Mix and match lamps of different sizes and patterns, throw down some floor cushions, pile up plenty of textiles and transform your living room.
This is an area that is very often over lit with far too many down lights. ‘You don’t need to fill all of the blank ceiling space with lights’ says Rocky. You should light the work spaces really well, make sure your island or counter tops have plenty of light and light your dining table well. Pendants over a dining table or island work well, put them on a separate circuits to the rest of the lights in the room so that you can control the atmosphere in the space.
Getting the height of a pendant light over a dining table right can be hard to gauge. Rocky suggests positioning it so that ‘when you are sitting it is over your head and when you are standing it is under your head.
When planning your lighting scheme for an open-plan living space you should do so with the location of your furniture in mind rather than simply focusing on the ceiling.
Don’t rely solely on ambient and overhead lighting – this kind of lighting is purely functional and gives an overall illumination for a space. It is generally achieved either by overhead pendants or spotlights. Make sure you include some secondary lighting such as floor and table lamps. Not only will they help to dress a room but they will also create atmosphere.
Once again try to avoid the temptation to over light a room with too many fixed down lights – the result will be harsh and will tend to create glare. Instead, position directional fittings so they light the walls to reflect light back into the room.
