After selecting lighting for the living room s main activities the next step is accent lighting.
Where to put lighting in living room.
The living room layouts below are designed for a typical sized living room with 3 4 people occupancy large enough to install a couch a tv maybe an armchair and some other small furniture.
For this warm modern living room houston based laura umansky of laura u interior design chose an oversize statement arched floor lamp with a striking slim silhouette that provides ample but diffused ambient light.
In general living room lighting tends to fall into three types.
Whether you choose a design classic like a mid century arco floor lamp or an affordable scandi style.
A floor lamp spaced between two armchairs can also count as task lighting as conversation is a task too at least in living room terms.
Living room lighting tips ideally you want to use different types of lighting to provide a nice mix.
Cool lighting ideas for living rooms include.
And it looks just as good when it s not turned on.
Ultimately you want a mix of task and ambient light so try mixing floor lamps table lamps and maybe an overhead light and or sconces.
Read on for cool living room lighting ideas from our lighting experts.
Allen says if you want people to linger use dimmers that allow you to control the level of light to suit the activities that take place in the space.
While pot lights and track lighting can be practical and provide a lot of overhead light they re not really the best choice for living room lighting.
For example if your room is 12ft x 12ft 144 square feet you will likely need a minimum of 6 recessed lights 144 25 5 76.
A good living room lighting scheme uses different kinds of light set at different levels that work together to make the space warm and attractive.
In a large living room formerly lit by recessed cans and table lamps a new lighting design that includes architectural lighting might consist of two valances running the length of two opposite walls mounted about a foot below ceiling height one soffit installed directly above a fireplace at ceiling height and a table lamp placed next to a reading chair.
But within those basic requirements you are pretty much free to play fast and loose with your lighting.
Laura u interior design.
Specific task lighting such as reading lamps are important if you read frequently have low levels of natural light and especially if you ever work in your living room.
Accent lighting highlights artwork and architectural features within the space.
Accent task and ambient overhead.
We cover some super stylish ideas you can copy before moving on to more of the technical side of living room lighting schemes below.
If you re building a living room from the ground up or planning a major remodel adjustable recessed lighting offers a variety of integrated accent solutions.
Average sized living room design ideas.
When determining how to layout recessed lighting for even light distribution a good guideline is to average a minimum of one light for every 25 square feet of living space.