The living room is generally the largest room in the house, a centre of activity where a variety of activities take place day and night. Making sure your living room is properly and beautifully lit for family gatherings, entertainment, relaxation, reading, watching TV or films and all the other activities that take place in this central part of your home is more complicated than putting a dimmer switch on a ceiling light and calling it a day.
A well-lit living room should ideally have layered lighting that illuminates all four corners to create balance and a pleasant atmosphere. This can be a mix of ambient, accent and task lighting – chandeliers, wall sconces, table lamps, floor lamps, recessed lighting and even candlelight – to light the room according to mood and need. The variation in lighting varies compared to lighting within a bedroom . Here are some bright ideas to help inspire your living room lighting.
1) Oversized statement Light
For this warm, modern living room, Laura Umansky of Houston-based Laura U Interior Design chose an oversized arched floor lamp with a striking, slender silhouette that provides ample but diffused ambient light.
And it’s just as beautiful when it’s not lit. Whether you choose a design classic like a mid-century Arco floor lamp or an affordable Scandi-style tripod lamp, use the surplus real estate you’re likely to have in the living room to treat lighting as a piece of furniture as well as a source of light.
2) Moroccan lantern
You don’t have to have a Moroccan-style interior to incorporate a dreamy perforated metal Moroccan lantern into your living room. Polish interior designer Mirka McNeill hung a Moroccan lantern in the living room of her London home, which adds a touch of whimsy to the eclectic decor and casts magical shadows when lit in the centre of the room.
3) A wall lamp that doubles as art
If you use your living room primarily for Netflix and relaxing, why not use the space above your sofa to install a dramatic wall lamp like the Eclipse Wall Light by Tilen Sepič for Bazar Noir, as seen in this living room design by Pamono.
It’s the kind of functional wall art and decoration that can start a conversation, set the mood and works particularly well in a minimal space.
4) The old and the new
An antique chandelier or period sconces can warm up a contemporary living room, and contemporary lighting can make a room with a historic backbone feel modern.
In this charming London period house, interior designer Charles Mellersh chose warm, contemporary lighting like Michael Anastassiades’ polished brass Ball Light Wall Brackets hung either side of the fireplace instead of the formal sconces you might expect to give the classic room a timeless appeal.
Additional lighting comprising a ceiling light and a brass floor lamp allows you to use different shapes while maintaining a sense of harmony.
5) Colourful light
This saturated raspberry pink living room by Lisa Gilmore Design is made all the more atmospheric in the evening by a pair of similarly toned wall lights.
Placed directly over the seating area, they provide a flattering soft, indirect light and add depth to the wall colour without looking too busy, so the focus remains on the wall colour and the art.
6) Sculptural lighting
The classic proportions and bones of this living room are given a contemporary update with sculptural LED lighting suspended from the centre of the ceiling. Glowing globe floor lamps by Michael Annastassiades spread evenly across the room balance the light and create a warm, radiant presence that makes the room feel welcoming.
7) Perfectly matched
When choosing lighting for either side of a sofa, there’s no need to limit yourself to matching table lamps. In this living room, a table lamp on one side and a low chandelier on the other create balance without being twins. The brass finishes on both lights, as well as the coffee table, keep the whole ensemble in harmony.
8) Transparent lighting
If your living room has giant windows, consider choosing lights that don’t interfere with daylight, such as a classic crystal chandelier. For a more airy, streamlined look, try table lamps in clear glass or plastic, such as Kartell’s Bourgie lamp or Fatboy’s Transloetje lamp, which comes in several shades of tinted clear glass.
9) Integrated lighting
To add warmth to a contemporary space, integrated or LED strip lighting can be used to highlight a coffered ceiling, illuminate the underside of a console to give it leverage or backlight open shelves to showcase decorative objects or books. Be sure to add an interesting light fixture or two to keep the room welcoming and add sculptural interest.
10) Highlight existing architecture
Polish interior designer Mirka McNeill used a mix of lighting styles in this Warsaw flat living room, including an antique French chandelier and a mid-century Arco lamp. She highlighted the room’s intricate period mouldings with a subtle strip of LED lights that draw attention to the space’s architectural history while giving it a contemporary feel.
11) Candlelight
Candlelight is the perfect feel-good light source, and adds a finishing layer to any lighting scheme that will make the atmosphere of your living room even more cosy and welcoming. Mix candlesticks of different styles and materials to add warmth to a contemporary space.
12) The fireplace as a focal point
Nothing is more welcoming than the warm glow of a fire, but those lucky enough to have a fireplace should have a back-up plan in case of hot weather, as an empty fireplace can end up making the room feel cold.
In this living room, a ceiling light with warm-coloured bulbs is complemented by wall sconces hung throughout the room to give an even glow and complement the warm wood accents. And of course, you can always fill your fireplace with eco-friendly LED candles with convincing flickering flames.