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Living room lighting and lounge lighting design are crucial to the overall atmosphere and functionality of a space. In order to have a more relaxing and enjoyable lounge area, you will need to think about how you plan to light it.
We will share some lounge lighting ideas to assist you in creating ambience with lounge lighting.
The Basics of Lighting a Lounge Area
Much like any other room in the house, lounge and living room lighting design revolves around layered lighting schemes. This means that you will need ambient, accent and task lighting to create a balanced look.
Ambient light refers to the general illumination. Most often, this comes in the form of living room ceiling lights, though it can also be achieved through wall sconces for living room spaces.
When it comes to task lighting, you’ll need lights designed specifically for activities such as reading and using your laptop. Accent lighting can be achieved by the use of lounge wall lights to create an atmosphere in your space. Lounge wall lights can also be used to create focal points and show off unique features.
How To Create a Lighting Plan for Living Room Lights
Below are some tips to creating your living room lighting plan:
- PLAN AHEAD. When you’re first starting out executing your living room lighting ideas, you will want to think about everything you plan to do in the living room. This includes activities like working, doing homework, reading, watching movies or using the computer. You will then want to think about any architectural or decorative features in the room that you wish to highlight.
- MAP A FLOOR PLAN. After considering the above, sketch out a floor plan and decide where you want each kind of light to be. This can include where you want the living room wall lights placed as well as any floor or table lamps.
- CONSIDER WHAT BULBS YOU WANT TO USE. LED bulbs are becoming more and more popular as the years go on and for good reason. There are many LED bulb options out there that will allow you to determine the colour temperature and lumen levels you prefer, so start thinking about that as well.
- DECIDE ON STYLE. Living room light fixtures should match the general style and aesthetic of the rest of the living room. Think about shape, colour and material when selecting lights.
- INDICATE YOUR LAYERS OF LIGHTING. Think about the ambient, accent and task lights you want to use for which purpose as well as how you want to incorporate them. Jot it down on your floor map.
- THINK ABOUT DIMMER SWITCHES. Dimmable lights can give you control over the brightness in the room at any given point. This can help you create a more atmospheric look and feel.
Different Lighting effects in a Living Room
Light Layers
Layering lighting is important in your living room. This is especially important, as a lounge or living room can serve more than one purpose. Effect lighting, accent lighting, task lighting, ambient lighting–all of these should be taken into consideration when creating living room lighting.
Task Lighting
Great for reading, working on your laptop and more, task lighting is an important feature of your living space. Living room wall lights, floor lamps, table lamps and others positioned near seating areas can accomplish this goal. Lounge room wall lighting can also serve as dedicated LED wall reading lights when sitting areas are close to the walls.
Ambient Lighting
In your sitting room lighting plan, ambient lighting is most important. Ambient lights shine illumination over a large section of space at once. Living room ceiling lights such as LED downlights should be used here. Think recessed lighting, surface mounted lighting and other kinds of ceiling downlights, such as pendant lighting for this task.
Accent Lighting
Designed to show off certain features in a room, accent lighting is generally used to accent focal points. LED lighting such as spotlights, up and down lights and wall washing sitting room wall lights are excellent for this effect. If you choose the right kind, even LED recessed ceiling lights can serve as accent lighting, such as spotlights shining from above onto art or an architectural feature.
Natural Light
Do your best to let as much natural light into the room as you can during the day. If your room is naturally dark, you can add sconces and pendant lights to brighten it up.
High and Low Ceilings
Use recessed lighting in low ceilings to keep the room from feeling crowded. High ceilings, on the other hand, can benefit from large or even oversized pendant lights to make use of all of that vertical space.
Consider Dimmable Lights
Choosing LED lights with a dimming feature can allow you to enjoy various levels of lights during different times of the day. This can make a huge difference when it comes to the overall look and feel of your lounge lighting.
How To Make a Fireplace a Focal Point of a Living Room
When designing your interior space, having a focal point is an important step. A focal point can set the mood of the space, so choosing the right one is crucial. Many people like to use a fireplace to accomplish this goal.
Fireplaces are definitely a natural sort of focal point, which makes the job easy. You can arrange the furniture around the fireplace to have it focus on the area. The size, location and design of the fireplace should be what influences the rest of the furniture in the room.
Lower the emphasis on other furnishings and accessories in the room by choosing simple colours and styles. Then, you can dress the fireplace up by accenting it using colours that set it apart from other aspects of the room. The wall with the fireplace can become an accent wall with a quick coat of contrasting, colourful paint.
You can showcase the fireplace using certain kinds of light, such as recessed lighting, track lighting and dimmable lights that shine onto and around the fireplace. Lighting can easily direct the eye to the focal point. Add to the glow using table lamps, candles and various reflective surfaces.
You can upgrade the fireplace itself by adding to the mantel size. You could also update the hearth to make it more eye catching. Adding sculptures and other art to the mantel can also draw attention to the space. Decorative mirrors are another easy way to draw the eye.
How To Give a Living Room Without a Fireplace a Focal Point
Though fireplaces are the most common focal point, you can create your own without a fireplace in sight.
- Create a fake fireplace using a faux firebox if you absolutely must have the fireplace look.
- Add panelling to the room to creating a wood accent wall behind the sofa, where the television is mounted or anywhere else that needs some texture and pattern.
- Create a gallery wall by hanging artwork behind the sofa or above an area with a desk.
- Use furniture that is large and eye catching to serve as the focal point.
- Add dramatic LED lights to the room such as a large pendant light to create the accent point.
- Create an accent wall either with a unique colour or texture or by displaying a mural.
- Add a unique design to the whole ceiling or just a section of it to draw attention upward.
- If you have a staircase in the room, paint it a bold colour or otherwise update it to stand out as a part of the décor.
- Use storage to your advantage by installing eye-catching built-ins to create the focal point.
Ideas on the Best Lounge Room Furniture
Below are some key pieces of furniture you should consider for your home:
- Sectionals and sofas. Since sofas are the biggest ticket furnishing in the living room, you should choose a sofa or sectional first and then arrange the rest of the furniture around it. Choose a sectional if you have a large family or often find yourself entertaining guests. A smaller sofa or loveseat may be better if you live alone or with one other person.
- Accent chairs and recliners. Additional seating in the form of accent chairs and recliners can make the room feel cosy. It can also ensure your guests have a place to sit when visiting your home. An accent chair, if dramatic enough, can also even serve as the focal point in the room.
- Living room tables such as coffee tables and cocktail tables are important in spaces where you plan to entertain. If you want more storage, choose a lift-top coffee table for the job. You can also add side tables to display art or provide even more storage opportunities. End tables and accent tables can create a feeling of continuity in the space.
- Media consoles and TV stands. These types of furnishings are important if you don’t want your TV area to look cluttered. Choose a media center that matches the aesthetic of your space and has enough room for your TV, video game consoles and remotes.
- Living room lighting. Choose fixtures such as floor lamps, pendant lights and wall lights to begin filling out your room with illumination and style. If you have tall ceilings and a lot of vertical space, use dramatic pendant lights as a focal point to your advantage.
- Area rugs. Warm up a cold wood or concrete floor with large area rugs. These can be used as focal points if done right. The size of a rug or rugs may need to be decided based upon the room itself or the furniture, but you are free to choose any colour or pattern that suits the aesthetic.
Are Feature Walls Still in Vogue for Living Rooms?
Feature walls are still an important part of living spaces and are still quite popular. When deciding on the accent walls for your space, it is important that you take a few things into account.
- Choose the right colour. Look for a colour that is going to contrast and offset the rest of the room. Many people choose a bold colour for this endeavor. To get ideas for what colours to choose from, look at the colour wheel to find complementary but still opposite colours.
- Play with patterns. Using stripes, artwork and other designs, you can make your accent wall pop to life in more than just a colourful way.
- Use a mural or wallpaper. This can update a boring lounge space and create a focal point that will start conversations.
- Create an accent wall. Make the accent wall the wall that the furniture faces to get the most out of it. You don’t want to have your back to the wall you’ve worked so hard to draw attention to.
- Use a plain wall. Choose a solid wall with no interruptions like doors, windows or built-in storage. This will make the colour of the wall stand out.
- Decorative frames. Use decorative frames to house various art prints and photos to create an accent wall with depth. Doing so will break up the monotony of a plain wall.
- Install a tapestry to give the accent wall more texture and intrigue.
- Have a bookshelf built into the wall and use your books as the accent wall area.
- Blend a feature wall into the next room. Allow the feature wall to bleed into other rooms, using cabinets or other furnishings that match the colour and pattern of the wall.
How Important Is Storage in a Lounge Room
Storage is important in a living space if you do not want to make it look cluttered. Storage can be incorporated into a lounge in many ways:
- Built-in shelving units
- Floating shelves on walls
- Bookcases that create an accent wall
- Built-in storage around a doorway
- Run deep drawers at floor level around the perimetre of the room
- Conceal a closet door by incorporating it into a wall mural or a wall art collage
- Build storage into furniture or choose a lift-top coffee table
- Paint the inside of shelves to add visual intrigue
- Turn your shelves into a feature of the room
- Turn an entire wall into a storage opportunity, such as with built-in bookcases
- Combine open and closed storage for a varied visual effect
Which Is Best, Blinds or Curtains in a Living Room?
At the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference. Still, there are benefits to choosing one or the other.
In a lounge, curtains have always been thought to be warmer and more inviting. There are a great many type of curtains for you to choose from today. You can play with colour, texture and patterning to make the curtains a part of the décor. Beyond that, they also serve the purpose of being energy saving. Curtains also allow you to layer different textures and create a more visually appealing space.
Blinds have a more classic look and tend to work well in chic living rooms. If you have an open-plan lounge or living room, wider blinds look better. Blinds of various materials also add unique texture to your space. If you like the modern look of blinds but love fabric curtains, you could always choose fabric blinds.
Ideas on How to Light a Small Living Room
It may feel intimidating to find living room lighting solutions for smaller spaces, since it has its own constraints. Lighting plays such an important role, especially in small rooms, especially when you consider that lights can trick the eye into making the room look larger than it is. Check out the tips below to see how to light your small living room more efficiently.
Take Advantage of Natural Light
Natural light provides an even spread of illumination that can make smaller rooms feel more open and spacious. By maximising natural light, you can allow in ample sunlight to brighten the space without the need to clutter it with too many light fixtures.
Space-Saving Lighting
Recessed ceiling lights provide a flush, slimline look that prevents the room from feeling overly cluttered. You can also install wall lights and ditch floor and table lamps that will otherwise take up precious space. Modern living room lighting with a low profile is therefore perfect for living rooms that have limited real estate to work with.
Layer the Lights
One of the biggest mistakes you can make in small rooms is relying too much on a single light source. This causes hotspots and glares and can make the already small room feel cramped besides.
When you layer living room task lighting, accent lighting and ambient lighting, you can produce a balanced, well-lit room. The versatility of having three layers of light allows you to operate them independently or all together depending on how much light you want at a given time.
Incorporate Reflective Surfaces
Reflective surfaces, like wall mirrors or even lights with chrome finishes, bounce light around the room. This is an efficient way to light a space while keeping the number of light fixtures present to a minimum.
Current Living Room Lighting Trends
Adhering to popular lounge lighting ideas and trends can keep your living space feeling fresh and updated throughout the years. Some of the trendiest design elements for living rooms include:
- MODERN MINIMALISM. Light fixtures with clean lines, gentle curves and matte finishes are ever-popular. Sleek, elegant silhouettes and simple designs provide illumination and aesthetic visuals alike while expressing the personality of your space. Opt for slimline recessed lights and chic pendants for best results.
- STATEMENT LIGHTS. Statement lights instantly add a focal point to your space while showing off its personality as well. Larger living rooms, especially those with high ceilings, benefit from statement pendant lights taking up all of that extra vertical space.
Smaller living rooms can incorporate sculptural or artistic lighting as well in the form of frosted glass or matte metal finishes. An easy addition to rooms of any size will always be brightly coloured lights.
- COSY AND WARM. Warmer, softer, more diffused illumination is growing in popularity. Compared to cooler lights that were popular a few years ago, warmer lights create a more inviting atmosphere to enjoy. They promote relaxation and intimacy and can make the home feel more welcoming all on their own.
- INDUSTRIAL LIGHTS. Wrought iron, exposed bulbs, metal cages and rustic finishes are super popular. Vintage inspired lights, such as Edison bulbs, bring a sense of urban charm to the space while also making it undeniably inviting and familiar.
Guidance on Lighting a Living Room with High Ceilings
LED lighting for living rooms of a considerable size may feel as tricky as lighting a small room. All of that space poses its own challenges, and you may feel the room swallows up any light fixtures you try to add. Below are a few tips on incorporating stylish lounge lighting into your large living space.
Large Scale Sculptural Fixtures
Now is the time to dive into oversized lighting. Choosing lights that are larger and more dramatic will help take up some of that vertical space, while creating visual intrigue. By ensuring the scale matches the size of the room, you won’t have to worry about the lights getting “lost” in your high ceilings.
Pendant Lights and Tiers
Provide direct illumination in the room while also making the most of the vertical space with large pendant light designs. This could come in the form of a single oversized pendant, or a cluster of smaller pendants arranged just so.
Vertical Uplighting
Use wall lights that shine along the length of the wall to draw the eye upwards to your beautiful high ceilings. Such lights take advantage of the room’s height and overall design to naturally enhance its appearance while providing indirect illumination.
How To Choose the Right Ceiling Lights for a Lounge
Ceiling lights for living room spaces will vary depending on your preferences. Here, you can start figuring out which ones will be right for your lounge.
- DETERMINE THE ILLUMINATION REQUIREMENTS – Figure out how much light you’re going to want the ceilings lights to provide. Ask yourself if they will be the main ambient lighting, or if you want to use them as accent lighting, for instance.
- NOTE THE CEILING HEIGHT AND ROOM SIZE – You will want to pick a light that complements the dimensions of the room. Larger fixtures look best in larger living rooms while smaller fixtures will stop the space from feeling cramped and cluttered.
- MATCH UP THE STYLE – Take note of the rest of the light fixtures you intend to include in the room and be sure the ceiling downlights match up with them. This includes materials, finishes and style.
- EXPLORE A VARIETY OF OPTIONS – Hanging pendant lights, recessed lights and surface mounted ceiling lights can be incorporated in different ways to enhance the look and feel of the living room.
How To Use Table and Floor Lamps in a Lounge
Lamps for living room spaces aren’t limited to lounge ceiling lights and wall lights. You can also incorporate table and floor lamps into the room to eliminate shadows.
You can place lamps:
- BEHIND THE SOFA – A floor lamp between the wall and sofa can create more depth while also making for excellent over-the-shoulder reading light.
- IN THE CORNER – Dark corners of the room that regular lounge light fittings can’t reach can be brightened up by floor lamps placed there instead.
- BY A DESK – Lounge lamps by a desk can provide task lighting in the area. This is especially helpful if the desk isn’t near a wall.
- IN BETWEEN FURNITURE – If you have gaps between accent chairs, a well-placed table lamp can draw the eye to it while providing more balanced illumination throughout the room.
- ON A SIDE TABLE – Having a table lamp on the side table beside the sofa or recliner will provide you with plenty of light to see by, no matter what you’re doing.
What is Smart Lighting And How do You Use it in a Living Room?
Smart lighting is light that is controlled by a system instead of manually and is an increasingly popular choice for living room lighting. You can use smart controls to customize the behavior of the lighting, making it incredibly convenient.
A few ways to incorporate smart living room lights include:
- Setting lights on a schedule to automatically turn on and off at dawn and dusk
- Putting lights on a timer to save money on energy
- Use smart lighting to customize brightness levels and colour temperature depending on your mood
- Integrate the lighting with voice-control technology to turn the lights on and off without ever getting up
Flooring Ideas for Your Living Room
Flooring preferences are just that–preferences. There are many different types of flooring you can choose.
- Hardwood flooring. Many modern homes benefit from the beauty of hardwood. There are many shades of wood colours to choose from, and certain stains can make a room seem darker or brighter. Hardwood flooring is also a way to make your home feel warmer and cosier.
- Vinyl flooring. Those on a budget who want total control of the appearance of the floor will benefit from vinyl. Vinyl is easy to install and comes in so many variations that the possibilities truly are endless. Rooms that get a lot of use such as living rooms will benefit from its durability as well.
- Laminate flooring. Durable and stain resistant, laminate mimics natural wooden floors and is similar to wood in appearance, but is much more livable due to its durability. Laminate flooring is thicker, making the room quieter.
- If you like traditional cosiness in a living room, opt for carpet. Soft carpeting with a deep pile can make your living space seem warmer and more inviting.
Overview – Common Living Room Lighting Mistakes
Mistake #1: Not Varying Your Light Sources
Having plenty of lighting in the living room is key. That doesn’t mean ambient light alone will be enough. You should not limit your lighting ideas for living room spaces to one type of light. Having multiple sources will allow you to pick and choose how much light you want at any given time.
For instance, having floor lamps, table lamps and wall lamps will allow you to turn them on independently for a more relaxing glow. Ambient overhead lights for living room areas will offer a brighter, more thorough spread of illumination throughout the entire space when you need it. Having a mix of lights will give you greater control over the environment instead of being forced to use a constant level of light all the time.
Mistake #2: Neglecting Natural Light
Natural lighting is a key element in the lighting design of any space. By maximising your natural light, you can make your living space feel larger, more open and more comfortable. Prioritise windows when designing your lighting scheme, planning daytime lights around how much light they let in through the day.
This is especially true for south facing front room lighting. This kind of room will get plenty of natural light throughout the day, so you’ll only need to supplement living room light fittings for the evening and night.
Natural light has been shown to boost mood, improve sleep quality, keep circadian rhythms in check and help you feel more alert during the day. Ensuring you have plenty of natural light during the day may therefore provide benefits not just to your living room, but your overall well being as well.
Mistake #3. Poor Colour Temperature Choice
Colour temperature is a metric that describes how warm or cool a given light is. Colour temperature exists on a spectrum of kelvin units ranging between 1,000K and 10,000K. The higher the kelvin count, the cooler the light will be. The lower the number, the warmer the lights.
In domestic settings, such as in the case of sitting room lighting, warm white light tends to work best. This style of light is easy on the eyes but not too dim. It promotes eye comfort and clear visibility all in one. Warm colours also promote feelings of cosiness and relaxation.
If you go above the range of 3000K to 3300K warm white light, you move into the territory of cooler temperatures. Cool colour temperatures can have the opposite effect, and make your living room feel too lively for nighttime relaxation.
That said, if you do want cool lights, just be sure you do not mix them with warm ones. This can cause an unsightly and abrasive clash in the appearance of your living room lights and overall design scheme. Stick to one or the other for best results.
Mistake #4: Limited Task Lighting
Living rooms and lounges are a place for relaxation and enjoyment of hobbies and light activity. Be sure you have enough task lighting to perform various activities comfortably, like reading, browsing the internet, drawing and other such tasks.
Task light fittings for living room areas come in different forms. Low hanging pendant lights, reading lights, floor lamps and table lamps are just a few of the ways you can provide ample task lighting to the space.
Mistake #5: Poor Positioning and Placement
The placement of your lighting for living room areas is just as important as the colour temperature and brightness of them. If you do not have them in an optimal position, you run the risk of glares or shadows.
In order to ensure even lighting, position lights at different heights. This will help you distribute the illumination more evenly throughout the room. Plenty of lights around the room, including modern indoor wall lights, will compensate for any dim spaces left behind by ambient light alone. To reduce glare, avoid placing lights behind a TV screen.
Mistake #6: Forgetting Accent Lights
Accent lights seem optional until you really consider just how much they can contribute to a space. Accent lights for lounge spaces can help you foster a pleasant, relaxing atmosphere in the room while also creating attractive focal points.
Wall washing lights, picture lights, up and downlighters and beyond are all good for the job. They can be used to draw attention to architectural features, accent walls, art and more. Using accent lights as the only light source at night can provide an atmospheric boost and serve as beautiful mood lighting.
Mistake #7: Not Adding Multiple Controls
If you don’t want all of your lights turned on at once, be sure you install and connect them to more than one switch. Connect the lights to various control switches so they can be turned on and off independently. This will allow you to enjoy the dim mood light of an accent or task light alone, or to shine plentiful ambient light around an entire room.
Similarly, consider getting dimmer switches installed. Being able to dim the lights will provide you greater control over light levels throughout the day and night, so you are always at your most comfortable. Just be sure you are choosing dimmable LED bulbs if you wish to put them on dimmers.
Mistake #8: Improper Placement of Table Lamps
One mistake that a person might not even think about is the improper use of table lamps. When placing a table lamp onto a coffee table, side table or other surface, it needs to be around the same height from the ground as any nearby floor lamps. Otherwise, it can cause an odd spread of illumination and be quite the eyesore.
Mistake #9: Not Enough Light in Large Spaces
The general rule for lighting is that the larger your space is, the more illumination you are going to need. For large rooms, especially those with vaulted or otherwise high ceilings, you need to make sure you are providing adequate living room light.
Begin with the ambient layer, adding in chandeliers, pendants, or recessed lights first. Then, move onto your decorative wall lighting, which should be installed more around eye-level. This will ensure light is moved through the entirety of the space, including vertically.
Mistake #10: Bad Proportions
With room sizes in mind, it is equally as important that you choose lights that are appropriately sized for your space. Larger rooms can look cavernous and swallow up smaller fixtures, for example, while small rooms can seem crowded if the fixtures are too big.
To avoid these issues, choose lights that work well with the size of your room. Opt for fixtures that provide plenty of light while also being well-suited to the visual aesthetics and dimensions of your living space as well.
Mistake #11: Not Layering Lights
Lounge lighting ideas will always include layered lighting for a reason. Layered lighting is the process of adding ambient, task and accent lights to a room. With layered lighting, you can be sure that the entire room is well-balanced and well-lit.
Ambient light simply refers to the main layer of illumination. When it comes to sitting room lights or lights for lounge spaces, you’ll be looking specifically at ceiling lights for living room areas. These include things such as chandeliers, pendants and recessed lighting.
Task lounge lights are designed to provide focused lighting for certain activities. Reading, working on your laptop and other such activities are made easier through the use of table lamps, floor lamps, spotlights and other such lounge light fittings.
Finally, accent lounge lighting will help give your living space mood and atmosphere. Picture lights, wall washing lights and other such decorative touches enhance the living space and make up the final layer of layered lighting schemes.
Lighting Ideas for the Lounge and Living Room
This Leon 8 Watt 250mm Wide Brushed Silver LED Wall Light is a good choice for task lighting, especially in small rooms. It is only 250 millimetres wide but shines a total of 800 lumens, so it remains quite bright. It is finished in a stylish, modern brushed aluminium that is durable and attractive in equal measure. This light shines a warm 3000k white colour temperature, perfect for reading and performing tasks.
If you’re aiming to create an accent wall, the LWA378 5 Watt White Interior LED Wall Light is a great choice. It is dramatic and artistic in and of itself with its unique appearance, which looks like folded paper. It also shines 430 lumens of 3000k warm white colour behind it onto the wall. The wall washing effect gives it an even more artistic appearance. The white hue makes it easy to incorporate onto any wall.
For accent lighting, choose the LWA243 Black 10 Watt LED Wall Light. This wall light is unique with its long post-style design that can be oriented either vertically or horizontally. It shines 1000 lumens of light back onto the wall itself, creating a wall washing effect. This modern light is finished in black and outputs 3000k warm white light for you to enjoy in any lounge space.
Create ambient light in a small lounge without making it feel smaller using the CSL024 5 Watt Square Recessed LED Downlight Fitting. The recessed light sinks into the wall and sits flush with its surface ensuring it doesn’t look bulky. Its sleek square shape makes it remarkably modern, and the different interior finishes give you control over its appearance.
Create a focal point in your lounge using the LBL283 6 Watt Round Modern LED Ceiling Light. This eye-catching light has a unique umbrella shape that will stand out in your lounge. Choose from black, white or cherry red to suit the overall aesthetic of the room. Since it outputs 300 lumens of light, more than one can be installed to create a focal point.
If you love recessed lights but your ceiling can’t accommodate them, try the LBL705 12 Watt Square Surface Mounted Anti Glare Downlight. This anti-glare downlight sits on the surface of the ceiling and shines light down in a similar way. Because the bulb is so deep inside the light, it won’t produce a glare when you look up at it. Instead, it pools light below that seems to come from nowhere, creating a dramatic and modern lighting effect.
Create ambient and task lighting beautifully with the LDC722 4 Watt 400 Lumen Recessed Anti Glare LED Downlight. This downlight is super modern with its rectangular shape and recessed design. It contains 2 bulbs deeply recessed into the fitting to prevent glare that shine a pool of light on the area below. The white finish makes it easy to install in light-coloured ceilings.