Watching television, receiving guests or reading a good book with atmospheric light - the living room is used in many ways. The living room lighting requirements are accordingly high. Only several light sources add structure and atmosphere to a room and its facilities. Keyword: accent lighting! Your living room in the right light with out tips! What it is necessary to keep in mind? Luminous flux, light colour and the right living room lamps.

Overall, a living room of approx. 20 square meters should have three to five light sources depending on the shape of it. Start with the basic lighting.

Basic lighting at the living room’s ceiling

Basic brightness is given by spotlights, ceiling lights and pendant luminaires. Spotlights and flat ceiling lights can be placed in the middle of the room, or spread across the ceiling spread. Pendant luminaires have their place on top the coffee table: They will be properly emphasized here and the table will be embellished too without the danger of bumping against the light with the head. Take care of chosing a dimmer with spotlights and spots. That’s the only way of adapting the mood of the light.

Ambient lighting does not mean that there must be direct light. A diffuser spreads the light and distributes it evenly in the room. Diffuse light is soft and therefore more comfortable. For example, the Glo-Ball pendant lamps by Flos work with such a diffuser: This opal glass breaks the light and spread it evenly in the room. Pendants can be a real eye-catchers. They will give a completely different look to the room depending on the shape, color and material. Vita provides a hint of romanticism with the lamps EOS and Silvia, the pendant lamps by Tom Dixon convince with their elegant metallic industrial charm. The point is to meet the style of your living room furniture.

Create more light sources and accents

A light source is not sufficient to meet the diverse requirements of a living room. Accents can be set with a table lamp, floor lamps and wall lights. Create a reading corner: Free-standing luminaires can be individually adjusted by flexible joints and a tiltable frame and thus provide sufficient light for reading. A lampshade opened downwards collects the light and focuses it towards the book. Take care of lamps with a dimmer for the regulation of the light’s intensity depending on the time of the day and to avoit glaring. Avoid strong contrasts of light while reading: In addition to the reading lamp, there should be sufficient basic brightness in order to avoid your eyes from getting tired too quickly.
Product tips for the reading corner: The standing and reading lamp by Absolut lighting, the AJ floor lamp by Louis Poulsen and the Slimsophie floor lamp by frauMaier
Wall lights add more mood their selective light provides an interesting light-shadow game. This is even reinforced in combination with mirrors. Small, dark rooms appear bigger and brighter. Larger rooms with large, empty walls receive a welcomed break. Pictures, sculptures, shelves and cabinets can be emphasized with wall lamps or selectively installed ceiling spotlights. Product tips for wall lighting: the Mesmeri Halo Wall lamp by Artemide, the Lucellino NT Wall lamp by Ingo Maurer, the Base wall light by Tom Dixon

Table lamps also spread accentuated light as well as wall lamps. On the window sill, on a sideboard, in shelves or on a table - a table lamp is not only a light source, but also a very decorative element. For this reason, it should be quietly striking.
Product tips for table lighting: the Wagenfeld lamp WG24, the Pedrera table lamp PD1 by Gubi and the Bourgie by Kartell

Make sure that your light sources suit each other. That doesn't mean that all lights must come from the same series or brand. But they should not work against each other. If the pendant lamp is already pompous, all the other lights should stay discreetly in the background. If you installed small spotlights and discreet wall lights, however, there are no limits in the selection of the table lamp. Also consider whatever other setting of your living room.

The lights in the vicinity of the TV should be dimmed for not disturbing the screen with reflections. Indirect wall lighting, for example behind the TV, and diffused light in the middle of the room, for example through dimmed ceiling lights or various accent lamps provide comfortable brightness. When it comes to the television there is something more to note: Large brightness differences between screen and room will make the eyes work a lot.