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Among the most important spaces in any modern home, the living room is central to familial gatherings — a nesting spot for repose and respite. But beyond the requisite furnishings and fittings, the art of creating the perfect ambient space lies in spatial design and lighting. Notably, light layering.
While lighting may seem straightforward in the context of renovations, a lot of thought can go into creating the perfect ambience for any given space. Naturally, the type of lighting you select should serve its fundamental purpose — providing illumination at its very core. Yet, illumination for illumination’s sake can often feel dated, even going so far as to cause strain when overdone.
For a space to be truly well-lit, it must enhance the mood whilst also highlighting the design elements of your space. Most importantly, your lighting should reflect the purpose of the space itself, adapting dynamically to different activities as needed.
What is light layering?
In essence, light layering entails the incorporation of several different lighting sources and types within a singular space. The artistry behind light layering rests in its ability to adapt to homeowners’ needs, allowing for work, play, and everything else in between.
Enter the living room, which plays host to any number of activities — within this space, it is imperative that ambient, task, and accent lighting are all integrated, allowing for greater control and versatility when it comes to usage. Stuck on where and how to begin? We consult the experts for tips on how to create the perfect ambient space in the living room, providing sufficient lighting options to take you and yours through the daily motions of life.
The first step to mastering the art of light layering lies in knowing the types of lighting available to you. While each lighting category serves its own distinctive function, they can be mixed and matched to create a cohesive and flexible lighting plan, allowing you to set the perfect mood and ensure a beautiful, as well as functional living space.
Ambient Lights
Ambient lighting is a blanket term used to describe a room’s primary source of light. The term is often used to encompass overhead lighting fixtures from ceiling lights and chandeliers to pendant lamps and recessed lighting. It is imperative that your ambient lighting fixtures provide enough general illumination to maintain comfortable visibility. Notably, ambient lighting sets the overall tone of the room, so its importance cannot be overstated.
Task Lights
Task lighting refers to lighting fixtures that are focused and functional for specific tasks. Notably, task lighting is important for spaces that are often used for reading, working, crafting, cooking, and more. Examples of task lighting include desk lamps, reading lamps, or directional spotlights that provide focused beams of light to illuminate the task at hand, both for safety and for eye comfort levels.
Accent lighting adds depth, dimension, and an extra layer of drama to your space, highlighting specific elements of your interior home design. Notably, accent lighting can serve to spotlight artwork, architectural details, or decorative objects, allowing them to stand out. Examples of accent lighting include wall sconces, uplights, or LED strips installed beneath shelves. Says Leah Howatson of Castlery, “This is where your creative eye comes in to elevate your space.”
3 Steps to Light Layering
Consider painters, who dab on layers of paint to add contrast and drama to their masterpieces. The same can be said of lighting designers, who give that same level of care in setting up the various lighting options within a space. The end goal of light layering is to create an ambience that is conducive and functional, providing enough illumination for every level of activity.
1. Set up Ambient Lights
Start by establishing a base layer of light — your ambient lighting, which should provide even illumination throughout the room. Ceiling lights like flush mounts or chandeliers are both popular choices, while recessed lighting is a subtle option that lends easy elegance to a modern, minimalistic aesthetic. Avoid harsh and direct lighting that can create shadows or bright spots, as the contrast can strain the eyes over long periods of exposure. Instead, opt for diffused light sources that spread light evenly across the space.
2. Set up Task Lights
Consider the various activities that are done in your living space. Is it where your children do their homework after school? Do you make crafts that require optimal lighting for less eye strain?
Does it play host to family gatherings and game nights, and is it a safe haven for weekend movie dates? All these are important considerations that will provide an answer to how much task lighting you will need. Use floor lamps to light up seating areas, if that’s where you prefer to do your reading. Consider incorporating table lamps, which make great options for adding focused light where necessary, like in corners or on tables and sideboards. For added functionality and convenience, choose dimmable task lighting with adjustable — all the better to meet your every need.
3. Set up Accent Lights
Think of accent lighting as the act of adding finishing touches to a project. The right accent lights can provide depth to your space, highlighting art, architectural features, or textures that can accentuate the overall design of your home.
Some great accent lighting options include wall sconces and picture lights that can be used to showcase art, as well as up lights to create subtle drama around your furniture and show pieces. If you’re looking to incorporate a bit of modernity into your space, LED strips are a great way to add soft, indirect lighting whilst suffusing your space in a warm and inviting atmosphere.
How to Choose Light Bulbs?
Not all bulbs were made the same, and your choice of bulbs could very well set the scene at home. Beyond their long-term impact on the environment, your bulbs could also impact how your living room looks and feels.
Allow for maximum versatility by incorporating dimmable, colour-changing LED bulbs that can shift from bright white to warm white at your whim and fancy.
A fantastic smart lighting system to consider is Philips Hue, which connects an array of LED bulbs via the Philips Bridge device and the Philips Hue Mobile app, allowing you optimum control over how your home is lit. Providing insight on how to choose bulbs, Poh Cheng Kit of Sol Luminaire says, “3000K Warm White is most suitable for creating a functional and ambient space. Additionally, refer to the Colour Rendering Index (CRI), and look out for lamps that achieve >90 CRI to ensure visual crispness.”
1. Brightness
When selecting bulbs for your lighting fixtures, one key thing to remember is just how bright you need them to be.
Measure brightness in lumens, rather than watts — the former indicates how much light a bulb will produce, whilst the latter indicates the amount of power the bulb will consume. Thus, it is good practice to think in terms of lumens, or brightness when lighting for your home.
When selecting ambient lighting for your living room, you’ll want around 2,000 to 3,000 lumens spread throughout. However, task lighting should be limited to around 500 to 1,000 lumens, as they should be bright enough to reduce eye strain while not being overwhelming.
Different kelvin temperature colours.
2. Colour Temperature
The temperature of your lighting can very easily affect the ambience of your space. While cool lighting temperatures (4,000K and above) may provide an energising effect and are great for study areas and workspaces, warmer temperatures (around 2,700K to 3,000K) are a better choice for relaxing and unwinding.
3. Energy Efficient Light Bulbs
With the push for energy efficiency and eco-friendly solutions reaching an all time high, the onus is on homeowners to make the switch to sustainable solutions.
Accounting for about 9% of all energy consumption at home, lights are easy to overlook, but similarly convenient to change up in favour of lowering your carbon footprint.
If you haven’t already, consider making the switch to LED bulbs, which are both more energy efficient and longer lasting than traditional incandescent bulbs.
How to Create Lighting Zones?
What are light zones? While it is common to use furnishings and rugs to demarcate between spaces, the same can also be done with lighting fixtures. This is particularly true of open-concept living rooms, where light can be a useful tool to create a distinction between individual zones.
For example: You can easily establish separate areas for television, reading, and socialising by simply using different lighting styles to define them. By doing so, you’ll be able to enhance the functionality of your space without the sometimes stifling use of walls, partitions, or room dividers.
1. Reading corner
Reading corners can be indicated by placing a standing or table lamp next to your seat of choice, be it an armchair or a sofa. Combined, these furnishings will create a soothing reading nook that is as functional as it is beautiful. Be sure to check that your lighting is focused and bright enough so as to reduce eye strain.
2. Dining area
Imbue a social dining area with warmth by incorporating a statement chandelier or a pendant light. This is particularly useful for spots in which people congregate — over the dining table or kitchen island, or even over a coffee table. You can also augment the space with a few strategically-placed table lamps or sconces, which together, will add on softer ambient lighting that will make your home feel warmer and more welcoming.
3. Television room
When lighting your television area, take special care to avoid direct lighting that can cause a glare on the screen. Instead, opt for soft, indirect lighting applied around the perimeter of the room. You can also incorporate wall-mounted uplights or dimmable sconces to enhance your movie nights at home.
Spotlight on Architectural Design
Beyond merely providing illumination, proper lighting design can also help to enhance the architectural features of your home, shining a spotlight, so to speak. If you love your high ceilings, exposed beams, textured walls, built-in shelves, or curving staircase, the right accent lights can help them to stand out, truly allowing them to shine within the context of your home.
Leah Howatson of Castlery believes that a well-layered design can transform a room from cosy and intimate to bright and lively. “Consider requesting cove lighting from your contractor, or adding recessed lighting behind the TV for a cosy movie night,” She shares. “The final step to truly nailing an elevated atmosphere is to add an on off-the shelf decorative accents.”
Use uplights and downlights to create depth and drama. Whether placed at the base of a wall or behind furniture, uplights can provide an extra layer of shadowy illumination that is comfortable for the eyes, and yet enhances the ambience for optimum relaxation. Downlights, however, are great when you want to highlight textured surfaces like brick or stone walls, adding a tactile dimension to your space.
Illuminate decorations, objects, or books where they are arranged on your shelves by using LED strip lights for a modern, chic approach. Not only will they add a subtle glow to your space that can double as soft mood lighting in the evenings, they’ll also ensure you always know exactly what you’re reaching for.
Imbue your space with functional and decorative soft lighting courtesy of wall sconces. The type of sconce you choose will also add a decorative edge to your wall; likewise, they can be used to frame a mirror, window, or a piece of art, creating a focal point in your living room without becoming overwhelming.