How many lights should you have in a living room? Designers agree that this number is the absolute minimum – LivingEtc

How many lights will be enough for a living room to feel relaxing and cozy? You’re not the only one wondering. It’s a fine line to walk – while you don’t want your space to be overly bright, neither do you want a space that is poorly lit.   Building a richly layered lighting scheme gives you the options to get it right, whatever you’re using the space for.  

With that in mind, based on the size plus scale of the space, you need to consider a living area lighting plan. Ensure you have enough task, accent, and general illumination so sitting, working, lounging or even napping in the room is convenient and comfortable. While the particular specific number may vary, every size associated with the room has the sweet spot. We asked a few experts to advise and here’s what they had to say.

Aditi Sharma Maheshwari

Aditi is a homes writer plus editor with several years of experience. Her articles, backed by expert insights, offer suggestions aimed at helping readers make the best home design choices. For this particular article, she spoke to top interior designers and industry experts in order to find out about living room lighting requirements and the number of fixtures needed for this space.  

How many light sources does a living room require?

Ideally, the particular number associated with lights needed in the living room depends on the size plus scale of the space but largely, a living space ceiling gentle , two wall lights, and preferably a floor lighting should do. Of course, you can layer the lighting scheme further along with task or accent lamps but to illuminate the space fairly well, you require at least 2 to four lights in the area.

Do keep in mind several things. ‘When it comes in order to the residing room, your own lighting is a crucial part of the overall design scheme and should be planned at the particular beginning of the design process, ‘ says Emma Deterding, founder and creative director of Kelling Designs (opens within new tab) plus KDLoves (opens in new tab) . ‘This will ensure you have switches, wiring, and light fixtures in all the right places to create the perfect, layered lighting plan. ‘

‘You need to consider how you (and others) will use the area to help determine the types of lights you’ll need, and where, ‘ Emma adds. ‘Will the living room just solely be for relaxing and watching TV, or will you include the work zone with a desk as well? What about a reading nook? ‘ 

Also consider the particular furniture you’re going to possess within the area. ‘For instance, if you’re going to have a sideboard or even console, you may want to make sure there are outlets there to plug in table lamps, ‘ says Emma. ‘Once you’ve figured away the basics, you can then begin to strategy and finalize where to place the fittings, switches, and outlets. ‘

What are the different kind of lighting in order to include?

The best way to ensure a person have a smart, functional, plus cozy living room is to plan the lighting from the room right. The best way is always to mix it up so that every part associated with your space is illuminated and can be used for several purposes.

‘Every room should have got a mix of light, including overhead (or ambient), accent, and task lighting, ‘ states Suzanne Duin, founder of lighting brand Maison (opens within new tab) . ‘Whether you are usually designing the warm plus relaxing room for the evenings, carving out there a nook bright enough for reading, or working from home, the key is to balance these layers associated with lighting in order to help bring a room to life and emphasize various aspects of a scheme for different purposes. ‘

‘Ceiling lights or pendants are something that will almost all living rooms have or require, ‘ says Kelling Designs’ Emma. ‘They provide good general gentle, brightening up the room at darker times of the particular day, and are a good base light. Wall lights are great for creating a warmth and glow for a cozy feel, but also possess the added benefit of highlighting artwork, family photos, and other personal touches. ‘ 

Table plus floor lamps are great for brightening up dark corners but additionally help to bring in that warming shine. ‘A desk lamp will certainly also add task lighting, for example, positioning one on a desk/console or by an armchair will give you the light you need for reading through a book or finishing off some paperwork, ‘ Emma tells us. ‘Ultimately, you need a mixture of all of these types of in the residing room as it is a multi-functional space that we use inside many ways – there is no one size fits all. ‘

Considering illumination height and scale

A good point to keep in mind whilst choosing lights is the particular scale associated with the accessories. ‘A larger scale ceiling fitting can make a room sense bigger plus grander, even in rooms with low ceilings, ‘ state Niki and Scarlett, co-founders of lights& lamps (opens in new tab) . ‘Height and scale depend on the space yet a mix of large and small creates so much more interest.  

A light or even lamp that will can adapt for different purposes is always great, like the rise plus fall pendant. If using one or more, think about putting them in varying heights to put interest. Lighting within the living room corners or far edges of the room is also a great tip with regard to creating a sense of space in the evening. ’

What are usually the correct lumens regarding living space lights?

The good way to find out the right illumination required for rooms is via the lumen method. This tells us the total light output required for a space, based on its intended use and size. There are many online tools that may do the complicated calculations in order to help you determine the number of lumens needed (essentially multiplying the square footage along with footcandles).  

‘Taking into account normal ceiling levels, downlight associated with around 800 lumens is usually the most suitable intended for residential living rooms, and if you are opting for the pendant, 500 lumens for that pendant would be suitable, ‘ says Piero De Marchis, director of Detail Illumination (opens in new tab) .  

Remember, while a person get the right lumens, you also want to be able to control the particular amount associated with illumination within the area. ‘Think of lighting like the sun, ‘ say Niki and Scarlett, something that forms the basics associated with human-centric lights . ‘Big and brilliant in the particular day, becoming lower plus softer simply by night. When ceiling lights are no longer required to see by, switch on a larger floor lamps. Whenever the evening progresses, they can be complemented or replaced by a more subtle table or even bedside lamp. Imitating the setting sun is a great way to transition your living space throughout the day and bring peace and calm before bed. ’ 

‘Dimmer controls are also a must in each family room, ‘ says Emma. ‘Being able to control the brightness of your own lighting will allow a person to change the ambiance during the day with ease and allow you to adjust the lighting depending on what you’re doing. ‘ 

How to choose between decorative plus practical lights

For the majority of functional yet elegant residing room , strike a balance between practical and decorative fixtures. You want the room to become perfectly useful but you also want this to look smart, stylish, and ideal for hosting.  

‘Perfecting the light in your living room is so important to get many reasons, ‘ states Emma. ‘Aside from the practicalities of ensuring a person have sufficient light in the room, layering multiple sources of light may ensure you have various types of light pertaining to various tasks. It’ll furthermore allow you to highlight key décor pieces (wall art, statement furniture pieces, etc) and change the particular mood plus atmosphere. ‘

‘Living space lighting should be both practical and ornamental, ‘ says Emma. ‘If it was just meant for a purely practical basis, then we’d all have got ugly tube lights plus nothing else. Lights has evolved over the years with endless styles, designs, and finishes available across roof pendants, wall lights, plus table and floor lights too. It offers a person the opportunity to create the real declaration within the residing room, be it through a design-led chandelier, or a boldly colored light base along with a lampshade in the contrasting pattern. ‘

Exactly how many lamps do you need in the living area?

This is dependent on the size of the space. In a little apartment living room , if a person already have a ceiling light, just one or two floor lamps will be enough. A larger room may require two or three lights, perhaps 1 suspended from your ceiling plus two placed on either sides of the sofa.  

Where to find the particular best living room lights

If you’re looking designed for lighting just for your family room, here are usually a few of our favorite online stores for the purpose of design-forward designs, across almost all budgets.  

Lumens (opens in brand new tab) –A vast selection of contemporary lights for all budgets

Flos (opens in new tab) – Iconic lamps for modern interiors 

1stdibs (opens within new tab) – A brilliant curation associated with designer lighting

2Modern (opens in new tab) – Statement pieces and classic forms 

La Redoute (opens in brand new tab) — Extensive options from budget-friendly to high-end

Original BTC (opens in new tab) – Quality lighting in order to enhance your interiors