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Lighting design for living room


16 Best Living Room Lighting Ideas

Bright Ideas

Find inspiration for your home with these living room lighting ideas. From standing lamps to chandeliers, find a light that fits your style

What’s the point of having a beautifully designed space if you’re sitting in the dark? Lighting is one of the essential elements of a room and can impact how everything else—from the wall color to the art to the rug—looks. That’s why it’s important to plan your lighting design early and consider all the sources of light you’ll need, whether it's wall lights over the sofa for reading or an eye-catching chandelier that illuminates the whole room. If you’re ready to take your lighting to the next level, discover these genius living room lighting ideas that are sure to make your space brighter and more beautiful.

Focus on the Mix

A successful lighting design combines a number of light sources at different levels of the room. Add layers of light from a number of types of fixtures that can be used together or separately for a flexible space.

Find the Perfect Pair

Double your lighting pleasure with twin pendant lights. Hang matching pendant lights above your dining table to give the space a sense of balance and symmetry.

This Historic Pied-a-Terre Gets a Modern Twist With Joyful Pastels. Photo by Richard Chivers. 

Try Sculptural Sconces

Wall lights or sconces are a great way to add interest to an empty wall or frame the sofa or a work of art. They’re also ideal for small spaces and help free up floor or table space. Try a pair of colorful or sculptural sconces that will draw the eye and illuminate the space, or go for a solo light for a minimalist look.

Add a Centerpiece

Whether you go for a romantic chandelier or a modern pendant, a striking light fixture can complete a living room. Use the piece to brighten the seating area and create a focal point. Install a dimmer switch to be able to switch up the atmosphere and set the mood.

Fashion Insider Marina Larroudé’s Playful New York City Townhouse. Photo by Brooke Holm. 

Add a Pop of Color

If your space is lacking a certain something, add a colorful lamp for an eclectic vibe.

Make It Art

Why have to settle for form or function? Get both by opting for a lamp that looks more like a piece of art than a light source.

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In a Former Italian Restaurant, Sophie Lou Jacobsen Crafted an Eclectic Apartment. Photo by William Geddes.

Don't Overlook Overhead Sources

If your room is large or lacking in natural light, a single ceiling fixture may not be enough. Consider using multiple overhead lights, such as recessed lighting paired with a pendant.

5 Design Ideas to Steal From the Ruby Street in Los Angeles. Photo by  Cándida Wohlgemuth.

Brighten the Mantel

If you’re lucky enough to have a fireplace in your living room, don’t leave it in the dark! Highlight the architectural feature by installing sconces or adding a pair of small lamps or candles to your mantel display.

Ethan Cook’s Home Is Just as Vibrant as His Artwork. Photo by Max Burkhalter

Choose a Lamp With Reach

If you don't have a ceiling fixture, consider a floor lamp that curves over the space. The piece will add light from above without the need to call an electrician.

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Illuminate a Corner

A lonely armchair instantly becomes a cozy reading nook when you add a floor lamp. Take advantage of an empty corner and create a calm spot that’s perfect for curling up with a best-seller.

This Treetop Retreat Is a Modern-Design Lover's Dream. Photo by Tim Hirschmann.

Go for an Oversize Look

Make sure you get the most bang for your buck by hanging an oversize pendant light in your space. Never worry about not having enough light again.

Shop and Stay at This 18th-Century Jewel in Copenhagen. Photo by Wichmann + Bendtsen. 

Opt for a Low-Hanging Light

Take advantage of your high ceilings (or even low ones) by dangling a low-hanging pendant light over your dining or kitchen table. This will add an unexpected layer to your space.

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Find a Balance of Old and New

Mix vintage finds with modern accents to bring your space to life. If you have a spare chandelier just hanging around…even better.

An Italianate Home in Nyack, New York, Full of Energy and Art. Photo by Max Burkhalter. 

Cast a Glow

We love a good glow here at Clever. You know what we also love? A colorful glow. Cast a mysterious glow around your space using colored light bulbs behind any mirror in your home.

Inside a Los Angeles Studio Paying Homage to the '80s. Photo by Tim Hirschmann. 

Bring On the LED

Remember that glow we were talking about? Meet its cousin, the LED light. While neon is definitely a popular LED trend, it is most definitely not the only option. Rather than overpowering your space with a harsh color, go for a white light that will add the perfect amount of cool-kid vibes.

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Don't Forget About Your Health

Hi, there! Here to remind you that certain lights can also be healing. Searching for some much needed R&R? Add a Himalayan salt lamp and enjoy all of its (apparent) air-purifying and mood-boosting vibes.

A Young Family Takes Over a Hippie’s Enchanting L.A. Home. Photo by Mikael Kennedy. 

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Living Room Lighting Ideas

Introduction

By

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel

Kristin Hohenadel is an interior design expert who has covered architecture, interiors, and decor trends for publications including the New York Times, Interior Design, Lonny, and the American and international editions of Elle Decor. She resides in Paris, France, and has traveled to over 30 countries, giving her a global perspective on home design.

Learn more about The Spruce's Editorial Process

Updated on 02/02/22

The Spruce / Michelle Becker

The living room is generally the largest room in the house, a hub of activity where a variety of activities take place day and night. Making sure that your living room is properly and beautifully lit for gathering with family, entertaining, relaxing, reading, watching TV or movies and all the other activities that take place in this central part of your home is more complicated than putting a dimmer on an overhead light and calling it a day.

A well-lit living room ideally should have layered lighting that illuminates all four corners to create balance and a pleasant atmosphere. It can include a mix of ambient, accent, and task lighting—chandeliers, wall sconces, table lamps, floor lamps, recessed lighting, and even candlelight—to illuminate the room for differing atmospheres and purposes. Here are some bright ideas to help inspire your living room lighting.

Lighting design of lighting: methods, norms, ideas

The beauty and comfort of the interior largely depends on its proper lighting. Any design project begins with the stage of choosing lighting fixtures and working out their location, since it will be difficult to correct these details during the process of decorating an apartment.

The concept of "light design" is much more complex and multifaceted than it might seem at first glance. He should put in a favorable light the dignity of the room and hide its shortcomings, make it cozy and comfortable, emphasize the individuality of the owner. nine0003

Lighting design is usually divided into three components, each of which plays a special role in creating a stylish and harmonious interior lighting.

Usually a competent project includes all three elements, because only their skillful combination can create an interesting and stylish interior.

Beautiful design depends a lot on lighting

Think carefully about lighting design

Use light to highlight or hide interior elements

Contents

What is lighting like

There are several types of lighting, each of which has its own functions and implementation rules:

View

Function

Requirement

Background

Complex space lighting, background creation

Maximum coverage, minimum shadows

Local

Highlights details

Suitable light spectrum

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Working

Spot lighting for areas where light is most needed

Optimal light for human perception

Decorative

Aesthetic

Harmless

Backlight

Makes what is happening in the room inaccessible to prying eyes

Must be opaque on the outside

Properly selected lighting can change the interior beyond recognition

There are several types of lighting

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Effect of lighting on the emotional state

Not only the appearance of your apartment depends on the choice of fixtures, but also the mental and emotional state of its inhabitants. Scientists have found that the lighting that affects us has many properties that can be both beneficial and harmful. nine0003

Blue light to help you relax

Each color has its own influence on a person

Lighting can affect emotional state

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How to regulate natural light

When passing through glass and reflecting off mirrors, natural light becomes too hard and harsh. You can smooth out this light effect with the help of translucent and openwork barriers - tulle and organza. By diffusing light, they make natural lighting smooth and comfortable.

Another way to control the amount of light coming from windows is with vertical blinds. They make it less rigid, and at a certain turn they give it the necessary direction. With their help, the level of illumination of the room is regulated with just a few hand movements. nine0003

Light can highlight the desired items in the interior

In some cases natural light can be dispensed with

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Principles of artificial lighting

The illumination of any space is subject to many sanitary and hygienic requirements defined by various GOSTs and standards. You can study them for a long time and hard, but it will be more convenient to get acquainted only with the most important of them. nine0003

nine0065

1.0

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Not regulated

Indicators

Bedrooms and living rooms

Kitchens and dining rooms

Gyms

Children's rooms

Offices

Hallways

Toilets

Bathrooms

Pools

Illumination, lx

150

150

150

200

300

50

50

100

100

KEO

0. 5

0.5

0.5

0.7

Not regulated

Not regulated

Not regulated

0.5

UGR

0

0

60

0

0

0

Not regulated

60

All values ​​in this table are only the necessary minimum, no standards establish upper limit values.

Not every reader is familiar with the concepts of KEO and UGR. Let's try to figure out what it is and how they differ from each other.

In the bedroom you can do without strong light sources. A few lamps will suffice

nine0018 Lighting should be selected individually for each design

There are certain rules for lighting different rooms

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KEO

Daylight ratio is the ratio of daylight to total light. The parameter determines the proportion of natural light entering the space of the room. Let's take a simple example.

Suppose we measured the illumination in the middle of the living room, and it was 300 lux. Let's go out to the open balcony adjacent to this room, and measure the level of illumination there. Let's say it was 500 lux. Then KEO will be calculated as 300/500=0.6. Comparing this indicator with the table value, we conclude that the light corresponds to the norm. nine0003

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UGR

The Discomfort Coefficient is defined by international standards and serves as a measure of light hardness. It is measured in the range from 1 to 100 and is determined by the polarization, coherence and spectrum of the light flux.

In simple terms, this value indicates how soft and favorable the light in the room is for the human eye.

Lighting can highlight some items in the interior

If there is a lot of natural light in the room, you can do with the chandelier

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Basic Rules

Having dealt with the norms, it is worth talking about the basic rules that are no longer responsible for the absence of harm to human health, but for the harmonious aesthetic design of the interior.

  1. Lighting design must necessarily be coordinated with the color of the interior.

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  2. The flow of light visually stretches the room, lengthening it in the direction of its direction.

  3. Light rooms illuminate evenly, made in dark colors - each zone separately.

  4. In the work area, the ideal light is white.

  5. Light objects are best illuminated with colored light, and for bright details choose bright local lighting.

  6. Saturated shadows and lack of light in certain areas are best avoided. nine0003

The flow of light visually stretches the room, extending it in the direction of its direction

In the bedroom you can get by with a chandelier and a few lamps

The lighting solution must be combined with the interior of the room

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The most common type of lamps, which is used in the interior of any room and style - suspended and ceiling chandeliers. They use different types of lamps, they differ in style and design, but the most important parameter when choosing is the material from which the chandelier is made. nine0003

Material

Pluses

Cons

Metal

Glass

  • Brittleness

Wood

  • Demanding care

  • Moisture resistance

  • Exposure to light

  • Short life

Crystal

  • High cost

  • Brittleness

Plastic

Textile

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  • Originality

  • Moderate price

Chandeliers definitely look quite stylish and play with the general stylistic idea of ​​the interior, creating an atmosphere of warmth and comfort around them, but they also have disadvantages:

Despite their beauty, they are very difficult to install and maintain

Chandeliers always look very stylish

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Pros and cons of lamps

The latest generation of luminaires, which is very popular - LED or led-luminaires. Their success in the market is due to the many advantages of such lighting:

Regarding the minuses of LED lighting, it is worth saying the following:

Luminaires can illuminate specific areas

LED lights

are very popular at the moment

Sometimes lamps are used as decorative elements

nine0018 See also How to make a staircase an interior decoration of your home

Street lighting

Outdoor lighting of the house is carried out for decorative, security or functional purposes.

It is customary to pay special attention to functional lighting in the project, since it is she who is responsible for safe movement in the yard. The main objects are garden paths, steps and porch, and the most popular solution is small lamps with short legs. They will perfectly fit into any landscape design and will not take up much space, and in the dark they will do their job perfectly. nine0003

A tip for the most economical homeowners is to use solar-powered lamps, their choice is just as huge.

Solar lights can be used to save money

Outdoor lighting of the house is for decorative, security or functional purposes

Decorative lighting is designed to highlight the most attractive details of your garden with light. It can be installed at a fountain, pond, recreation area or garden sculpture. nine0003

Properly organized interior lighting design can work real miracles, transforming the space, changing the direction of the flow of light and having a beneficial effect on the human psyche. The main thing in the pursuit of a stylish and modern interior design is to follow the rules of lighting and not forget about your own comfort and health.

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50 photos of interior lighting design ideas:

Lighting in the living room - 90 photos of original lighting solutions in the living room.

In creating the interior of the living room, an important place is occupied by the lighting of the room.

This helps to harmonize the design objects in the living room and highlight the sectors if you want to focus on them.

How to properly make the lighting in the living room, we will reveal in this topic. nine0003

Contents:

Organization of lighting

The main type of living room lighting, placing a large chandelier in the center. At the moment, there are many types of lighting arrangements available that allow you to make the design more subtle.

When choosing lighting for a room, it is important to consider the dimensions, if there is a lot of space, the ceilings are not low, then a large chandelier looks beautiful.

If the living room is small and the ceiling is low, then a recessed lamp or a small chandelier will look more harmonious. The element to which attention will be paid can be a floor lamp or a floor lamp. nine0003

You can combine a spacious living room and kitchen, then the space is divided into sectors, each needs its own light focus.

In creating light for the living room and kitchen, the largest luminaire looks best above the kitchen table.

In the recreation sector photo lighting in the living room and the place where the owner receives guests, it is important to organize beautiful lighting. A floor lamp will look elegant, which will be located near the sofa and built-in lamps. nine0003

Lighting the ceiling in the living room is not difficult if you take into account some points. For example, if the ceiling is of an architectural type and multi-stage, then it is important to make the lighting right.

Each lighting segment will have its own level. You can make the lighting multifunctional to create a certain mood in the living room.

The central chandelier will be needed for a working mood, and the side light will create an atmosphere of comfort or a romantic evening. nine0003

Modern living room lighting allows you to make the room beautiful, it has become fashionable to place illuminated paintings in the living room, which used to be seen in art galleries.

This type of lighting allows you to make the space of the room more elegant in style, photographs and beautiful things can become an interior decoration.

To properly illuminate the living room, there are surface-mounted lamps that can be of different colors and contrasts. nine0003

Luminaire options

Table lamps look good, it helps to concentrate on the selected design element. If there is a beautiful lampshade, then the interior will become more original. You can mount symmetrical lamps in a table for magazines or a dressing table.

The floor lamp is an important element for the living room. It harmoniously looks next to the sofa. The intense light of a floor lamp will help highlight the recreation sector or workplace.

If you need to highlight a certain area, then it is better to use a sconce. Sconces are made on the walls, thus making a light focus.

Pendant lamps will be a worthy alternative to a chandelier. Lamps are mounted on the ceiling space, a lot of design ideas help well in creating a modern harmonious style of the room.

Lighting options for the living room, taking into account the style of the room.

In a classic living room, a crystal chandelier or multi-level options would be a good option. Lamps - candles, a floor lamp with a beautiful lampshade, will also be appropriate. nine0003

If the living room is in high-tech style, polygonal chandeliers are recommended. There may be glass, plastic or metal parts.

Fusion type chandeliers, harmonious in an elector style living room.

Gothic living rooms will improve chandeliers with wrought iron decorations, not very light colors. On the sides you can make lamps - candles.

For a Provence-style living room, a chandelier made of horns is suitable; sconces can be a wonderful addition, making the design of the room light and ephemeral.

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