Proper lighting is essential for creating an inviting, comfortable, cozy and functional living room. This space plays an extremely important role in every home. It’s where all family members get together to communicate and discuss the main events of the day. The living room is the place where you can rest and relax after a long day at work. It’s also the place where you can spend time with your friends and entertain them.

Lighting is an integral part of a successful interior design. Without the ideal lighting scheme, even a well-designed room will look dull and gloomy. Adequate lighting can complement the design of your living room adding more character and style. The appropriate lighting will help you attract the attention to the most beautiful areas in your living room and hide those things you don’t want to be visible. It can also improve your mood and the quality of daily life. With perfect lighting, you and your family members are going to feel much happier in your warm and welcoming living room. But what should you do to design a lighting scheme that works well? Here are some effective tips that will help you brighten up your living room and take the most out of this space.

Plan Your Living Room Lighting That Fulfills Every Need

If you are tired of constantly spending time in a poorly lit living room, it’s definitely time for a change. You can breathe new life into your living space by simply replacing your ancient light fixtures. With modern light fixtures, your living room will get a new and fresh look.

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There is a huge variety of light fixtures that can decorate your living room and turn it into a truly fascinating place. You can use ceiling lights that usually include downlights, recessed lighting fixtures, flush mounts, semi-flush mounts, track lighting systems as well as pendants and chandeliers. Keep in mind that each lighting fixture serves a different purpose.

Floor-standing lamps can be put in a variety of places. An elegant and sophisticated floor lamp will become a focal point in your living room attracting the attention of all your family members and guests. Table lights including table lamps and desk lamps can be placed in your living room as well.

In order to understand how to use different light fixtures properly, divide your living space into several functional areas. Think well where you may need the brightest light. Ambient light is needed to illuminate the whole room. You will need a brighter light for those areas where you usually read or do the other activities that require concentration. With accent lighting, you will be able to illuminate the important design elements that you want to be seen by everyone. Let’s analyze each type of living room lighting in detail to help you make the right choice.

Use Ambient Lighting to Create a Warm Atmosphere

Ambient lighting creates the atmosphere of warmth and relaxation in your living room and helps you feel comfortable. General lighting is usually provided by a light fixture placed in the center of the room. A lot of homeowners prefer to use chandeliers for this purpose. Chandeliers come in a wide range of designs. You can find unique chandeliers that will not just brighten up your space, but make it even more beautiful.

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There is a chandelier for every room. You should just select the one that perfectly fits your space. Modern chandeliers can completely transform your living room. Chandeliers are also a great option if you want to save some floor space in your room. Just like chandeliers, pendants are a great source of ambient lighting. However, you should keep in mind that these lighting fixtures cannot illuminate properly all the dark corners in your room. That’s why you will have to think about adding the other light sources. Plus, you should not forget about natural light as well. Natural light can also make your room feel more spacious. Besides, it helps to save on energy bills.

Recessed lights have become extremely popular in recent years. Some people prefer using these lights as the source of ambient light. However, recessed lighting can be more effectively used in combination with pendants, chandeliers and flush-mount fixtures. If your lighting fixture does not provide enough light, you can supplement it with wall sconces and lamps to make your living room even brighter and more attractive.

Use Extra Light to Perform Tasks More Easily

Even if you have a lot of ambient light in your living room, using the additional sources of light would be extremely important for doing some specific tasks. There are a lot of different lamps that can be used as a source of task lighting. All task lamps should be adjustable to avoid bright light get into your eyes. If you want to sit in a cozy corner to read or write something, you can use a desk lamp that will provide you with appropriate light level.

Hanging a small pendant over a sofa is also a great idea. It can work not just as a source of light, but as a decorative piece as well. Consider putting a floor lamp in your living room. This lamp will definitely make the task area more functional. A floor lamp will have a huge impact on your mood and the style of your living room.

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Watching TV is one of those activities that we usually do in our living rooms. You may also use task lighting to make this process more comfortable. However, make sure that your source of light does not conflict with the light emitted by television. You should also put your lighting fixture the right way to prevent the light from shining directly into the screen.

Enhance the Beauty of Decorative Elements with Accent Light

Accent lighting focuses light on some special objects or areas. This type of lighting will help you illuminate some favorite things in your living room. Accent lighting can add more drama and romance to your space. However, you should know how to use it properly to achieve the desired effect.

Brighten up only those décor items you really want to be seen. Choose lights of different colors. Spot lights, picture lights, table lamps and floor lamps are great sources of accent lighting. Keep in mind that accent lighting should be dim to create a peaceful atmosphere and help you and your guests concentrate on the most important elements only.

With a smart lighting scheme, you can turn your living room into a cozy oasis. Choose the lighting fixtures that will set the mood and create a modern, bright and stress-free living space.

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