Brilliant living room lighting ideas

The 3 types of living room lighting

There are three categories of living room lighting. Master these, and you’ll be talking lighting design like a pro.

Ambient lighting is overhead lighting. The key is to choose lighting that is comfortable to the eye, choosing bulbs that are powerful enough to light the entire room but are not too bright or glaring.

Task lighting is for areas that need extra illumination, providing light for a purpose such as reading or knitting. You may choose to place a floor lamp next to your favourite leather armchair for, or a smaller lamp in the corner beside your sofa. It’s a good idea to choose task lights that can be easily tilted so you can direct the light exactly where it’s needed.

Finally, accent lights are used to showcase specific areas of your living room. You may wish to place a spotlight on a treasured piece of artwork or photograph on shelving or a display unit.

SHOP ALL LIGHTING

Contemporary living room lighting

Lighting is especially important in contemporary design. Living rooms in this style are sleek and sophisticated, so when you choose your living room lighting, steer clear of anything overly ornamental.

Simple styles can often be the most striking. Downlights complemented by statement floor lamps are a good choice – while a large arc shaped floor lamp can almost take the place of a ceiling light. Lamps in a metal finish work particularly well with modern interior décor.

Chrome, silver finish and copper lights are glossy and modern, or you might prefer the new trend of soft gold – an elegant matte finish halfway between gold and silver.

If you love to make a statement, pendant lights harmonise well with contemporary design. For industrial-style living rooms, metal pendant lights with safely exposed cords look exquisite.

The vintage and Art Deco trend is big right now – for that on-trend mid-century modern look, choose sculptural ceiling lamps or ceiling lights, floor lamps and table lamps with striking, oversized high-shine sphere shades for cool, retro living room lighting. Or add a splash of glamour with a luxurious modern glass ceiling light.

SHOP FLOOR LAMPS

Traditional living room lighting

Classic living rooms offer a great deal of flexibility when it comes to living room lighting design. Whether you love the rustic simplicity of Scandi design or the comfortable elegance of country-inspired lounges, there are plenty of lighting ideas to complement your décor.

Chandeliers or pendant lights featuring glass and crystals are a great way to add luxury to opulent living rooms, offering gorgeous illumination that’s both welcoming and statement-making. If a chandelier is a little too opulent for your taste, there are plenty of simple yet luxurious pendant lights to choose from in classic styles.

Floor and table lamps are a must in traditional style living rooms. A tall floor lamp or a beautiful table lamp placed on a side table adds depth and interest to your living room. For an on-trend twist on classic styles, look for lamps with slim metal stems in a matte finish.

SHOP CEILING LAMPS

Brighten your living room with light-maximising mirrors

As well as giving the illusion of increased space in your living room, a large wall mirror is a clever way of maximising living room lighting, as it reflects back the existing natural light and artificial light you already have. To make the most of their light enhancing properties, place mirrors up high, for example above a fire place, or on a sideboard or console table, and try to locate them to allow the light to reflect at the perfect angle. How’s that for a bright idea?

SHOP MIRRORS

We hope you've enjoyed our living room lighting ideas. With a few new lights and a few clever design tricks you can really make you rliving room shine.