Your phone can save you from six-figure mistakes. Shoot these 10 photos and note 5 dimensions; we’ll size your high-end dining set, lighting and rug so it fits your room—and your life—perfectly.
Why shooting matters more than swatches
High-end dining is proportion, circulation and light. A beautiful table looks wrong if the pass-through pinches, the pendant glares, or the chairs bite into a too-small rug. Clear photos reveal scale, sightlines, socket positions, ceiling conditions and glare—the things that actually decide comfort and longevity in Indian homes (stone floors, monsoon humidity, festival hosting, family meals).
Prep (5 minutes): Make the room read expensive
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Clear surfaces (bottles, random chargers, packaging).
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Open sheers; turn off warm ceiling lights that fight daylight.
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Wipe polished tops/mirrors.
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Pull chairs into a tidy arc; centre the current table if possible.
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If you have a rug, straighten it; place a pad underneath to flatten ripples (photos love order).
Camera & Light (phone-first)
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Use the main lens (1×) for best sensor; avoid ultra-wide unless absolutely needed (it distorts scale).
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Hold the phone at eye level ~150 cm and keep it level (grid on).
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Tap to focus on a mid-tone (table edge), slide exposure to −0.3 to −0.7 EV.
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White balance: stick to one colour temperature. If daylight is on, switch off warm downlights; if shooting at night, keep all lights the same CCT (ideally 2700–3000 K).
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Shoot portrait & landscape versions when useful; we crop for multiple placements.
The 10-Shot Checklist (copy/paste into Notes)
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Corner → corner wide: Shows the dining zone and main walk path.
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Head-on to the long wall: Orthographic feel; reveals proportion.
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From the entry: What guests see first.
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From the living room/adjacent space: How the dining set sits in the ecosystem.
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Ceiling & pendant point: Junction box, beams, AC slots, false ceiling steps.
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Under-table/low skirting: Skirting height, any floor outlets or constraints.
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Power points: Sockets on walls near potential sideboard/bar; mark heights if you can.
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Window wall with curtains: Sheer/opacities for glare control; note sun direction (AM/PM).
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Current table + chairs (if any): Tape a scale marker (ruler/measuring tape) on the tabletop edge.
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Sketch photo: A quick hand sketch photographed top-down (next section shows what to include).
Tip: Shoot each frame twice—neutral exposure and a touch darker—so veins/glass don’t blow out.
The 5 Dimensions We Need (in centimetres)
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Room L × W × H (wall to wall, floor to ceiling).
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Dining zone where the table can realistically sit (clear of doors/walk bands).
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Pass-throughs: distances to doors/windows/stairs. Target ≥ 91 cm for comfort; ≥ 76 cm is the pinch-point minimum.
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Pendant point to floor / to ceiling (or full ceiling height + location of junction box). We hang the pendant ~75–90 cm above tabletop.
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Rug zone: If you already use a rug, note its size. If not, measure the available footprint—we’ll apply +60–75 cm beyond the proposed table top on all sides.
Optional but helpful:
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Chair seat height & arm height (if you have chairs you’ll keep).
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Door swings sketched in arc.
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Socket heights (skirting vs mid-wall).
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Any niche you’d like for a sideboard/bar.
India-First Photography Tips (so images are useful)
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Glare control: If you have polished stone or glass, draw sheers to soften specular reflections; shoot slightly darker.
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Neutral whites: Avoid yellow cast—use daylight or warm artificial, not both.
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Stone floors: Add a pad under rugs to stop creep (and to keep chairs stable).
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Festival reality: If you place diyas or serve turmeric-heavy dishes, mention it—we’ll recommend finishes and tray systems accordingly.
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Coastal humidity: If you’re in a coastal city, flag it; we’ll tune metal finishes and sealing cadence.
The Sizing Logic
1) Choose shape by flow
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Round/oval soften tight rooms and promote equal conversation; great near doors.
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Rectangle/boat maximises seat count along walls; works with benches and longer rooms.
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Extendable solves festival hosting—just confirm storage and expansion clearance.
2) Table size by pass-through
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We hold ≥ 91 cm in main routes (living↔kitchen/foyer). If your plan gives only 76–90 cm, we size down or change shape.
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Chairs: plan room for knees and arm clearances; we avoid “chairs kissing walls.”
3) Pendant & photo-read
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Pendant hangs ~75–90 cm above tabletop; linear width ½–⅔ of table length for even light.
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Avoid bare point sources (glare); choose diffusers or shades, CRI ≥ 90 for skin and food.
4) Rug that dignifies the set
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Final rug = table outline + 60–75 cm all round so chairs stay on when pulled.
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Borders: serged 10–15 mm (modern) or mitered 30–40 mm tone-on-tone (formal). Avoid high-contrast hotel borders unless the architecture is classical.
Anti-Mistake Gallery (learn from others’ pain)
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Tiny rugs: chair back legs drop off; looks budget and feels worse.
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Mixed colour temps: cool daylight + hot amber spots = grey food, sallow faces.
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Pendant too high: light halo, table looks “lost.”
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No clearance for extendable leaves: people trapped against walls.
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Visible cord spaghetti at sideboards: plan a recessed outlet and brush plate behind.
FAQs
How do I photograph a dining room with a phone?
Use the main lens, eye level ~150 cm, keep the phone level, shoot in neutral daylight, and follow the 10-shot checklist. Under-expose a touch (−0.3 to −0.7 EV).
What height should a chandelier be above a dining table?
Plan ~75–90 cm above tabletop. For linears, keep width around ½–⅔ of table length and dim to 2700–3000 K.
How big should the rug be under a dining table?
Add 60–75 cm beyond the tabletop on all sides so chairs stay fully on the rug when pulled out.
I have a small apartment—round or rectangle?
Round/oval often flow better around doors and allow smoother pass-throughs; rectangle wins seat count in longer rooms. Your photos + dimensions decide.
