8 Creative Ways to Let Your Living Room Lighting Shine

We ask a lot of our living rooms!  Along with our kitchens, our living room is the hub of our home.  It’s where we gather, entertain, relax, work, and so much more, and so it is important to take the time to really get your living room lighting right.

Get creative with some of our ideas to really let your living room lighting shine!

Make a Statement

Making a statement with your living room lighting allows you to really explore designs and styles.  The perfect statement is usually made by adding a pendant light or chandelier to your living room.  Choose a piece that compliments your décor, or go with something completely different to make a real statement!

Tips to remember when selecting your statement piece are size and number.  You don’t want your statement piece to overwhelm a space, or by the same token, be lost in your space, so measuring and planning your proportions is crucial.  A statement piece should also be just that, a single statement.  Too many pieces or design elements may mean your statement is lost.

Embrace the Natural Light

If your living room is open to a lot of natural light pouring in, embrace this by selecting lighting that will not detract or block this flow of light.  Light fittings with transparent glass shades are perfect for allowing natural light to flow into your living room. 

Create Ambience

Ambient light, also referred to as general lighting, serves as the main source of light for your living room lighting.  It is the background lighting that does not necessarily fulfill any function, but serves to provide overall illumination.  Ambient lighting in your living room might come from downlights, or pendant lights that provide an overall light.

Ambient light is also important for creating a warm inviting feel in your living room.  To create this give consideration to the colour temperature of your lighting.  See our post on the differences and applications between warm and cool white light.

Also give consideration to dimming options, which are ideal for changing the “mood” of your living room as required.

Layer your Lighting

Layering your lighting is all about creating a living room that is warm and inviting, but also functional.   Layering lighting helps give depth and interest to your living room.   

Incorporating a mix of ambient, task, accent and decorative lighting will ensure you have a living space you enjoy being in, but one that is also functional.  See our post about lighting your home through every season for great tips on getting the layers right!

Highlight Features

Your living room is often the space you add special features such as a fireplace, a feature wall or a built in book case, for instance.  It also often tends to be the space our personality and design choices come out in things like art or furniture. 

Use lighting to highlight these features.  It adds a layer of lighting, creates a point of interest and lets those special features shine.  Accent lighting, such as spotlights or track lighting are perfect for this, or even strip lighting to highlight architectural features.

Play with Design

Lighting doesn’t always have to be simply functional.  Particularly if you have layered your lighting, and have covered the basic functionality, a statement light fitting may also serve as a piece of art.

Wall lights and pendant lights are particularly great for creating a centerpiece that serves as a design element.  Play with design or even with size to create something special.

Mix and Match to your Décor

Lighting is a great way to blend design elements, and your living room is the perfect place to let your personality shine.  Add an industrial piece to your contemporary home, or blend the old and the new with lighting.  See our post on blending modern and traditional styles through lighting.

Use your Corners

Don’t forget your corners when it comes to lighting.  Your living room corners are easily forgotten with your ambient lighting, and so too, can some of your favourite living room features.

Utilise your corners.  They are the perfect space to set up a reading nook, or a spot to have a coffee.  Consider the natural light in these spaces, and then light with task or accent lighting.  Lamps are the perfect addition to corner spaces to add depth and warmth to your living room.

Your living room is a space in which you can experiment and play with design and décor, and select lighting to compliment.  For expert lighting advice on ways to let your living room shine, speak to one of the lighting consultants at Rovert Lighting & Electrical.