From relaxing and unwinding after a long day to spending quality time with your family, the living room is the heart of the home, where you and your family spend most of your time. But if you also enjoy hosting and opening up your home, the living room also doubles as a reception room where you can enjoy the company of others.
For such a versatile space, versatile lighting is a necessity. Having the right lighting for a range of moods, functions, and occasions is the key to creating a multi-purpose living room.
At UBER Interiors, we understand how a small lighting change can transform an entire room. Therefore, we’ve compiled our top 18 lighting ideas for the living room to help you illuminate your space and make it reflect your unique lifestyle.
What type of lighting is best for a living room?
But first, if you’re asking the question, “How do I light up my living room?” we’re here to help with the basics. When planning your living room lighting, you have several options available to help narrow your choices. Here are the main categories of living room lighting.
Ceiling lights
It’s easy to start your lighting scheme with a ceiling light. A ceiling light will help provide general lighting to your living room, and depending on the design, it can also enhance the room’s aesthetic. Whether you opt for an opulent chandelier for a showstopping centrepiece that will wow your house guests or choose a modest pendant light for your family home, we have an abundance of living room ceiling lighting ideas in this guide to help you come to a decision.
Wall lights
Next, you may want to think about adding wall lights. Wall lights are incredibly versatile; use them to add dimension, highlight a feature or create cosy ambient light. Whether you choose to use them in conjunction with a ceiling light to get a variety of lighting options or on their own to create a cosy atmosphere, wall lights are a fantastic option if you’re stuck for sitting room lighting ideas.
Lamps
Lamps are a classic choice for living room lighting. Whether you want to create a cosy atmosphere, need some extra light for reading or other tasks, or want to designate a clear seating area, lamps are useful, versatile and decorative. You have a choice between stylish floor lamps that create impact or adding a spot of light to a dull corner with a table lamp; the choice is yours.
Now you know the basics, without further ado, here are our top 18 living room lighting ideas.
Our top 18 lounge lighting ideas
- Create an ambient living room
- Layer your lighting for a flexible scheme
- Choose a ceiling centrepiece
- Create symmetry with wall sconces
- Keep it contemporary
- Create a reading nook
- Complement lighting with mirrors
- Add a quirky lamp
- Focus on directional lighting
- Decide on decorative cords
- Co-ord lampshades
- Experiment with texture
- Mix and match metal
- Go with the glow
- Define and sectionalise with floor lamps
- Honour historic features
- Go bold
- Discreet lighting for minimalist living rooms
1. Create an ambient living room
When planning your living room lighting, one of the first things to consider is how to create general, ambient light in your lounge. Ambient lighting is the diffused light that fills a room; it’s a soft, non-directional light that creates minimal shadows, giving a natural feel. Ambient lighting is essential for living rooms, as it helps avoid a stark, glaring lighting scheme.
You can easily achieve this type of lighting with a diffused ceiling light. For example, adding one (or more for larger spaces) of the Eichholtz Bernardi ceiling lamps to your living room effortlessly diffuses the light across the room through the fluted glass rods, creating an inviting atmosphere.
For more information on this lighting technique, learn how to master ambient light in our guide: What is ambient lighting, and how to add it to your home?
2. Layer your lighting for a flexible scheme
Once you have established your lighting scheme base, it’s time to branch out and add dimension with layered lighting. Layering the light in your living room also adds character, and using various light sources helps create a warm and inviting atmosphere.
So, why not add a lamp or two? Utilising multiple smaller lighting options, such as table and floor lamps, will help add dimension to your lighting scheme. The Liang & Eimil Arcadia Floor Lamp is a fantastic way to bring character to your living room with its arching design. Part of having layered lighting is also having the ability to create flexibility for various moods and occasions.
Wall lights and sconces can also help create a dynamic lighting scheme. Opt for dimmable lighting fixtures to achieve a layered and flexible lighting effect, creating the atmosphere you want, regardless of the weekday.
3. Choose a ceiling centrepiece
If the living room is the centre of your home, why not choose a centrepiece that reflects this sentiment? Whether you love to host and want to create that “wow” factor in your home or you’re simply a fan of dramatic interior design pieces, this living room lighting idea is for you.
A ceiling centrepiece is the perfect way to add the cherry on top of your interior lighting design, reflecting your overall decor and theme. What better way to do this than with a dramatic chandelier light? An iconic light fixture that never goes out of style.
Hanging lower than traditional ceiling lights, modern chandeliers truly become part of the room, filling the living space with glittering light. Choose something grand that will hang with pride in your home.
Whether you like traditional or contemporary styles, the Rocket66 Ives Long Chandelier commands this energy. Its captivating, elongated design will stand out in a living room, turning heads and provoking conversation and compliments. Hang it above a long sofa, coffee table, cinema area, reception area or a thoroughfare to highlight them and create a sense of length and drama.
4. Create symmetry with wall sconces
Wall sconces not only provide general lighting to your lounge, but they can also add a decorative element to your walls. The living room atmosphere is all about creating a calm and comforting mood, and you can do this by creating symmetry. Use wall lights to frame a bookshelf, fireplace, sofa or wall art and create symmetrical decor using light.
Wall lights are also ideal for adding the perfect amount of diffused light to your living room. Where a ceiling light might provide too much downlight, wall lights tend to spread light more evenly across a wall or outwards. Their soft glow is perfect for instantly creating a comforting atmosphere for everyone to relax in during the evening.
The Rocket66 Ives Wall lamp is the perfect example of this lighting idea. The elegant, symmetrical form is perfect for creating balance and harmony in your lounge and is ideal for adding warmth and calm to your living area. Space these evenly around your living room or use them to frame a feature.
5. Keep it contemporary
For a clean, modern look in your living room, choose lighting fixtures that complement a contemporary aesthetic. Think minimalistic designs, clean lines and innovative ways of bringing light to your living room.
The Alabastera Torus Light is a great example of this, where less is certainly more. The infinite circle design is a sensational statement, while also being minimalist, perfect for a contemporary vibe. This fixture emits light from its alabaster ring, creating a unique sculptural aesthetic as well as a calming atmosphere.
6. Create a reading nook
If you like to relax and unwind after a long, hard day, one of the best ways to illuminate your living room is to add a lamp and create a cosy reading nook or a comforting corner to curl up in. Position a lamp, like the Heathfield & Co Margot Table Lamp, next to your reading chair and get cosy. This shaded lamp diffuses light to create a warm glow, helping you relax and escape into the pages of a good book.
Alternatively, if you need a more focused light or a task lamp for reading, opt for a floor lamp with multiple arms, which provides more directional lighting, allowing you to direct the light where you need it, such as the Porta Romana Kelly Floor Lamp.
7. Complement lighting with mirrors
Not necessarily a light source; however, mirrors can be used to complement your living room lighting. For example, if you have a smaller living room, consider using a mirror and clever lighting tricks to make the room feel larger.
Magnify your living room lighting with a beautiful designer mirror from our collection. Our Uttermost Grantola Mirror is a living room favourite, particularly for adorning the space above a fireplace. The gorgeous arched design will create a dynamic effect in any living room, reflecting light throughout your space.
8. Add a quirky lamp
Add interior design interest and a touch of whimsy to your living room with an unconventional lampshade. Whether you fancy fringe or are a sucker for a scallop in rich velvet or tactile textile, a quirky lamp can transform your decor and living room. The Porta Romana Duck Feet lamp provides the perfect balance between imaginative design and whimsical fun.
9. Focus on directional lighting
We’ve already touched on how directional lighting can help illuminate space to perform tasks like reading, but focused light can also add a decorative element to a living room.
Take, for instance, the Heathfield Andromeda Chandelier, which features many arms that not only create a focal point in your living room but also allow you to direct light to specific areas of the room. Whether you want to highlight a specific seating area, a work of art on the wall, or a bookcase full of your collected works, use accent lighting from this lamp to draw the eye to the desired areas.
10. Decide on decorative cords
Don’t settle for ugly wires hanging from your ceiling. Select a light or lamp with a decorative cord or suspension rod to enhance the ambience of your living room interior.
For example, the Rocket66 Dusk Antique Brass Finish ceiling light features a resplendent frame and mount that connects the ceiling fixture to the light, concealing any unsightly wires. This eye-catching ceiling light will add unrivalled elegance to your living room.
11. Co-ord lampshades
Create a sense of unity and completeness with coordinated lampshades or lighting fixtures. Doing this will help instil a calming and satisfying feeling within your living room. Even better is when you coordinate your lighting with the rest of your interior design for a cohesive look.
We would recommend pairing the Rocket66 Ives Pendant with the Rocket66 Fable Table Lamp and a few Rocket66 Ives Wall Lamps. The striking antique brass linear strands in each of these lights will perfectly harmonise together, creating a holistic space.
12. Experiment with texture
When choosing your lighting, consider not only colour and form but also texture. If you aren’t keen on bold colours, a subtle texture adds depth to a neutral palette, creating a more layered and nuanced feel.
The Rocket66 Volvic Chandelier is a unique and captivating piece, featuring a ring of textured glass shards supported by a textured, painted gold belt. The contrasting materials add drama and will work well in modern living rooms.
13. Mix and match metal
We know that mixing gold and silver jewellery is a big fashion faux pas, but there’s nothing to say you can’t do it in interior design. Combine different metal finishes in your lighting scheme, su