You’ve prepped the perfect spread. The drinks are chilled. But the lights? Way too bright. You kill the overheads, scramble for candles, and still—it’s all too harsh. Where’s the vibe?
Restaurants make it look effortless, casting a flattering glow that makes food glisten, faces radiant, and the whole night feel cinematic. So, what’s their secret?
“When we design a restaurant, we’re lighting for a very specific task—eating a meal—during a specific time of day, often in the evening,” says Brett Andersen, Partner and Principal Designer of Focus Lighting. He recently worked on Mr. H, an Asian restaurant in Boston inspired by a Shanghai soup dumpling vendor. “The lighting design is intimate, strategically using high-contrast layers to reveal the narrative of Mr. H through drama and subtle moments of discovery.”
Residential lighting has a different job entirely, Andersen explains. It’s meant to be timeless, comfortable, and flexible—used at all hours, for everything from prepping dinner to putting on makeup. So it’s no wonder most homes don’t feel perfectly lit for every occasion.
That’s where Andersen comes in. “One thing that’s consistent across both types of spaces,” he says, “is that we always strive to use light to create a positive emotional response in the people who live in or experience the spaces we design.”
Ready to glow up your space? Andersen shares seven lighting strategies—some simple, some more involved—that can help you dial in the mood, whether you're upgrading your home’s hardware or just need a quick fix before guests arrive.
