Living Room Lighting

In a living room, think in layers rather than relying on “the big light”. Start with general light from a ceiling fitting, add task lights for reading or hobbies, then accent light for shelves, art or plants. That might mean a flush ceiling light, a floor lamp by the sofa and a table lamp near an armchair. With separate switches, you can go bright for cleaning, then dial it down to a softer, more relaxed mood in the evening.

Instead of watts, look at lumens, which measure brightness. As a rough guide, aim for around 100–200 lumens per square metre in a living room, using several fittings rather than one huge light. A 20 m² lounge might need roughly 2,000–4,000 lumens in total, shared between a ceiling fitting and a few lamps. If you prefer a brighter feel, go towards the upper end and use dimmers so you can always turn things down.

North-facing living rooms often feel gloomy, especially in winter. Use warm-white ceiling light plus several lamps to spread brightness into corners, rather than blasting one overhead fitting. Light, matte wall colours and pale rugs help reflect light from lamps. Uplighters that bounce light off the ceiling are brilliant in dingy rooms. Avoid very cool, blueish bulbs – they can make grey days feel even colder and more sterile.

The big ones are: relying on a single central light, choosing bulbs that are too cold and “officey”, and ignoring corners so half the room sits in shadow. Oversized statement fittings in low ceilings are another issue – they look great online but feel oppressive in a typical UK lounge. A safer approach is a modest ceiling light, warm-white bulbs, and at least two extra lamps placed at different heights so the room feels layered and welcoming from day to night.

Rather than sticking a pendant dead-centre in the room, think about where you actually live in the space. Over a coffee table, in front of a sofa, or in a bay window are classic UK choices. The furniture gives the pendant a clear “anchor” and stops it feeling random. Keep it out of the main traffic route from door to door. If it’s over a table, you can hang a little lower; over open floor, keep it higher.