Lighting for your living room might seem to be a simple thing to consider. Perhaps place a few lamps here and there to give support to any overhead illumination, and to add to the natural light coming in from your windows. But, you have your room’s interior design to consider. Lighting performs several functions beyond letting you see where you are stepping. Placing lighting in the most appropriate locations is a conscientious skill, and one that shouldn’t be done haphazardly. With a little forethought and focus on how your room is designed, however, you can light it up like a professional.
Consider your room
With a properly designed living room, there are multiple levels of visual and living engagement. Carefully selected surfaces hold objects of interest, while reading and lounging areas are identified in seating arrangements. Before placing lamps, take stock of where extra light will be needed. A couch used for reading needs an overhead source, while a table may need a level source to display design elements such as stacked books or small sculptures.
To reduce eye fatigue, you should also carefully plan on gradations of light from bright to shadow. These separate levels relax the eye and reduce glare. Too much light can give your room the feel of an airport waiting area, imposing the impression there’s nothing of interest to focus on.
Choosing bulbs
The 60w CFL bulb is the go to work horse for clean, uninterrupted work illumination, but sticking strictly to this choice will wash a room out. Consider relative wattages of florescent bulbs and LED choices to blend light types from one area to the next. Add contemplative touches to a space by varying the intensity of the light, with brighter illumination near seating and softer highlights in corners and along walls.
Marketing on light bulb packages is often inconsistent between manufacturers. One might say it is provides a natural look and another advertising a bright white – and both look identical when brought into your home. If you are in doubt, consult with your salesperson at a hardware or lighting supply store. Describe the look and feel of the space, as well as what you expect your lighting achieve and they can assist you with making the right choice.
Stagger your lighting levels
One common error many homeowners make is keeping light in the living room at one level. Move beyond the simple planar design of all table lamps or floor lamps and vary their heights. Choose your options from wall sconces, table lamps, and floor lamps, and try and find an area that could benefit from a floor-placed box light for up lighting on hanging art. This variation also reduces eye fatigue, and draws attention from one visual impact in an interior design to the next.
As well as up lighting from static lamps, consider hanging creative LED lights to draw attention to table and bookshelf surfaces. These offer a pinpoint direction to draw the eye, and provide softer and warmer illumination.
Illuminate your objects
Your living room’s interior design should have a handful of key objects that bring the complete theme together, and these need special attention. For example, a floral vase in front of a window relies on natural light during the day, but evening viewing should have the same natural qualities for enjoyment. Choose a nearby table lamp or floor lamp with a softer natural feel through a decorative shade to replace the waning sunlight to maintain the overall appeal.
When creating an interior design for the living room, keep your lighting in mind. Though illumination is not a tactile element, it is just as significant to the overall feel of a space. Choose bulbs that provide the proper type and amount of light, and pick light sources such as lamps and floor boxes for how they will present a visual impact and balance on a varying height throughout your living room.
Modern lighting design offers a wide range of products for decorating living rooms. From glamorous chandeliers to minimalistic and functional lighting fixtures, there are many choices for contemporary home lighting. Being the center of family life, the living room often includes different areas such as a dining table and a lounge area with more comfortable furniture. Therefore, the perfect illumination of a living room has to complete various tasks.
For achieving a general lighting inside the living room, ceiling lights are needed. But for creating a warm and cozy atmosphere, several additional light sources are more helpful. Providing effect and mood lighting, those light sources might include elegant wall sconce, floor or table lamps. Following contemporary lighting design trends, the decorative function of illumination is into the spotlight. The following lighting design ideas might be a perfect choice for adding eye-catchers to your living rooms’ interior design.
Top 3 Lighting Design Ideas for Living Rooms
Pendant lights are in vogue! As they are offered in various shapes, sizes and colors, modern lighting design options seem to be endless. Furthermore, pendant lighting is very flexible in use. It illuminates areas brightly and at the same time it contributes to the warm and welcoming atmosphere inside the room. The Fucsia 12 suspension lamp is just one example for exclusive home lighting. Designed by Achille Castiglioni, an Italian designer working for Flos, it consists of transparent conical lampshades and is particularly suitable for the illumination of dining tables.
Apart from pendant lights, chandeliers remain to be popular. They are a favorable alternative for modern interior design with a classy note. Having a look at the offers of Italian lighting manufacturers, there is a wide range of chandeliers in contemporary design. Aureliano Toso Illuminazione not only belongs to the finest, but also to the oldest lighting manufacturers in Italy. As the company offers a great variety of chandeliers, consumers will be able to find an eye-catcher for their homes. With the Euphoria chandelier, designed by Archirivolto, the company combines the traditional look of chandeliers from their period of prosperity with a modern design approach. The chandelier is made of chromed metal and distributes the light through handmade glass elements.
The lighting manufacturer Catellani & Smith is very well known for colorful design lights. One of its most famous lighting series is named PostKrisi and includes a variety of lights for ceilings and walls. As elegant wall sconce very much contribute to the warm lighting ambiance of a room, they are frequently used in lounge areas. The PostKrisi 0071 S light with its sophisticated appearance is especially recommendable for large rooms and will not only be of use in cold winter days.
