Watching a gripping film, having friends round or curling up with a good book – the living room is where we want to sit back and relax. With the right lighting, you can create an inviting place to feel at home. Here's which lights you need and where to place them.
What to consider when lighting your living room:
- The different areas of the living room
- Planning your lighting with the right bulbs
- Indirect lighting in the living room
The different areas of the living room
Different light sources create a cosy atmosphere. An average living room of around 20 square metres should have three to five light sources, depending on the layout. Planning your living room lighting isn't difficult. Here's how to show each area of the room in the right light.
Living room lighting example:
Ambient lighting from the living room ceiling
Pendant and ceiling lights reliably light the whole room, but they can also create harsh shadows. That's why a dimmer is worth having for a softer atmosphere. A light with a diffuser also scatters the light and spreads it evenly around the room.
If you choose a pendant light, hang it above the coffee table. This is where it looks best, and the table stops you or your guests from bumping your heads on it.
Accent lighting for a cosy mood
Several light sources give a room and its furnishings structure and atmosphere. Table lamps and wall lights set the mood, and their different designs create interesting plays of shadow.
Direct light onto a specific area of your living room to highlight it. Pictures and sculptures in particular can be shown off in style this way. Atmospheric lights add further points of light to the room and illuminate sideboards, windowsills and shelves. Make sure the lights near your TV are dimmable to avoid distracting reflections on the screen. The Bellhop LED table lamp from Flos is ideal for this, as its 4-step dimmer lets you adjust it exactly to your needs.
Wall and table lamps are not just light sources but decorative elements too, so they can be a little more eye-catching.
"Small living areas can be made to look bigger with several points of light, especially if a white ceiling or other light-coloured surfaces are lit with diffuse light and act as reflective surfaces." – Viktoria, interior expert
Reading corner with focused light
A floor lamp provides plenty of light for reading. With a swivelling arm and flexible joints, you can position it exactly where you need it. A shade that is open at the bottom concentrates the light and directs it towards your book.
Look for a dimmer so you can vary the brightness depending on the time of day and your needs. Avoid strong contrasts in light for demanding visual tasks: in addition to the reading lamp, there should be enough general light in the room so that your eyes don't get tired.
Atmospheric light for the dining area
Visually separate your dining area from the living room by hanging a pendant light above your table. This not only gives you enough light but also creates a cosy atmosphere over dinner. The ZS22 pendant light from Studio Zondag is a particularly good choice: its contemporary design suits any interior style and fits well into your dining area.
Hang the light about 60 to 70 centimetres above the dining table. At this height, the light spreads evenly across the table without dazzling anyone.
Choosing the right bulb
Ambient lighting output in lumens
Luminous flux is measured in lumens (lm), which tells you how bright a bulb is. Unlike in the kitchen and bathroom, you don't need quite as much light in the living room. For ambient lighting in the living room, experts recommend 100 lumens per square metre.
Complete your living room lighting plan with additional lights such as table lamps, indirect wall lighting or floor lamps.
The right colour temperature for your living room
Whether a bulb's light is warm and yellowish or cool and bluish is described in kelvin (K). There are three ranges:
While colour temperatures above 5,300 kelvin help concentration, temperatures up to 3,300 kelvin have a relaxing effect. Bulbs of up to 3,300 kelvin give off light like traditional incandescent bulbs and are reminiscent of warm evening light.
Unlike luminous flux, colour temperature is mainly a matter of taste. A living room can also be lit with neutral white light. For a reading corner in particular, a lamp in the higher kelvin range is recommended.
LED lighting in the living room
When choosing the right bulbs for your living room lighting, think about the environment and your wallet. LED lighting costs more at first, but thanks to its long lifespan and lower electricity costs, you'll soon recoup the extra outlay.
Modern LED bulbs come in various brightness levels and colour temperatures, so they are just as warm as the light of a classic incandescent bulb. From LED pendant lights and LED ceiling lights to LED wall lights, you have a wide choice of models.
Indirect lighting in the living room
Indirect light in the living room creates pleasantly even lighting throughout the room. Besides recessed lights and LED strips, there are many different lights you can use to light your living room indirectly – without any DIY work.
Some ceiling lights from Flos, for example, use special mounting plates to refract the light and project geometric patterns onto the ceiling. Uplighters are also suitable for indirect living room lighting: these floor lamps shine light up onto the ceiling, which reflects it back into the room. Another plus: illuminated ceilings look higher.
Living room lighting plan at a glance:
Remember:
- three to five light sources for an average of 20 square metres
- 100 lumens per square metre for ambient lighting
- diffuse, indirect light for cosiness, direct light for reading
- avoid strong contrasts in brightness
- warm white light for a relaxed atmosphere in the living room
- dimmers to adjust brightness as you like
- align the direction of light with your most common line of sight to avoid glare
- energy-saving, cost-efficient bulbs such as LEDs.
