The only space in your house that will be multifunctional forever is the living room. From acting as a place to binge-watch with your family to hosting guests when you throw a crazy party, a living room serves multiple purposes. When one particular space of your house allows you to do so many things, it deserves some time when it comes to its design and decoration, especially lighting.
Lighting is the most integral part of any home interior design. Impeccable lighting can make your space look big, comfortable, and inviting while lighting mistakes can make even a well-planned living room look like a dark dungeon. Although everyone has his own idea and perception when it comes to living room lighting, there are always some basics that you can follow.
From combining a range of different lighting fixtures to choosing the right placement, there are always so many things you can do. So, let’s delve into this detailed lighting guide and fathom how you can plan your living room lighting on a budget.
What are the different types of lighting in a living room?
Since the living room is never used for a single purpose only, you need to have a basic understanding of what are the different types of lighting used in a living room decor. Let’s begin-
Ambient lighting
If you have read about ambient lighting on the internet and are still not able to figure out what purpose it serves, you can consider ambient lighting as a canvas or a foundation on which you can use your brush of imagination to paint different lighting pictures. This is why ambient lighting is also known as background lighting. From fixed wall lights to spotlights, anything that serves as a foundation is known as ambient lighting.
Task lighting
As the name suggests, this type of lighting is used in those parts of the living room where you need to carry out tasks, whether it is cooking or reading. In a living room, task lighting can be anything- swing arm lamps, adjustable floor lamps, and even table lamps. Any type of task lighting should be easily adjustable and it should be used accordingly in living room decor.
Mood lighting
This type of lighting is used to cast a glow on your favorite things. Mood lighting has a direct effect on the mood of the living room and therefore, you need to plan it accordingly. Mood lighting is also used to draw attention away from things that aren’t that eye-pleasing. Even picture lights can be called mood lighting.
Tips to ameliorate your living room lighting
Keep layering
While you might be thinking that the plans for cozy room lighting are a far cry from cavernous space lighting, the one common trait that you will find in both is layering. Doesn’t matter whether you are using floor lamps or wall lights, you should always focus on how to layer lighting fixtures. This helps in dissipating the dark corners of your living room.
When you don’t use layering in the living room designs, the space automatically starts giving an office vibe which everyone hates. You can either hire an interior designer to take care of the lighting plans or you can do it by yourself as well.
When there is a lot of natural light
If you are planning to light a living room in which natural light is ubiquitous, you are going to have an upper hand. But this doesn’t mean you are going to save on lighting fixtures since even well-lit living rooms with big windows need extra lighting, especially if you don’t wish your living room to turn into a dark dungeon after sunset.
A living room that gets tons of sun can be decorated and lit with a chandelier. One with a dimming option can be a better choice as it gives you the control to make your space as bright or as dim as you want.
When there is no natural light
If there is not even a single source of natural light in your living room, you can add scones to the bare walls as they strike a perfect balance between extra lighting and visual interest. If you have a completely blank wall in your living room designs, and if you are not in the mood of adding any picture or mirror to it, adding scones to it can be a great way to both fill the walls and light the living room.
Lighting a living room is not rocket science. You just need to fathom the basics of lighting and keep the natural light coming to your living room in mind. Even on a budget, you can plan for living room lighting and get the expected results without going extravagant.
