Make Over Your Living Room II

LIGHTING

Living Room Lighting is essential to your living room make over. It’s also an excellent opportunity to tie in the lighting in the dining room or kitchen. In your living room, you’ll need to provide enough lighting for every corner where people might sit, as well as mood lighting for those quieter and more relaxed times

Chandeliers are probably the most popular style of living room lighting. They can range in size from a three-light mini chandelier to something extravagant enough to make a Disney princess proud.

Close-to-ceiling lighting, also referred to as semi-flushmount lighting, combines flushmount lighting (which sits flush against the ceiling) and a low-hanging fixture.

Pendant lighting typically features one shade and hangs from the ceiling. Popular options are single-light mini and bowl pendants. But multi-light pendants also provide ample illumination, while offering a unique look.

Recessed lighting is installed into an opening in the living room ceiling. The result is a crisp, clean look and the light appears to shine from the opening.

Track lighting is set along a track (also called a run). Because these tracks can be rigid or flexible, you can customize your lighting and to work with what you already have in the living room. For track lighting basics, visit our article here

Wall sconces are wall-mounted fixtures that provide general, task, or accent lighting in the living room. They can be directional or emit substantial light, and much of the time they’re reversible and can be mounted for up or down lighting. Swing arm fixtures are more versatile than other wall sconces, since the light source itself can be moved. Wall washers flood a specific area with light, perfect for complementing other fixtures in the living room.

Lamp lighting is a rich and practical way to illuminate any part of your living room. Table, desk, and piano lamps are ideal for smaller areas where you might read or write, while floor, buffet, and torchiere lamps provide more lighting.

Picture wall lighting is specifically designed to direct a narrow band of lighting to an area of a painting or picture, usually at the top or bottom.

Accent lighting is a great way to provide ambient lighting from above. Also called spot lighting, this is a versatile way to lighting a living room, since many fixtures are available with several lights and can be multi-directional.