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Light for family room


How To Choose the Right Family Room Light Fixture – Simply2Moms

It’s so important to choose the right family room light fixture because it will be so visible. Get our tips for selecting the perfect one for your home!

This post is sponsored by Wayfair. All opinions expressed are my own based on my experience with the products and the company. Thank you for supporting the brands that support our blog!

My husband loves coming up with projects to do around the house.

About 7 years ago, he decided our family room needed a little something extra.

The room has 10-foot ceilings, so it was the perfect space to build coffers.

He wanted them to be a little unique so he designed square medallions at each of the intersections.

When they were done, we knew it was the perfect time to replace the light the builder had installed.

It wasn’t quite a boob light because it had a cluster of leaves at the bottom and it was a semi-flush mounted fixture.

But it was small and ugly and didn’t work in the space.

The light we were replacing was about 12-inches in diameter, so when we were looking at other light fixtures, a 20-inch drum light seemed like it would be great!

But…

Even though I loved its filigree pattern, the scale just wasn’t big enough for this large space.

If you look really close, you’ll also notice that it’s a rubbed bronze finish.

But everything else in the room was wrought iron.

It didn’t look bad.

In fact, I really like the fixture and can’t wait to hang it in my laundry room!

But it wasn’t the right ceiling light for my family room space.

When Wayfair contacted us about a living room upgrade project, I knew exactly what I wanted to do: replace the light in this room.

However this time?

I wasn’t going to make the same mistake!

How to Choose the Right Sized Light Fixture for Your Living Room

After doing some research, I learned there’s actually a formula that you can use to figure out what size your light fixture should be!

It’s a simple formula that only requires a tape measure.

First, measure the length of your room.

Then measure the width of your room.

Now add those numbers together.

And BAM!

That’s approximately how many inches wide your light fixture should be.

How easy is that?

I got out my tape measure and the length of my room is 17-feet, 8-inches.

Then it gets a little tricky.

You see, my family room has a hallway that runs behind the couch, but it’s an open floor plan, so the coffered ceiling extends over both the family room and the hallway.

I decided to measure the width of just the family room (14′ 8″) as well as the width of the family room including the hall (19′).

When you add the length and the width of just the family room, the ideal light fixture is a little over 32 inches.

And the number when you include the hall space is just over 36.5.

I decided that I would look for light fixtures in that range of 32-36 inches wide.

Clearly my 20-inch wide drum light was way too small!

Next, it was time to figure out the best height for the fixture.

This calculation is even easier!

Multiply the height of your ceilings by 3, and that’s how many inches high your fixture should be.

So my 10-foot ceilings mean my fixture should be about 30-inches tall.

Knowing these dimensions made it easy to narrow down my choices.

Check out this article to learn even more about sizing all kinds of ceiling light fixtures,

How to Choose the Right Style of Light Fixture

Now that I knew the correct size for my family room light fixture, it was time to choose a style.

There are a few main types of ceiling light fixtures.

You can get more information about the different types of ceiling light fixtures in this article.

I was able to quickly rule out three of the styles: flush mount, semi-flush mount, and a ceiling fan.

None of those options gave me both the size and/or the style I wanted.

I liked the look of my old drum light, but I was concerned that a similar drum light of the size I needed would be too visually heavy.

I also wanted a matte black or wrought iron finish.

The filters on the Wayfair website were so helpful in narrowing down my choices.

You can filter based on size, finish, style, price, shape, and even more.

Find your perfect ceiling light on Wayfair too!

Narrowing Down My Favorites for My Living Room

These are the eight chandeliers that made my initial cut.

Ryckman 8-light Traditional ChandelierTari 5-light Lantern ChandelierMedina 8-light Traditional ChandelierKuzey 6-light Wagon Wheel ChandelierAlbina 5-light Candle-style ChandelierGainesville 9-light Tiered ChandelierFedele 9-light Empire ChandelierChevonne 6-Light Drum Light

As you can see, I was definitely drawn to a particular style!

There were only three that didn’t look like a more traditional chandelier.

One had a similar shape and style to the new lanterns in my front entry.

Another had a bit of a wagon wheel style.

And one was a drum light but with an open, airy feel to it.

It was so hard to decide!

AnnMarie helped me narrow them down even more…

You can check out all of Wayfair’s gorgeous chandeliers to find the perfect one for your home here.

The Big Reveal!

After a lot of debating.

And waffling.

I realized I kept going back to two options: an empire style chandelier and the open drum style light.

Which one did I choose?

Ta da!

I decided to update my family room with this gorgeous Fedele 9-light Empire style chandelier with a light and airy feel to it.

And that beautiful drum-style chandelier? Check out where it’s going…

It was too pretty to pass up, but it was only 25-inches wide so it just wasn’t big enough for my living room light.

Remember: always turn off the power at the circuit breaker box before changing a light fixture!!

We hung the new fixture so that the bottom is about 7. 5 feet from the floor.

I absolutely love how it looks!

It’s the perfect size for the room: large enough to make a statement, not too large to overpower the other features of the room.

The black finish works perfectly with the mirror over the fireplace that I updated last year and my fireplace surround.

Would you believe I painted that surround with chalk paint?

You definitely won’t believe what it looked like beforehand…

Since this chandelier has such an open feel to it, you can still see the decor on all the shelves of my built-in entertainment center.

Even the stuff on the very top.

I really loved the large lantern-style light, but I didn’t want all the lights to look too matchy-matchy.

Just like when I coach my clients about choosing outfits for the family photos: instead of trying to all match, my lighting all coordinates.

The black chandelier and lanterns also really complement the gallery wall frames in my front entry.

Everyone Loves a Before and After!

Finding the perfect light fixture for my living room was so easy thanks to Wayfair.

To see just how much of a difference this update made to the space, here’s a side-by-side comparison.

So what do you think?

Did I make the right choice?

If you have any questions or suggestions, contact me or leave a comment!

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Living Room Lighting - Ceiling Lights, Sconces & Lamps

Where Living Room Lighting Works Best

As one the larger rooms of your home, successful living room lighting is best accomplished with a variety of different fixtures. A living room can have many different highlights, whether it be a painting, a piano or even a television. These highlights can dictate the layout of the room and the best lighting options for it. For example, flexible track lighting gives you the freedom to illuminate those areas that bring out the best qualities of your living space, whereas picture lights offer a more focused approach, brightening specific items that express your own unique style or of course, that work of art you have hanging on the wall. And what is a living room without lamps? Thanks in part to their portability and versatile nature, living room table lamps are a necessary element of living rooms and great rooms. Anytime you choose redecorate or rearrange, they will happily accommodate your design decisions and move at a moment's notice. Floor lamps are also go-to choices of lighting for the living room. Ambient floor lamps can be placed in the corner of the room to deliver general illumination, or you may want to consider a reading lamp for its focused task lighting. Finally, to help make a statement in the room, turn to a decorative ceiling light. Living room ceiling lights, including pendants, chandeliers, flushmounts and recessed fixtures provide eye-catching design and a functional source of downlight you'll be sure to appreciate. With the right mix of lighting, you'll be able to create a well-rounded design for your living room.

A Living Room Light Fixture for Every Style

With such a vast collection of light fixtures for the living room, there are many options to fit your home's specific interior design scheme. Whether your living room follows a traditional aesthetic or is filled with furniture inspired by retro and mid-century design, you'll find just the right ceiling lights and lamps you need here. Modern living areas will appreciate the pendant lighting and sconces in the Arturo Alvarez collection or check out Muuto's assortment for a noticeably Scandinavian look. Rich Brilliant Willing offers a celebrated selection of unique suspension lights, as well as stunning sconces to dress up your bare walls. In the table lamps department, look to any of the iconic styles offered by Artemide including the popular Tolomeo and Tizio collections. And if it's a familiar arc floor lamp you've got your mind on, there's no better choice than the Arco from FLOS. Finally, to keep your home energy efficient, look to the LED living room lighting available.

Choosing the Best Living Room Lights

While a table lamp or floor lamp is portable and easy to introduce into any room, you'll need to pay closer attention to your selection of ceiling lights and sconces. Ceiling lights, including track systems, pendants and can lights all come in varying shapes and sizes. You'll need to properly measure the area where your ceiling light will be installed to gauge the right size to choose while being mindful of dimensions like height, width, diameter and hanging length (for chandeliers, pendant lights and other suspensions). And whether you prefer bright, focused task lighting or more general, warm illumination, you'll want to check out a fixture's lumens chart and light source type. With a size and shape in mind for your living room lighting, you can then seek to choose colors, finishes and features that are consistent with the rest of the room's decor. If you have any questions about the living room light fixtures and lamps featured here, please call our lighting experts.

Other Considerations

Once you have your lighting choices all picked out, why not consider giving your furniture a much-needed refresh too? Living room furniture includes sofas, sectionals, lounge chairs, accent tables and other pieces that are needed to really tie the space together. You may also appreciate the presence of cool, fresh air in the living room. As an area of the home where multiple people are bound to gather, you'll want to keep the airflow moving with the help of a ceiling fan. Many ceiling fans also include optional light kits too, effectively allowing you to have airflow in the room while also providing a lighting solution. Lastly, set the mood for those low light kind of nights with a light dimmer. Dimming switches are easy to install with modern fixtures and can make a world of difference for the atmosphere of the room.

bedroom design in the style of Scandinavian minimalism — INMYROOM

Project of the week

Aged surfaces and walls in dark shades, an abundance of mirrors and hidden storage systems – together with Evgenia Lykasova we tell you how to effectively decorate a bedroom

To turn a standard rectangular room into a functional space, filled with light and air, the architect Evgenia Lykasova relied on minimalist furnishings and natural finishing materials. Only the essentials were placed in the bedroom: a comfortable bed, a work desk and a reading chair, and they also arranged a corner for playing music. Today we are talking about how to create a functional and cozy bedroom for a couple.

General information

Location: Moscow
House: P-44 series
Area: 18.9 square meters
Ceiling height: 2. 5 meters

Evgenia Lykasova - artist, architect. Graduated from art school specialty "painting", and then - the Faculty of Architecture Belarusian National Technical University. In my projects each time finds a solution to a unique puzzle, trying to harmoniously combine the functionality of the interior, the lifestyle of the owners and artistic solution of space.

Customer and wishes

Bedroom design project was developed for a young married couple. The owner is the head of the IT department, his wife is now on maternity leave with her young son. The guys are fond of frisbees and can boast of a large number of awards.

“The clients wanted a modern interior with lots of light. It was necessary to allocate space for work on a laptop, as well as a place for piano. It was important not to overload the space with details and leave only what is necessary for a comfortable stay,” says Evgenia.

Redevelopment

Global redevelopment was not needed: the room is an elongated rectangle with a balcony. The only change was that the doorway was slightly moved to make room for the synthesizer. We also designed a small decorative partition at the entrance to make the sleeping area more intimate and cozy.

Finish

“For finishing, I suggested using two types of coating: paint and decorative plaster. The dark blue wall attracts the most attention - this is how the name of the Depth room appeared (from English - depth). The second plaster creates the effect of an aged coating - a play of surfaces is obtained: smooth paint, mirrors, wood and aged walls. What else is unusual about this interior? There are a lot of floor-to-ceiling mirrors here - they help to expand the space and fill it with light,” says the architect.

Storage

B The room has a spacious wardrobe from floor to ceiling - it is enough to store clothes and personal belongings. A narrow cabinet with sliding doors was designed specifically for the medals. The storage system at the table deserves special attention: shelves are hidden behind the sliding facade on one side, and a cabinet with a mirrored door and lighting on the other.

Light

Spotlights built into the ceiling are responsible for the general light in the bedroom. We also provided LED lighting - its soft warm light creates a cozy atmosphere in the room. Not without lamps on the sides of the bed: on the one hand, this is a sconce fixed on a bookshelf, on the other, a spectacular Mobile lamp Chandelier Collection. A floor lamp was placed next to the armchair for comfortable reading, and two directional sconces above the synthesizer will make music lessons even more pleasant.

Color

“I opted for white: it enlarges the space and makes it brighter. To make the room visually wider, one of the walls was painted in dark blue - that's where the accent appeared. Other shades complement and support the main ones: dark wood, ocher textiles and graphic black metal the elements fit here perfectly,” says Evgenia.

Sold

Bed FORLI

Dimensions:

Width

198 cm

Height

139 cm

Depth

220 cm

Furniture

There is not much furniture in the room, only the most basic: a large bed, a bedside table, a work desk and an armchair for reading and relaxing. Storage systems are hidden to the maximum so as not to draw attention to themselves. The rest of the furniture adds texture to the atmosphere, makes the interior more interesting - here is the lattice metal Vitra chair and leather chair and glass table.

Decor

Decor there is no room in the room - its role was taken over by textiles. A knitted plaid, a matting carpet, a fur rug on a chair dilute the strict lines of the furniture and make the interior more comfortable. It should be noted that all materials are natural - no synthetics.

Style

This bedroom is a great example of Scandinavian minimalism. Nothing superfluous, everything is as functional as possible and ergonomic - this is how a place for good rest should be.

Timing

Repair will take 2-3 months.

Planning

Tips for InMyRoom readers:

how to create a similar interior

1. Think carefully about the functionality of the room, discard unnecessary furniture and things. Fill the space with only those items that you will use.

2. Take a closer look at the transforming furniture. It will help save space and place the really necessary thing.

3. Prefer natural shades and textures. If you use a lot of fabrics in your design, be sure to check the composition - no synthetics.

Additional information: brands presented in the project

Furniture: chair, Vitra, model DKW; coffee table, IKEA; armchair, BKF

Lighting: sconce by the bed, Mobile Chandelier Collection; sconce synthesizer, Nowodvorski; table lamp, BoConcept Curious; floor lamp, IKEA

Create a similar interior with products from our catalog:


Sold

Chest of drawers

Dimensions:

Width

53 cm

Height

62 cm

depth

45 cm

sold

BRA EVO

Dimensions:

Shirina

5 cm

Height

40 cm

9000

sold

Table

Dimensions:

Width

77 cm

Height

40 cm

depth

76 cm

10 budget ideas of photographic lighting

In the work of a photographer, it is useful to have in the arsenal of various devices for organizing the right lighting. You can buy them in the store, but sometimes you can make your own.

In this article, you'll learn some simple and inexpensive tricks for making homemade light modifiers. To do this, you will need items that you most likely already have at home or can be found in the nearest hardware store.

A photographic baffle is used to hold it over the camera and bounce light from the flash to give softer lighting when shooting.

You can make a photo screen with your own hands. To do this, you will need a piece of cardboard, aluminum cooking foil, stationery glue, a couple of clothespins, a piece of thick wire (for example, a dry-cleaner's hanger), duct tape, a screw from a tripod or adapter to screw this whole structure to the camera.

Ring flashes provide good light with fewer shadows because the light source is closest to the optical axis of the lens, but they can be expensive. How to turn your regular flash into a ring flash?

Try making this fixture yourself. You will need 2 plastic bowls of suitable diameters, a piece of plumbing pipe about 5 cm long and 8 cm in diameter, aluminum foil, a pen, duct tape, a clerical knife, glue.

You can find various homemade softboxes on the Internet. Most of them are made from cardboard, wire, fabric, or other random items. Many of them do not look strong and reliable enough for repeated use. However, in case of emergency, a softbox can be made from white cardboard, wire and tape for fastening.

The soft reflector (or beauty dish) is a very popular light modifier. It gives a very soft light, which is especially good for portraits. You can save on buying this device and make a reflector out of a large metal bowl from the hardware store and some fasteners.

Who would have thought that conical pastry cream nozzles could be great for light beam modification when setting up small objects! Such nozzles have various shapes - flat, rounded, with different diameters and different cloves. When using these culinary tools, attached to a flashlight, interesting light beam transformation effects are obtained.

In the photo below you can see the result of using a flashlight and a narrow oval pastry nozzle to create a spot of light in the background. This photo of an antique ring was taken in a simple studio, without the typical white background. The textured black background here adds a special vibe.

In addition, a white card-screen with a hole for the lens was used to direct the light onto the subject. The result is a beautiful diffuser, which is great for close-ups.

These plastic balls are one of the cheapest solutions for light modification when shooting. The material they are made of is translucent, allowing light to pass through and diffuse. The beads will soften harsh flash light and help you avoid harsh shadows.

How to use them: make a cross cut on the side of the balloon with a utility knife, peel back the petals and put the balloon on the flashlight. Here is the finished little diffuser. With this DIY diffuser, you can create a backlit effect with soft shadows on the front of the object.

Balloons

Party balloons are a great option for creating a light box effect. By changing the size of the inflated balloon, you can control the light effect it creates.

Balloon converts the small beam of light from your flashlight into a large soft light source. Such light can cover quite a decent area and even be used for a portrait image, provided that the model remains in place, as in the next photo. But keep in mind that you will need a long exposure due to the weak light output of the flashlight.

This shoot used a flashlight with a large inflated white balloon attached to it.

Placing the balloon on top left of the model created soft shadows on the nose and under the chin. This is a great photo portrait, and on closer inspection you can see the highlights in the model's eyes.

To create a simple light brush, cut a fiber optic from the top of a cheap heart-shaped desk lamp, attach the bundle to the flashlight with black tape.

Now you have a light brush and you can use it to create many different lighting effects. Very interesting light abstractions can be obtained when shooting at slow shutter speeds in a dark room.

You may have photographs similar to those taken by Man Ray at 1930s.

In the top photo, such an interesting effect was obtained by slowly moving a flashlight with an optical fiber bundle, here a 10-second exposure was set. The white balance on the camera was set to "tungsten", hence the blue light effect.

This kids toy Star Wars lightsaber is actually a great photography tool.

Take it apart, glue the plastic rod to the flashlight. Get a lightsaber worthy of a real Jedi! The plastic rod allows light to pass over a wider area, which is good when using long exposures. "Jedi Sword" works great when shooting reflective objects, such as a shiny metal chain. It creates soft highlights on metal without shiny bright dots.

This photo was also shot with a white map screen on the left side of the subject, which helped create a more even reflection. As you can see, the texture of the stone and water drops are accentuated here.

In order to get color effects, photographers can use colored gels by placing them in front of a light source.

Colored clear cellophane is certainly no match for real color gels when it comes to color reproduction. However, it is a great low cost option to use with flashlights as a light source. The device is simple to make - place a couple of sheets of cellophane in a plastic bottle and insert a flashlight into the neck.

To create a colored light effect, place this flashlight bottle over your subject and move it slightly back to create a shadow effect.

Learn more