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How to Light Your Living and Dining Room
Living Room Lighting
Probably the place in the house where you have the most options available to you. Usually the most spacious room in the house and a place with many purposes - which means there are lots of things to consider when choosing the right lighting.
You should always try to achieve good layers of lighting in your living room. This means a balance of ambient, task and accent lighting.
Start with the general lighting of the room – this is the main source that will fill the room with an even spread of light. Usually, this is provided by ceiling lights. Below we have broken down some of the best options.
Ambient Lighting Options
Sometimes used as task lighting, track fixtures are a versatile choice for living and dining room lights. They are easier to install than most ceiling fixtures – you don’t have to cut into your ceiling to install them.
The angle of the light can be adjusted to be directed where you need it most – this is why it can be double up as task lighting.
They are a popular choice for living rooms, as they are easy to install, stylish and come in a range of shapes. They are usually round and fit in seamlessly with the décor of any room, thanks to variety of styles they come in.
Flush mounts are more decorative than recessed can lights, though they provide the same wide spread of light and offer clear ceiling space – ideal for lower ceilings.
If you are looking for more of a statement, chandeliers can be a great way of adding beauty and class to a room. Like flush mount fixtures, there are many different styles to choose from – though keep in mind that they limit clear ceiling space.
As they are hung from the ceiling, it means you won’t have to cut holes in your ceiling. This means you can change your lighting styles down the years, without having to cover up holes. The hanging lights also mean your whole room is lit with a welcoming glow.
Task Lighting Options
You should also consider what task lighting you want. For this, first think about the ‘tasks’ you will be doing in the living room – whether it be reading, writing or working on a laptop. Task lighting is not only important for helping you perform tasks, but also building those layers of light that brings beauty to a living room.
Floor lamps offer an eye-level source of light, which compliments ceiling light and opens up the room.
They are versatile, able to perform all three lighting types – ambient, task and accent. For task lighting, an advantage they have is that they are portable and can be moved around the room to wherever you need them. This gives you more options when it comes to design.
Similar to floor lamps in terms of portability – making them the ideal simple choice for reading or other tasks. Table lamps are more exclusively suited to task lighting than floor lamps, although they still add to the layered lighting of the room.
Available in a variety of styles and designs, to fit with any type of décor, you should have no problem finding a table lamp to suit your living room.
A slightly different option to floor or table lamps, though they also provide targeted light that is perfect for performing tasks. Their main advantage is that most feature LED lights which produce a clear, bright light without using as much power as traditional sources like halogen.
The main downside to these compared to table lamps is that they need to be fitted to the wall.
Accent Lighting Options
The last layer to add is some accent lighting. This is for highlighting certain areas/objects, such as mirrors, plants or artwork. It is an effective way of making the room ‘pop’ and adding a wow factor to your living area.
If you want a warm, subtle touch of light to open up the room, then a wall mounted sconce is ideal. Sconces can shine light down and upwards, so they can highlight objects like a mirror on the wall, or a plant on the floor.
They are often equipped with a switch on the lamp itself, as well as the main switch on the wall. This is convenient, depending on where you place them, as you can turn them on and off without having to get up.
Often used as general lighting, especially in bathrooms where the area is smaller. They can be used effectively as accent lighting on a living or dining room, however. Place a few of these along the edges of your ceiling, to highlight wall features like paintings or picture frames.
Even if not used to highlight specific objects, recessed downlights can be great for complementing the general lighting in a living or dining room.
Also can be used as general lighting, though they work brilliantly as a compliment to the main source of light in a living room. The great thing about LED strips is you can be flexible with where you want to put them.
Though they are a bit on the pricier side, quality of light is what sets LEDs apart. The brightness and clarity help to create a cosy, but classy feel to any room.
They’re also built to last and are highly economical. They need far less energy than other bulbs to produce brighter light – saving you money over time.
Dining Room Lighting
The main difference with your dining room, compared to your living room, is there is usually far less space. There is also one main centrepiece to the room – the table.
Your lighting should be centred around the dining table. This is usually where you will have your general lighting. Fixtures directly above the table help set the mood for dinner and fill the area with even light – ideal for throwing dinner parties.
Task lighting is less important in the dining room as the general lighting supplies enough illumination in the smaller space. Table lamps can look cluttered; besides you don’t really want a lamp on the table while you’re eating.
Instead you should focus on accent lighting to add to the ambience. Some additional wall lights behind the table help to set the mood, especially when placed near plants or artwork. They can be used as the main source of light as it gets later in the evening, which is a nice option to have.
Here are our best picks for dining room light fixtures:
Come in a wide range of styles, so you can choose something that fits with almost any type of décor. Placing an odd number of pendant lights in a row above your dining table is a great way of adding extra light and style to the room.
If you want something more luxurious and classier, you could try chandeliers. While they won’t fit with every décor style, there are a wide variety of options. Chandeliers can give your home the feeling of a classy five-star hotel and are an ideal choice if you host dinner parties often.
These are the perfect choice for smaller dining rooms, with a lower ceiling. Similar to pendent lights, you can choose a flush mounted light to fit in with many different décor styles, as there are so many to choose from.
Can be used as the general light source and are a great for flexibility. A popular choice for contemporary designs, LED strip lighting provide a cool glow to the room. LED strips have some customisable features too – they come in a range of colours and can be fitted with a dimmer switch.
You can fit them around the ceiling perimeter for an even glow throughout the room, as well as under shelves and inside cabinets or drawers.
An accent lighting option that helps to compliment the general lighting. Effective in larger dining rooms that benefit from more light sources, helping to open up the room. Place them near decorative objects to highlight them and make them pop.
How many Watts do you need?
For dining and living room lighting, you want to choose bulbs that are bright enough to illuminate the whole room properly. Make sure to look at the wattage of your bulbs for this, though bear in mind the wattage you need depends on the type of bulb. CFL or LED require around five times less wattage than standard bulbs to produce the same brightness.
The number of watts relates to the brightness, measured in lumens. For a single standard light bulb, around 80-100 watts produces a good amount of light for a living or dining room.
The number of light bulbs in use will affect this. With multiple fixtures (or fixtures with multiple bulbs) you should use lower watt bulbs than with one fixture. We suggest 40-50 watts for multiple standard bulbs, or 80-100 watts for a single bulb – though this depends on the size of your room and the amount of natural light it gets.
Also keep in mind the max wattage that your fixture allows, as this can be a potential fire hazard.
