Last Updated on September 15, 2025
As the part of your home where you receive guests or where the whole family gathers, it’s important to choose the best lighting for your living room. Careful thought should be given to the style, function and comfort that a lighting fixture offers. A chandelier light for living room spaces, for example, can serve as a stunning centerpiece, not just a source of light. Add to this the goal of creating a warm and welcoming space, and your choice of lighting should be stylish and practical at the same time.
Think in layers of light
Even the brightest ambient lighting casts shadows and dark corners if it’s the only source of light you rely on. For your living room to be bright in every sense of the word, you have to combine different types of fixtures, but with balance and flexibility in mind.
- Ambient lighting: The recommended option is warm and white bulbs. You can choose from ceiling-mounted lights, chandeliers, recessed lighting, and flush-mounted fixtures.
- Task lighting: these fixtures provide focused illumination to support specific activities, such as working or reading. Cool white bulbs are highly recommended as they’re bright enough without causing eye strain. Popular examples of task lighting are reading floor lamps, accent table lamps, and swing-arm wall sconces.
- Accent lighting: It’s designed to highlight or illuminate architectural features or decor in your home. Common examples include picture lights, LED strip lights, and wall-mounted sconces.
Consider the room color and decor
Ever wonder why pictures taken under warm, yellow lighting tend to look better? The same is true with how a living room would appear based on the lighting’s colour temperature.
- If your living room has warm-toned decor, such as oranges and browns, warm light enhances these colors and features.
- If your living room has a modern, cool-coloured scheme, cool white or daylight lighting can easily enhance the aesthetic appeal.
- Choose warm light if you want to create a cosy atmosphere in your living room or cool white for a contemporary look and feel.
Choose the right centrepiece
Making your home feel luxurious is as easy as choosing a chandelier that not only offers generous ambient light but also visual appeal. Big, bold, and loud don’t always work, however.
- Choose lighting fixtures that complement the existing decor and do not overpower the room.
- Choose a chandelier that’s proportional to the room’s ceiling height, nothing too large or too small that it misses the mark.
- Make sure it coordinates or creates a cohesive look with the rest of your living room. Choose a modern lamp for a modern aesthetic, for example.
- Go for fixtures that have dimmable options so you can control the brightness based on the mood you want to achieve.
Think of the climate and your lifestyle
You might be wondering, what does lighting have to do with them? If you think about how your home is designed for heat and natural light, choosing practical options would make a huge difference.
- Aim to cut down on energy cost and consumption by using energy-efficient lighting fixtures
- Ceiling fans with lights not only offer illumination but also a cooling option that is suitable and helpful if you live in warmer regions in Australia.
In deciding which fixtures to use in your living room, always consider the color scheme, decor theme, and the environment you want to create. If you’re on the market for chandeliers that combine functionality and aesthetics, check out Lux & Beyond.
