While the ceiling of a living room is often the largest area of a home, homeowners and builders alike often treat the ceiling of a living room as an afterthought. A basic builder-grade ceiling fixture tends to emit harsh light into the living room, creating some potentially ugly shadows throughout the space, and often makes even the most high-quality furnitures in the living room appear flat and two-dimensionally. By replacing this basic fixture with an appropriate ceiling light for the living room, however, the entire space can transform from a generic area of the home to an area with character and personality.
Before selecting a ceiling light for the living room, it is necessary to understand which lighting styles will help to solve specific problems within the space, and how those lighting styles will interact with the other décor in the living room. Lighting options for living rooms can range from those that focus upon providing both ambient and task lighting to those that help to add personality to the space. Some lighting options may even be hidden within the décor of the living room, while other décor items may become the centerpiece of the space as a result of the lighting.
Additionally, some of these lighting options may even allow individuals to avoid the use of an electrician altogether. The various lighting styles for living rooms range from classic styles to contemporary styles, and each lighting style have its strengths and best uses within the décor of the living room.
Great Lighting Styles For Your Living Room
1. Chandeliers
Chandeliers are a classic lighting style that can be used in living rooms of all ages to instantly add a sense of elegance to the space.
For living rooms that have standard eight-foot ceilings, chandeliers between 18 and 24 inch in height are typically best for allowing individuals to walk beneath the chandelier without having to duck their heads. Crystal chandeliers are suitable for living rooms that contain other chandelier décor elements, while simple metal chandeliers may be better for more moddern or farmhouse-style homes. Finally, it is necessary to ensure that there are at least 30 inches of clearance from the floor to the ceiling beneath the chandelier to avoid the issue of individuals with their foreheads against the chandelier when walking into the living room with their décor items.
2. Semiflush Mounts
Semiflush mounts are fixtures that sit close to the ceiling, yet still provide some dimension and depth to the living room décor. Additionally, these types of lighting fixtures are a good option for individuals who would like the space to exhibit some presence of décor without being overly-dramatic with the lighting. For example, using a drum shade made of linen or rattan for the semiflush mounts will allow the even distribution of the evenly harsh light of the bulbs within the ceiling fixture.
Many semiflush mounts also include LED lights that will last for decades and will not heat the surrounding décor to uncomfortable temperatures. Additionally, semiflush mounts are beneficial for those living rooms that have low headroom or that contain staircases within the home. Finally, a decorative element around the ceiling of some semiflush mounts help to reflect light when individuals enter the living room from the hallway.
3. Recessed Lights
Recessed lights can be hidden during the daytime if installed appropriately, but may be helpful in living rooms during the night. Many individuals place too many recessed lights throughout the living room ceiling, however. Instead, only four to six recessed lights may be better than twelve recessed lights that are placed too closely to one another.
These lights may be adjusted to focus the light upon artwork or décor within the living room, and often use warm white bulbs with a color temperature of around 2700 Kelvin to create a comfortable lighting option for living room décor. Finally, using dimmers in conjunction with recessed lights allows for further control of the lighting in the living room.
4. Pendant Lights
Pendant lights in odd numbers can be used to create a sense of modernity in the living room décor.
For instance, three pendant lights of varying heights will add dimension to the décor while still maintaining visual interest in the space. Pendant lights can be of interesting materials, such as milk glass fixtures that allow the décor to softly highlight certain items in the living room, or perforated metal pendants that highlight the area above the living room décor. Because you hang pendant lights closer to the décor in the living room than other lighting styles, the pendant lights will provide direct lighting to those décor items in the living room décor.
When hanging pendant lights, you need to make sure that the lowest point of the pendant light is at least 60 inches above the floor. Otherwise, people may bump their heads when they stand up from the sofa.
5. Cage Lights
Cage lights have an industrial edge that makes them perfect for those who want to give their space an industrial look without looking like a warehouse.
The open metal framework of these pendant lights protects the light bulb and allows the light to come out in maximum strength. These pendant lights come in finishes that include matte black and aged brass, both of which work best with leather sofas and velvet sectionals. The linear shadows that these pendant lights create change according to the position of the sunlight in the room throughout the day.
These pendant lights work best in rooms that already feature ductwork or brick, as the metal of the pendant light complements the materials of the room. Use LED Edison-style bulbs in these pendant lights to protect the wiring from the heat that incandescent bulbs may emit.
6. Flush-mount Pendant Lights
Flush-mount LED pendant lights have improved in the last couple of years.
The newest versions of flush-mount pendant lights are so slim that they look as if they are part of the drywall. Some flush-mount pendant lights have tunable white technology that allows the light to change from bright daylight to a cozy glow that is perfect for relaxing in the evening. These pendant lights solve the problem of some living rooms having dark corners in the middle of the room.
Flush-mounted pendant lights reduce eye strain for those who watch movies on their televisions late into the evening. The downside to flush-mounted LED pendant lights is that they dont feature the same decorative details as a chandelier.
7. Statement Pendant Lights with Natural Materials
Statement pendant lights made from natural materials add warmth to a room.
Pendant lights with a woven rattan shade or a bamboo shade will soften the light that falls into the room. These natural materials bring an organic texture to the room that contrasts well with the other metallic surfaces common in living rooms. These pendant lights work best in rooms with a mid-century modern, boho, or Scandinavian interior design theme.
The pendant lights made from natural materials do not require reinforcing the ceiling joist to be hung in the room. The only downside to pendant lights made of natural materials is that dust will collect in the weave of the pendant light. To avoid this problem, you will have to vacuum the pendant light with a brush attachment from time to time.
8. Color-changing Smart Ceiling Lights
Color-changing smart ceiling lights allow you to treat your ceiling like a canvas of color. Smart light systems can clip into existing ceiling lights or replace the current ceiling fixture in your ceiling. These systems offer millions of color options and routines that mimic sunset and sunrise.
Using color-changing ceiling lights benefits the circadian rhythm in your body. Waking up to bright light that simulates sunrise helps your body to feel good in the morning. Turning the ceiling lights to amber tones during the evening helps to signal to your body that it is time to wind down for the day.
Color-changing ceiling lights used to be out of the reach of most homeowners due to their high cost. However, the price of these lights has dropped to the point where they have become a realistic lighting option for people on a modest budget. Professionals use the method of layering pendant lights of different types to create an appealing living room.
Using pendant lights of different colors, sizes, and shapes will prevent your living room from looking flat and boring. You can use pendant lights of different types throughout the day to change the energy of your living room. For instance, bright pendant lights will assist you in searching for your lost keys, but pendant lights that create a moody atmosphere will be perfect when entertaining your friends with cocktails.
Your ceiling light is more than just a holder for your light bulb. The ceiling light in your living room sets the temperature for all the gatherings you hold in your home, the ceiling light is the backdrop for all the evening activities you and your guest engage in while in your living room, and the ceiling light is the first thing all your guests will notice when they enter your home. Therefore, you should of choose and install the perfect ceiling light for your living room.
If you do, your ceiling will become one of the most interesting parts of your home. Your ceiling light will not just illuminate the living room but transform the way your living room feels every time you flip the switch.
