We didn't do this, but we have friends who did and it is awesome....Get one of those tiny spot lights, usually in a partially recessed fixture, have it mounted in a way so you don't see it (usually right above the doorway you enter the dining room) and have it aim at the center of the table. It gives the coolest pool of light on your table, especially when no other light is on. Your centerpiece just glows.

Another thing is to use recessed small lights, near the wall to wash the wall, or have them right over a painting you plan to hang.

The electrician asked what I had planned what pictures to put on the walls. I haven't planned beyond tomorrow! lol

I can't quite picture what you mean by a tiny spot light. Is it like a pin light?

There won't be much wall space. There will be a small area between the window and door on the one wall and it will have light switches, and another small area on the other side of the window. On the opposite wall, there will be a small area between the patio door and the kitchen, but it will have light switches too, and a small area on the other side of the patio door too.

Both the window and patio door are more to the center than the plan shows.

That plan was made by Summerfield btw.

I am in full dining room obsession mode at the moment and I agree with your electrician. A dining room is a very moody room. It should have a number of lighting options to allow for a variety of circumstances. First great natural light, think afternoon tea or baby shower. Then perimeter down lighters preferably ones you can angle to showcase art or warm the walls. A chandelier on dimmer. Other options to consider for impact (and now's the time when the walls are open) are strategic sconces, or an outlet for lamps where your sideboard/cabinet will be located.

Inside your cabinet should be lite as well since it is built in it will be a permanent statement. You could add lighting to it with low heat emission, but i'm no expert on this front. LEDs come in various forms, puck, rope etc.

I'm of the opinion that overhead lighting usually ends up being quite glaring and it's your secondary even tertiary lighting that will add comfort, drama and warmth. You should layer it the way you would fabric. I wish I had considered it more thoroughly when we were building.

I agree that you need more light. Puck lights can be LED so almost no heat and very inexpensive to run. Wall sconces are one possibility. Another is to mount track lighting to the far side of the beam where it won't be seen but the track can be used to spotlight your display cabinet.

Also if you are putting drapes on the windows, Candice olson always puts small recessed cans in about 14" away from the wall in front of each drapery panel to highlight the fabric and it looks great.

We had an old chandelier that had the spotlight buried in the bottom of the fixture to highlight the table top and it did look fantastic, as beekeeperswife suggested.

I hadn't thought of sconces. Those would look great on the cabinet wall. I also hadn't given a lot of thought yet to drapes. It surprised me how much light was cut off from the kitchen by moving the window from the end wall (where the dining room now begins) even though there are two big window areas in the dining room.

The window in the dining room faces west, and will eventually have a roof over it. For now, no roof. The patio door is actually a 3 panel, with French doors in the center space. We'd like to bring in all the natural light we can, so thought about mounting the drapes on the sides of the windows and doors so when they are open, the entire window is exposed.

If we do that, would you put the recessed cans where the drapes are when they are open, or several across? I doubt we will close them much after the porch roof is built.

You put them where the drapes stack back so if they are skimming the sides of the window, you put the cans say 6-12" outside the window...about the center of where the drapes hang.

Here's a shot of one of her basement redos and the lighting on the drapes

Here is a link that might be useful: Basement by Candice

And don't forget about having outdoor lighting by the French doors -- perhaps a sconce outside - PLUS an outdoor outlet just below -- for items like lighting or perhaps a fountain that could be seen just outside the dinng room window around the corner?