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Living Room

The living room lights that you choose play a massive role in the overall appearance and vibe of the space. LED living room lights come in a number of styles, colour temperatures and lumen counts, giving you a diverse selection to choose from. Ultra Beam Lighting provides a huge assortment of living room lighting to suit your specific home.

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How to Start Planning a Living Room Lighting Scheme

As you begin exploring different modern lighting trends to incorporate into your home, you will also need to plan the way in which you will be incorporating them. Planning is an important step of the process to ensure that your living room light fittings are placed precisely where they need to be to serve their intended purpose well.

The first thing you will need to do is consider the layout of the living room itself. It is recommended that you take measurements of the room, since this will come into play when choosing the size of the modern light fixtures you will choose for the room.

Determine the placement of the furniture and how the light will affect the seating areas. You should also determine whether the room will need task or accent lighting and where. 

Once you have designed a general layout, you can start thinking about the lights themselves. There are a variety of wall and ceiling lights for living room spaces that you can include in the room to suit your needs. 

From floor lamps to hanging ceiling lights to LED picture lighting, you can mix and match the various types to layer your lights and create a balanced effect. It may be beneficial to create a rough sketch of your living room including the dimensions, and mark down where you want to install the lights. This will give you a visual idea of the end result so that you can tweak the options before making any commitments.

Important Things to Consider with Living Room Lighting

Living room lighting is about much more than just providing illumination. The right lighting scheme can create beautiful mood lighting for relaxation. It can also serve to make the space more welcoming and comfortable for guests. 

This means that ceiling light fixtures aren’t the only ones you should be considering when shopping for living room lights. Wall lights for living room spaces are just as important, especially if you intend to layer the lights. Take note of things like material, shape and finish, and choose the light fixtures that fit with your existing colour scheme and decor style for the best results.

You should also consider the different lighting zones that your room may need to have. This includes seating areas, desks and workspaces. Plan the lighting around these areas according to the tasks you intend to complete there.

The specific elements of the lights are also crucial and cannot be overlooked. This refers to the bulbs themselves. LED bulbs come in many brightness levels and colour temperatures, letting you get specific with the type of light you use in the room. 

The amount of light from your living room light fixtures is also an important factor to take into account. You may need different brightnesses for different tasks, such as reading or watching a movie. You may also want to consider adding dimmer switches so you can control the brightness of the room as the day wears on. This will give the space a more dynamic appearance throughout the day and night. 

Speaking of the daylight cycle, you should also take note of how natural light moves throughout the room during the day. You may not need to add any additional lights for daytime and may instead wish to focus only on mood lighting at night. 

Perhaps the most important element of living room lighting design comes when you combine lounge ceiling lights, task lighting or accent lighting in the form of wall lamps for living room spaces. Multiple sources of light create a layered lighting scheme, which can make the room more visually appealing. 

Why You Need to Layer Lighting in a Living Room

As mentioned, layering the lighting creates a balanced look and feel. Instead of illumination coming from only one light source, it shines from many. The result is a smooth transition between beams of light and little to no shadows. 

A layered lighting scheme consists of three main elements: ambient, accent and task lighting: 

AMBIENT LIGHTING – Ambient light refers to the general, overall illumination provided in a room. Most often, this comes in the form of living room overhead lighting, such as surface mounted lights or living room pendant lights. 

ACCENT LIGHTING – Accent light is responsible for setting the mood in a room. They are also used to draw attention to certain elements that you want to stand out. Accent lighting can be accomplished easily through different types of wall lights and floor lamps. 

TASK LIGHTING – As the name suggests, task lighting provides focused illumination by which you can perform various tasks, including reading a book, working on your laptop, knitting or doing homework. You will usually see these in the form of wall lights and table lamps in a living room.

When you only have one or the other, you are not getting the full wash of light that the space deserves. This can cause unsightly shadows or make it hard to see what you’re doing while relaxing at home. 

Each element of layered lighting can also be set to different controls so that you can turn them on individually. This is a good idea for those who might want dim, indirect accent lighting in the evening instead of direct overhead light, for example.

How Important Is Lighting Placement in a Living Room?

Contemporary lounge lighting can seriously impact the overall atmospheric and comfort levels in the room. Where you place these lights certainly does matter.

Good placement is, of course, key for enhancing the functionality of them. For example, if you are incorporating task lighting, it won’t do to have the task lights far away from the reading nook or work space.

From another practical standpoint, the right placement will maximise the available space you have to work with. This is especially important if your living room is already small and you don’t want to make it look cluttered.

It is also key for the aesthetics of the room. Strategic placement of living room light fixtures will promote a sense of visual balance, especially if you properly layer the lights.

Similarly, the right placement is key to achieving beautiful mood lighting. Lighting can impact the vibe and atmosphere of a room. Therefore, if you want to achieve a certain look and feel, you need to be pretty intentional with placement and brightness level.

How to Create a Cosy Living Room with Lighting

You’ve likely noticed that many living room lighting ideas people offer center around creating a feeling of warmth and cosiness. This is because the living room is meant to be a place of rest and relaxation. Below, you’ll find tips on incorporating your favorite cosy lounge lighting ideas.

  • WARM COLOUR TEMPERATURE. Opting for warm white lighting between 2700K and 3000K will create a softer, more cosy feeling while still being crisp enough to easily see by.
  • LAYER THE LIGHTS. Having total control over the lights is crucial to giving it a certain vibe. For a more cosy living space, you may want to only turn on accent or task lights for indirect illumination.
  • DIMMABLE FIXTURES. Dimmable living room lights allow you to adjust the brightness of the room throughout the day and night. Keeping lighting levels low promotes a sense of cosiness.
  • DRAW ATTENTION TO WARMER MATERIALS. Use your family room lighting to create focal points that highlight wood furniture, cosy rugs and throw pillows, or feature walls and fireplaces.

Colour temperature, also referred to as colour correlated temperature (CCT), is a way to discuss a light and how warm or cool it is. Colour temperature is measured in units Kelvin and exists on a spectrum. 

The colour temperature spectrum ranges from 1,000k to 10,000k. Toward the lower end of the spectrum, you’ll find warmer lights. As you near the top of the spectrum, you’ll encounter cooler lights. 

Cool and warm lights both have their places in different locations. When it comes to lights for a living room, warm lights tend to be preferred. Warmer illumination is more inviting and welcoming and creates a more hospitable and relaxing atmosphere. 

It is recommended that you choose warm white lights between 3,000k and 3,300k for the best results. This ensures enough brightness to make it easy to see and warmth to still be easy on the eyes.

Modern living room lighting can vary pretty heavily depending on the kind of fixtures you place, as well as your lighting needs. Fortunately, combining the different kinds of lighting is as simple as layering your lights.

By layering lights with similar styles, finishes and colour temperatures, you can form a cohesive lighting design.

Ambient Layer

Ambient lighting is the foundation of illumination for the rest of the space. It provides the main light source that you then supplement with other lights. Living room ceiling lights and recessed lighting are most common for this layer. Choose either surface mounted, hanging or recessed ceiling lights with a brighter lumen count for this layer.

Task Layer

Task lighting provides illumination for completing certain tasks, like reading, crafting or working. Most commonly, you’ll see this in the form of floor and table lamps, as well as wall sconces. Task lights work best using directional LED lights with a brighter lumen count.

Accent Layer

Accent light is responsible for setting a mood and highlighting certain areas of interest. Strip lights, spotlights and picture lights can be used toward this effect.

Living room ceiling lights are as varied and unique as lighting for any other room in the house. There is a wide variety of light styles that you can choose from when designing your living room lighting scheme depending on your preferences: 

  • CHANDELIERS – If you want to go for elegance and opulence, chandeliers are an excellent choice. Glass and crystal create a sophisticated look and an interesting focal point in a room.
  • OTHER HANGING LIGHTS – Living room pendant lights are among the most popular types of ceiling lights. Like chandeliers, they can make a statement in the middle of the room. They are especially beneficial in rooms with tall ceilings, as they can take up some of that vertical space.
  • RECESSED LIGHTS – Recessed lights sit inside of the ceiling and are therefore flush with it. They shine light downwards, creating great ambient lighting. Due to their minimalistic look, they are preferred by those who like modern aesthetics.
  • SURFACE MOUNTED LIGHTS – Lights that sit directly on the ceiling itself and shine light straight down are known as surface mounted lights. They’re a particularly good choice for those who enjoy recessed lights but do not have the appropriate ceilings for them. 

LED living room lights are surging in popularity. With their many benefits, it is easy to see exactly why that is. 

  • LONG LIFESPAN – Where halogen bulbs tend to last only 1,000 hours, LED bulbs are rated to last tens of thousands of hours. This will limit the frequency with which you will need to replace the lights.
  • ENERGY EFFICIENCY – LED lights use 80 percent less energy than halogen bulbs. Since they require less energy to run, they use less electricity overall.
  • ECO-FRIENDLY – Due to the limited use of energy in an LED light, you are putting less of a strain on Earth’s resources. Using them could result in a lowered carbon footprint on your part. LED bulbs also contain no hazardous materials such as mercury, making many such bulbs recyclable.
  • COST-SAVING – A combination of replacing bulbs less frequently and using less electricity means LED bulbs can save you quite a bit of money over the years.
  • VERSATILITY – With their various lumen counts and colour temperatures, you can take control over the way your living room illumination appears, down to the smallest detail.

Here, you’ll find some general guidance on lighting your lounge space. 

DON’T: 

  • hang the lights at an improper height. Avoid this by measuring your ceiling height and choosing lights that appropriately fill that vertical space.
  • forget to layer. By not having the three types of light, including ambient, accent and task, in your living room, you will be doing yourself and your living room a disservice. Not taking full advantage of the room’s potential, you will be cheating yourself out of comfortable, beautiful lighting that also will make the room totally functional no matter what the room is used for.
  • overdo it. Be sure you aren’t flooding the room with bright lights. Calculate an appropriate light level you will need, and choose bulbs with lumen counts that will help you reach that goal.

DO: 

  • remember to plan. If you don’t plan out where you want the lights to go beforehand, you may find yourself struggling when it comes time to install them. You may also end up not liking the placement of them once everything is in and have to start all over.
  • make a statement. Modern lought lighting can provide the perfect opportunity for statement lighting. Be bold and choose ambient light fixtures that bring out the personality of the room and draw attention to it.
  • consider dimmer switches. If you want to be in total control over the light level and appearance of the room, dimmer switches can help. They will allow you to create a certain mood and atmosphere day and night by toying with the light levels.

In a similar vein, you should also consider adding multiple controls. This will ensure you only have on the lights you need at any given time to ensure you are at your most comfortable.

Incorporating stylish lounge lighting is about more than just dressing up the space. The right lounge room lighting can also impact the mood.

If you want to create a more relaxing environment, begin by choosing lights with a warm colour temperature. Warmer lights are reminiscent of the soft glow of sunset which may signal to your body it is time to begin unwinding.

On the contrary, if you want a room that feels more energetic and bright, choose cool lights instead. Sitting room lighting with colour temperatures between 4000K and 5000K create an energised feeling that is more conducive toward focus and productivity.

Of course, you can’t go wrong with natural light. Exposure to natural light has been shown to boost the mood and help your circadian rhythm stay in check. Having plenty of natural light during the day when possible may give your mood and overall mindset a boost.

When beginning to implement your living room lighting ideas, consider smaller details like dimmable lighting and how they can impact the space. Dimmable lights allow you to enjoy instant ambiance with your lounge lighting, letting you change the mood and atmosphere on a moment’s notice.

Dimmable lights may also save you money. By running the lights at a fraction of the brightness, you will be using only a fraction of the power in turn. Similarly, you can set the dimmable lights on a timer, which will also help save you money.

When it comes to your sleep, dimmable LED lighting for a living room may assist in regulating your sleep schedule. Blue light from bright bulbs may inhibit the body’s cues that tell it to produce melatonin, a chemical that tells the body it is time to wind down and rest.

By dimming the lighting, you can reduce the amount of blue light you are exposed to before bed. This may help by improving your sleep hygiene and help you wind down for bed more easily.

Quality lighting in a living room requires not only good fixtures but proper placement of the fixtures as well. When planning your modern living room lighting design, take the following into account:

Begin with the Ceiling Light

If you have large fixtures like a living room pendant light hang that first and then build around it. By placing the main ceiling light over the seating area, you will have a nice source of central lighting that the rest of the lights can then supplement.

Utilize Lamps

Providing indirect lighting is a subtle but important technique for cohesive lighting design. Living room wall light fixtures that provide soft, diffused lighting, and floor lamps near tables and behind sofas, will eat up any shadows and provide gentle illumination from all around the room.

Create Focal Points

If you have an accent wall, plants or artwork that you love, you can use lights to draw attention to them. Accent lights, or even living room ceiling light fixtures like spotlights, can accentuate the area, creating a nice focal point.

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 light fittings, 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.

Living room wall lights tend to be overlooked when designing the lighting in a room. They are an effective way to provide ambient light and accent light alike. Beyond that, they can serve as decorations in their own right.

If you have a plain wall that you find lackluster and boring, you can add lounge wall lights to shake it up a bit. Wall lights come in a variety of styles and sizes, and there will always be one that is perfect for your space.

Furthermore, they can be used as accent and mood lighting. Wall lights with a wall-washing factor spread light onto the surface behind them, providing indirect mood lighting.

They can also enhance any textures on the wall itself and draw attention to architectural features. Using wall lights for living room spaces can be used to create a focal point that adds visual interest to the space.

Living room wall lighting is also an excellent choice for smaller rooms. You can avoid installing floor lamps and table lamps which would ultimately take up precious real estate and cause clutter. They are a great space-saving solution for your specific needs.

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