The “living” room is perhaps the most important and frequently -used room of any home. It serves multiple purposes, thus making it a versatile living space, too. From watching television to reading novels and from hosting parties to relaxing after a long day at work, the living room is the busiest place in a house. While it may seem like a task to zero -in on the ideal combination of interiors for this room, a little bit of introspection, research and artistic sensibilities can truly transform it into a comfortable hub for various needs.

Lighting plays a massive role in defining the character and accentuating the beauty of any room. Illuminating a modern living room calls for a strategic plan that not only helps brighten up essential spaces, but also adds a whole new dimension to the area.

Read on as the experts at FLOS compile a list of modern living room lighting ideas and things to consider while choosing the ideal lighting for your living room.

Understand and evaluate your objectives:

The primary step before you go all out with lighting up the living room is how you intend to utilize the space. As mentioned above, this room is a multipurpose area that can be used for various activities. What are the different sections that you can divide the living room into? You might have a television and couch, or an isolated lounging chair to relax, or a sofa on which you can sit and read, or a separate area for the family to sit and chat, or all of the above.

Ray Floor Lamp by Rodolfo Dordoni

Once you figure out your usage of the room, it can subsequently help you create an optimal lighting environment based on your needs.

How to plan the living room lightscape:

The experts at FLOS recommend taking a layered approach towards illuminating the living . Since the usage of the living room would vary from person to person and family to family, you will need to establish your needs before you start planning the lightscape.

Arco Floor Lamp by Achille Castiglioni

Essentially, there are a few types of lighting that you could consider using in the living room:

• Ambient lighting: The basic light that forms the foundation of lighting in any space.
• Task lighting: Indoor lighting that enables the easy accomplishment of specific tasks.
• Accent lighting: Soft lights that are used for highlighting elements and architecture.
• Spot lighting: Strong and focused lights that allow you to highlight specific areas or things.
• Recessed lighting: Downlighting fixtures that are installed in an opening in the ceiling.
• Up lighting: Lights that are strategically placed on the floor so that the light emitted points upwards, creating a wonderful effect.

We recommend first analyzing the amount of natural light that your living room gets at different times of the day. The next step is setting the foundation of the lighting with unique living room ceiling lights and recessed downlights. It is important to get this step right with ambient lights that help you achieve an even, consistent and warm glow. Consider soft white incandescent lamps that can set the base for the entire living room.

How to choose lighting for living room according to your needs:

Once the foundation is laid, you could consider picking an intricately crafted chandelier or overhead lighting such as unobtrusive pendant lamps to add a layer of charm to the room.

• Watching TV

Long Light by Piero Lissoni

If watching the TV is one of the key activities you do in the living room, make sure you go for lights that do not interfere or conflict with the glow that the TV screen emits. The key to doing this is ensuring that none of the natural or artificial lighting points directly towards the monitor. Bias lighting can help avoid the glare and also lower the strain on your eyes; in fact, it can actually help improve the quality of the pictures you see on screen.

• Reading

Kelvin LED Green Mode I by Antonio Citterio

For all you book lovers, it makes sense to go for a mix of desk or reading lamps that complement your lightscape and make it easy for you to read. Ensure that the lights you select are dimmable ones, so you can adjust the lumen output or brightness according to your needs. It also helps if you have lighting options that are adjustable in terms of positioning. In case you plan to incorporate a standout bookshelf into the living room, you may choose accent lighting that illuminates it and adds aesthetic value to the room.

• Socializing

Glo-Ball F by Jasper Morrison

Whether you talk about spending time with your family or hosting guests for parties in the living room, it calls for a careful mix of ambient and accent lighting. From floor lamps and table lamps to wall sconces and pendants, there are numerous options that you can experiment with to enhance your living room. Remember, it is important to keep the space warm so that it creates a welcoming atmosphere for people.

Romeo Soft T by Philippe Starck

For utility surfaces like counters and tables, consider using a row of mini pendants or table lamps. Once you have figured out the best combination of functional lighting, you can then use a blend of accent lighting and spot lighting to highlight special pieces of art and architecture.

How to ensure harmony between modern living room lighting fixtures?

Simply procuring a variety of lights and lining them up in the living room will leave the space looking muddled and cluttered. It is vital that you pick modern living room lighting that not only satisfies your needs, but also complements the décor (and each other). While you could go for an out-and-out contemporary living room lighting ensemble with linear lights and modern LED lamps, the decision should be based on what “look” you intend to achieve.

2097 Chandelier by Gino Sarfatti

Modern living room lighting trends suggest that people find a unique mix of contemporary and vintage fixtures quite appealing. It is then up to you and your imagination to conjure up the perfect balance between form and function with an amalgamation of lamps.

Browse through an assortment of led lighting ideas for living room by FLOS.