19 October 2009
Key pointers to keep your lounge bright but cosy
If too many of your rooms are only served by the odd lamp that was bought years ago for a different home, it’s time to take stock!
Here are a few tips to give your living room a welcome glow
1. Don’t rely on main ceiling lights. Often the illumination cast down from a main light will only create one large area of glare in the centre of the room, and by the time you are bent over a book, you’re in shadow! Even when you do use the main light, position a few other smaller lights around the room too (see below), and choose a main ceiling fitting that will spread out the powerful light coming from the ceiling, for example a multi-arm fitting with several different lights on it.
2. Keep lounge lamps flexible. Choose lamps that are easy to move around when you need to rearrange furniture, rather than fixing wall lamps to a place above where the sofa might currently be (it might move in six months’ time). If you want to get a standard lamp with a longish stand, so that it can be used either at a desk for work, go for one that will fit easily into a corner, rather than one that stands out in the room where younger children will knock it easily.
3. Think about the look of your lamps. Do you want your lighting to be a focal point, or purely functional? Realistically, you’re not going to change your lighting with each change in furnishing trend, so try to opt for something that’s more timeless and a good, flexible colour.
Savvy tip
Near the television go for a softer table lamp so the light does not compete with what you are watching.
Pass it on – focal point lighting
Consider adding small lighting features over pictures or underneath glass shelving to add layered light throughout your lounge. These can be cheap and easy to fit.
