While renovating the living room, we pay great attention to decor, furniture, accessories, and completely forget that all our efforts can be nullified at sunset, because no one really cared about the correct evening lighting. It will not work to organize high-quality living room lighting without a creative approach that involves considering all options and angles. It will also require technical calculations that will show exactly what level of illumination should be in the room, after which it will be possible to determine the choice of lamp models to provide it. But let's talk about everything in more detail.
Living room lighting rules
“The role of the main light source in lighting the living room can be assigned to a luxurious chandelier, which is traditionally placed in the center of the ceiling”
If only general lighting is organized in the living room, the source of which will be a chandelier or another type of lamp hanging in the center of the ceiling, then it will not be possible to avoid dark corners in the room. Naturally, in this case, the uniformity of the distribution of the light flux is simply not being discussed. It is impossible in this way to focus on the desired part of the interior.
design technique: combination of chandelier color decor with furniture in the living room
In order for everything to work out as it should, you can not do without the advice of professionals. In this case, they have several rules, the main of which says that one lamp in the living room is not enough. Since this room is the most visited, and not only by household members, there should be plenty of light in it.
The role of the main light source in lighting the living room can be assigned to a luxurious chandelier, which is traditionally placed in the center of the ceiling. Since its brightness is rarely enough to highlight details and emphasize the beauty of the situation, other types of lamps are usually used in addition to it. What they should be depends not only on the stylistic concept of the living room design, but also on the wishes of the owners.
large luxurious chandelier in the center of the living room
How to organize lighting in a room, decide taking into account the following universal rules:
- The living room should be an accent place. It can be a dining or coffee table, a cozy sofa or something from works of art.
- The light should illuminate the living room in parts. This is especially true for rooms of large areas and in the case when many guests are received in the house. It's a great way to divide the invitees by interests and let them do something exciting.
- In addition to the general light in the living room, local lighting should be equipped, which in no case should turn out to be background. Its task is to focus on certain objects, for example, on a home theater or an aquarium.
- Choose soft-glow lamps to illuminate the living room. With their help, it is easier to maintain an atmosphere of comfort and coziness in the room.
- Use lighting to hide interior imperfections.
- If possible, arrange multi-level lighting in the living room, then you will always be able to adjust the amount of light. That is, it will be possible to create a romantic or intimate atmosphere or fill the room with a bright, solemn glow appropriate for the occasion.
multi-level chandelier in the interior of the living room
Light in the zoning of the living room
The effect of space zoning in room lighting functions is not in last place. This is one of his top priorities.
When bringing living room lighting to the zoning of the space of the room, the required can be achieved by its correct direction, as well as using lamps of various designs and color spectrum. Light can be poured vertically, diagonally, directly. By combining multidirectional light fluxes, you can create several functional zones at once. According to this principle, separate cozy corners are formed in the living room, such as places for reading and relaxing. They can be well lit with a table lamp or a low-hanging sconce.
A small built-in lamp may appear in the TV area, which will turn on when watching TV. Floor lamps with colored lampshades will create a romantic atmosphere, flooding the space around them with soft diffused light. To create a zone of real relaxation, you can generally use candles.
example of lighting zoning in the interior of the living room
Living room lighting: types, methods
Lighting in the reception room can be:
- General.
- Decorative.
- Special.
General lighting
Designers call this type of lighting background. In fact, it is just a uniform stream of light coming from one large source. The role of such a source is most often a chandelier, but such an item in the interior is not always appropriate. Sometimes there are direct contraindications to its use. For example, with low ceilings or their stretch surface, it is more practical to use not a bulky chandelier, but built-in lamps, which are positioned in such a way that all areas of the living room are illuminated.
general lighting in the interior of the living room with a low ceiling
If during the day the large windows are puzzled by the lighting of the room, then in the evening floor lamps can become a source of general light. Background lighting can be created using the following techniques and items:
– electric fireplace;
– side lighting of the living room, made as light Wall panels, which must be static;
- light guns shining from different corners of the room;
- LED ceiling, which can look like, for example, the starry sky;
- LED strip, which is easy to stretch around the perimeter of the living room.
side lighting in the living room
decorative lighting
This type of lighting can be reproduced in several ways. You can’t do without it if your living room has niches. They certainly need to be illuminated and do it with a directed stream of light. Such a design move will allow you to create a kind of imitation of windows. It will give the impression that it is the niche itself that illuminates the room, and not vice versa. In this case, paws of descending, or, depending on the idea, ascending light are very effective. With such lighting, the walls of the living room will acquire airy transparency, and all due to the fact that the light of such an orientation seems to spread over them with a thin film. You can use lamps of this type openly or veil, that is, hide them. In the latter case, an atmosphere of mystery and other intriguing and bewitching notes will appear in the room.
spot lighting and hidden niche lighting in the living room
If the floors in the living room have differences or there are podiums in the interior, then these details should also be used in organizing lighting. It is worth building small lamps into steps and drops.Thus, you will solve not only decorative tasks, but also endow the lamps with an additional “reminder” function. Seeing their glow, you will never forget that there is a difference in the floor level in front of you and you will not get injured.
Light accents should appear on decorative elements that adorn the walls, for example, in paintings or photographs dear to the heart. You can thus highlight other valuable furnishings. With this action, you will contribute to the completeness of the interior composition. To create a similar effect, any lamps and directional light lamps are suitable.
directional light fixtures in the interior of the living room
Special lighting
Living room lighting includes:
- Spot light.
- Spots.
- Mixed lighting.
The first is appropriate when there is a need to highlight some details of the situation, to attract the eyes of guests to original paintings or unusual design solutions. In addition, spotlights can appear on the ceiling and serve as auxiliary lighting.
spotlights as auxiliary lighting in the living room
The term "spots" refers to all types of directional light fixtures. They are mainly equipped with halogen lamps, the brightness of which allows you to form an accent spot, which is the backlight for a given piece of decor. Spots can be both single lamps and their group. The main feature of such structures is the ability of each element to rotate at different angles and provide targeted light emission. Some spots have rheostats responsible for regulating the brightness of the living room lighting. In this way, it is also possible to change the direction and intensity of the light beam.
You can dramatically transform the interior of the living room, fill the room with the splendor of shining lights, using mixed lighting. To do this, they use heterogeneous lamps, ranging from chandeliers to floor lamps, as well as flickering illumination of wall paintings.
example of mixed living room lighting
Occasional lighting
“Use LED strips or small lamps built into the friezes to illuminate the luxurious decor of the living room”
The modern living room is multifunctional. This is not just a room for receiving visitors. Often, this is, in combination, a dining room and a bedroom. Therefore, the lighting in the room should correspond to such a variety.
If the living room regularly turns into a dining room, then the main light accent is on the dining table. For this ideal, of course, a chandelier. The sources of directional light, which in this case are also needed in lighting such a living room, will be pendant lights..
using a pendant lamp in the living room above the dining table
If your living room is more like an exhibition hall, pay more attention to the local illumination of the collections displayed in the room and background lighting. In such an environment, the appearance of ramp lamps, which are used in theaters, will not be nonsense.
But when the living room combines the functions of the bedroom, then you just need to make sure that the lighting in the room is of different types. One should provide a pleasant rest, the second - to promote a comfortable sleep, the third - awakening. Background light can be omitted here. It will be perfectly replaced by several floor lamps or sconces. Each lamp should emit streams of varying intensity.
If the decor of the living room has a beautiful figured ceiling framed by a mass of decorative elements, then such refinement cannot be left without lighting. Use LED strips or small lamps built into the friezes to illuminate the luxurious decor of the living room. Backlighting works well.To create a light background, it is better to purchase an airy chandelier that has a lot of reflective or transparent decorations and pendants. With a mirrored ceiling, this combination will turn out to be simply luxurious.
use of LED lighting in the ceiling niche of the living room
What to remember
When choosing models of lamps, look at their design. It should resonate with the design style of the room in which they are planned to be placed. Do not forget that lamps are not just devices that pull out the room from the darkness, but also an excellent decorative decoration. Even during the day when they are not in use, their exterior should be aesthetically satisfying.
wall lamps match the style of the living room
Do not arrange lamps in one row. They must be fastened at the level required by a particular functional area. Only in this case, the lighting of the living room will be harmonious.
There should be no harsh light in the living room, so equip the chandelier with halogen lamps and give preference to frosted lampshades. Lower lighting will help create a pleasant atmosphere, but this can only be done in those rooms where there are free corners.
The stretch ceiling can be equipped with a section of flashlights, which have the function of regulating the intensity of the glow.
built-in ceiling lights with adjustable light direction
Speaking of night lighting, do not forget about daylight. It also plays an important role in design. Do not hide the windows of the living room behind too thick curtains and do not try to close them during the daytime, trying to isolate yourself from other people's views. A thick tulle will wonderfully cope with this task, which will hide everything that happens in the room from the curious, but at the same time it will not prevent the sun's rays from penetrating into the living room.
snow-white pride perfectly transmits daylight, illuminating the living room during the day
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize once again that the lighting of the living room, first of all, should create a favorable and comfortable environment for spending time, and this will only be realistic if it is possible to control the operation of the lighting fixtures in the room.
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