sculpture!) brings some much needed low-level light to Karasu's back bar. "Randomness adds charm," says Kevin Greenberg of Space Exploration Design, which lit the moody, romantic restaurant-within-a-restaurant using a wide range of mismatched fixtures. "A single Akari table lamp feels spontaneous—as though the owner just placed it there on a whim.” Put yours on the kitchen counter to serve as a task lamp or just add some eclectic charm.
Photo by Ben Nusbaum3/6Terra Pendant by Cedar & Moss
Spotted at: Golda in Brooklyn, designed by MP Shift
Why We Love It: Just eight inches in diameter, these versatile pendants won’t necessarily steal the show—Cedar & Moss founder Michelle Aaro calls them “the chorus” to any statement fixture. But their unglazed-ceramic shades lend a touch of the handmade. And because they come in three clay colors and three metal finishes, they can blend into any room.
Terra Pendant by Cedar & Moss (from $239)
Photo by Anthony Tahlier4/6Trapeze 1 Sconce by Apparatus
Spotted at: Elske in Chicago, designed by Boone Interiors
Why We Love It: Simple yet sculptural, this fixture enriches a room without screaming for attention. Use it on the wall to bookend a piece of art like the folks at Boone Interiors did for Elske, and add some to the ceiling for a cohesive look. Want to take things up a notch? Add the matching chandelier ($1,450-$7,250).
Photo by David Alvarado5/6Totie Task Table Lamp by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort
Spotted at: Dame in Portland, Oregon, designed by Maxwell Gray Interiors
Why We Love It: Seemingly vintage, with a natural brass finish, this old-school lamp casts just the right amount of downward light—and won’t blind you thanks to its solid-metal shade. If you want to hide the cord, take Dame’s lead and rewire the lamp so that the wiring goes go through the bar or tabletop, not across it.
Totie Task Table Lamp by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort ($339)
Photo by Adrian Gaut6/6Panay Wicker Ball Pendant Lamp by Kouboo
Spotted at: Broken Shaker in New York City, designed by Roman and Williams
Why We Love It: Cheerful, casual, and foolproof, this tropical globe looks just as great in a breakfast nook or grouped above a kitchen island. Best of all, it can weather some wear and tear—it’d have to given Broken Shaker’s thirsty hipster mobs.
