A Dining Room Lighting Tweak That Creates Instant Ambience

Found in Hem’s new Manhattan studio.
dining table with conical black pendant hanging over

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A wall of Technicolor pillows. A bespoke sculpture from design duo Chen & Kai. A navy blue textured wall. There are so many standout moments in Hem’s just-opened New York City studio (the brand’s first on the East Coast!) that we were hard-pressed to pick just one—but the light fixture speaks for itself. In lieu of a traditional chandelier, the store designers opted for one giant conical pendant to hang over a dining table

“We loved the idea of installing an oversize light to create the feeling of a dedicated room within the high-ceiling space,” explains Petrus Palmer, Hem’s founder and CEO. They went with a matte black option from Wastberg to complement the company’s sleek Scandi aesthetic, and it comes in at a whopping 56 inches in diameter—talk about eye-catching.

The key is hanging the fixture low (Hem’s is only 25 inches above the table); that will help you attain a cozy, intimate vibe at your next dinner party. Just like at a campfire, being so close to the glow will encourage your guests to huddle together. So go ahead, switch out that cookie-cutter lamp you never really liked to begin with. Instant ambience awaits.

See more easy swaps to make at home: This Easy Swap Will Instantly Transform Your Bathroom Freshen Up That Thrift Store Dresser With This Funky Hardware Collection 15 Easy Swaps You Can Make Now for an Eco-Friendly Kitchen

Elly Leavitt

Writer and Editor

Elly enjoys covering anything from travel to funky design (tubular furniture, anyone?) to the latest cultural trend. Her dream apartment would exist on the Upper West Side and include a plethora of mismatched antique chairs, ceramic vessels, and floor-to-ceiling bookcases—essential to her goal of becoming a poor man’s Nora Ephron. You can probably find her in line at Trader Joe’s. You will never find her at SoulCycle.