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How to choose the right lighting for your living room

Now that the days are getting shorter, it's time to create a cosy atmosphere with the right lighting in your living room. Whether you install a ceiling lamp or place a table lamp in the window, your home will immediately feel much warmer and cosier. 

An off-white STOENSE rug, low pile in the living room
Make your home extra cozy

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Make your home extra cozy

Different types of lighting in the living room

The living room needs a good mix of lighting. Sometimes a ceiling lamp is useful, for example when cleaning. Other times you need directed task lighting from a lamp, for example when reading. And you also need mood lighting to create a lovely atmosphere in the room. Here we will tell you a little about the different types and suggest lamps that are perfect for the living room. 

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Striped curtains hang from a VIDGA single track rail in front of a window in a living room area near a FRIDHULT sofa-bed.
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Choose the right ceiling lamp above the coffee table

For tasks such as cleaning or looking for something you have lost, you need even lighting throughout the room. A lamp positioned fairly high up, roughly in the middle of the room, can do the trick. If you want a lamp above the coffee table, make sure you don't place it too low, as it will obscure the television or the person sitting opposite. Choose a ceiling lamp with a closed underside so that you don't see straight up into the light source when lying on the sofa. 

A whitewashed DYKARKLOCKA pendant lamp in oak veneer hangs from the ceiling above a TONSTAD coffee table in a living room.
An onion shape/white RISBYN pendant lampshade in the hallway
A bamboo/handmade SINNERLIG pendant lamp.
A white VINDKAST pendant lamp in the living room.
A black and white STORSLINGA chandelier in a bright room with a white NYMÅNE floor lamp next to a white sofa with a cushion.

The right lighting when reading on the sofa

Planning to spend the evening on the sofa with a good book or some needlework? Make sure you have the right reading light. Directed lighting with a cool, strong light is best for working and reading because it resembles daylight and makes you more alert and focused.

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In a cosy living room, a man sits on a sofa reading a book. A floor lamp provides good reading light.
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Mood lighting makes the living room cosy

Cosy lighting, or rather mood lighting, is important for making your living room feel cosy. The most common type of lamps for providing mood lighting are table lamps, but wall lamps, floor lamps and string lights can also be used. Keep in mind that the light should not be too bright or directed, but rather diffused and preferably with a slightly warmer glow for an extra cosy light. Mood lighting can be placed at different heights on shelves, tables, windows or in dark corners to reduce the contrast between light and dark. 

White window lamp.
A round orange VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp in glass and a few framed posters are mounted on a wall near some white flowers.
A dimmable/yellow SPETSBOJ table lamp.
The SIMRISHAMN floor lamp provides atmospheric lighting in a dark corner of a living room.
A small side table with an old-fashioned table lamp.

Lighting in the living room window

Did you know that a table lamp in your living room window can help lift your mood and chase away the darkness? Window lamps not only contribute to the atmosphere indoors, but also convey the feeling of a warm and cosy home to those passing by outside.

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Living room window with thin green curtains and a window lamp.
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Highlight your favourites with the help of light

Want to highlight art on the wall, your favourite items on the sideboard or a bookcase? Ceiling spotlights or wall lamps where you can adjust the direction of the light are a good choice. The reflected light also contributes to the atmosphere in the rest of the room. 

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A red stained oak veneer FRÖSET easy chair in the living room
Two SKURUP work/wall lamps are mounted on a wall above two grey HAUGA display cabinets containing many items.
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Want to see more tips and ideas for your living room?