Start by Assessing the Space
Choosing light fixtures for your living room can be an afterthought. It's easy to stick with whatever fixture is already in the room and design your living room around the lights. But your living room lighting plan should be an integral part of your design.
Just ask DIY expert and host of The Weekender, Monica Mangin. “Don’t forget about lighting when you are styling your spaces,” she advises. “Lighting can impact the feel that a room has in a really big way.”
A great place to start is assessing the space. Consider things like: How much natural light does the room get? What do I use this space for? and How do I want the room to feel? The answers to these questions will help you decide how much lighting the room needs.
Once you’ve got a general idea about your lighting needs, it’s time to get to work. Just look what a big difference lighting made in this living room:
After
Before
Choose Ceiling Lights That Complement the Room
Make note of any architectural details in the room. This includes things like crown moulding, ceiling casing, and beams. In a room like this with high ceilings and exposed wood beams, it can feel like adding ceiling lights would make the space look too busy. However, Monica insists that adding ceiling lights in here isn’t competing with the beams and the vaulted ceilings, it’s actually helping to accentuate them.
These pendant lights have the same tones as the wood beams, which ties the two elements together. The woven rattan fiber complements the rustic texture on the walls and ceiling. Rooms with vaulted ceilings can feel like a big box, but the hanging pendant lights prevent that from happening. “As soon as you walk in, your eye is going to go up, you’re going to see the light but they’re also going to do something else,” says Monica. “They’re going to bring the ceiling down a little bit so it gives it more of a cozy feeling.”
If your living room has lower ceilings, you can still get the same look with flush and semi-flush mount options.
Warm up the Room with a Table Lamp
Place a table lamp near the main seating in your living room since this is where your guests will likely congregate. Create layers of light in your living room to provide an intimate cozy atmosphere, ideal for entertaining.
The style of lamp you choose will also help define the style of the space. If you’re going for an eclectic bohemian vibe, grab a lamp with a neutral shade and a textured base resembling vintage pottery. For a sleeker, modern space, try a lamp with a clear glass base and gold accents.
Make sure the lamp coordinates with your overhead lights to ensure there’s a cohesive flow between the two. An easy way to do that is by paying attention to the color of the lamp shade. Keep all the colors in the same family to give your space visual balance. The goal is to enhance the space with each element instead of having one that commands all the attention.
Have Fun with Accent Lighting
Create a reading area in your living room with the help of an accent light. Since it’s not your main source of light, this is the perfect opportunity to choose a light fixture that’s a bit edgier than the others in the room.
Again, lights should coordinate with each other. The texture and design can be different, but keep the hardware the same color. This will give your living room a polished, streamlined look.
If your living room is bright and colorful, keep your light fixtures neutral to create a sense of balance. On the other hand, if your home is full of sleek neutrals, try something with color to add personality.
Create Ambience with a Floor Lamp
If your living room doesn’t get much natural light, you’ll need multiple sources of light to brighten it up. But what about when the sun goes down? When you have company over in the evenings, you may not want to turn on your overhead lights. The bright light coming from your pendant lights can cause the room below to look washed out.
Instead, add a tall floor lamp in the corner of the room. The lamp’s diffused, ambient lighting will make the space feel cozy and welcoming. A floor lamp with multiple bulbs will distribute the light evenly around the living room, while a lamp with a single bulb will keep the light contained to a single area. Just make sure either the color of the lamp shade or the hardware coordinates with the other fixtures in the room to maintain design cohesion.
The lighting in your living room should enhance the look and feel of your space as well as add functionality. Making deliberate decisions on the style and location of light fixtures will help you create a lighting plan that will take your living room design to the next level.