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Lighting guide – learn everything about lighting your home

Lights don't just illuminate your home – they can also create atmosphere, add style and (perhaps most importantly) make certain areas more functional. Want to learn more about lighting your home? How to choose the right lighting for the right place and which lamp to choose? Then you've come to the right place. In this lighting guide, we take a closer look at how different types of lighting can be used in practice:

  1. General lighting
  2. Work lighting
  3. Mood lighting
  4. Integrated lighting
  5. Smart lighting
  6. Lighting for each room

A white FADO table lamp

Lighting guide part 1: General lighting – illuminates the entire room

General lighting is the first layer and illuminates an entire room – often achieved with ceiling lights. Perfect when you need a good overview, such as when cleaning or entering a dark room. Ceiling lights are often slightly larger and can therefore easily enhance the style of your interior design. If you don't want the ceiling light to be the centre of attention, you can use a discreet ceiling rose. With TRÅDFRI light sources, you can control both the brightness and the light tone from warm to cool depending on the activity.

See all ceiling lights
White dining table with yellow chairs and two MELODI ceiling lamps for the right general lighting.
Close-up of a lit VINDKAST ceiling lamp, which provides good general lighting.
Een zeegras/zwarte LÄTTAD placemat
A clear glass DYRGRIP red wine glass in the dining room
BLÅSVERK ceiling lamp hangs in the dining room in retro style.
See all ceiling lights

Lighting guide part 2: Work lighting – illuminates where you really need it

The right task lighting, also known as functional lighting, is lighting that helps you find or perform various types of activities around the home. The lamps can be used to illuminate the kitchen worktop where you prepare food, the desk where you work, the armchair where you do handicrafts or the bed where you read. The light beam is directed and illuminates a limited area so that you can focus on what you are doing.

See all desk lamps
Photos and quotes on a black SÖSDALA memo board with clips above a desk with a SVALLET work lamp, a mug, and a tablet stand.
A handmade rattan TOLKNING room divider
Bed made with beige bed linen, brightened up by a white NÄVLINGE clip-on lamp.
TERTIAL dark grey desk lamp mounted on the wall.
A light strip under kitchen cabinets.
See all desk lamps

Lighting guide part 3: Mood lighting – create a cosy atmosphere

Think of this softer, warmer lighting as the finishing touch – it fills in the gaps between other light sources to create a cosy and inviting atmosphere and spreads a pleasant light. Table lamps, string lights, floor lamps... the list goes on. To create cosy mood lighting, you can place table lamps in windows, on shelves and chests of drawers where they shine at just the right height. Floor lamps can be used to brighten up dark corners. If you want a bare light source, choose one with a warm light to create a pleasant glow.

See all table lamps
Grey chest of drawers decorated with cosy lighting; a lit DEJSA table lamp, string lights and decorative items.
TÄRNABY table lamp standing on a black bedside table to provide mood lighting.
LAUTERS wooden floor lamp with ter legs in retro style for the living room.
A black/bamboo TVÄRHAND table lamp
BARLAST floor lamp behind a dark grey armchair and a small side table.
See all table lamps

Lighting guide part 4: Integrated lighting – helps you find or display

Integrated lighting in cabinets, wardrobes and drawers helps you find what you are looking for, while lighting in display cabinets or bookcases puts the spotlight on the things you want to show off.

See all Integrated lighting
Double doors opened on PAX wardrobe with hanging clothes, handbags on shelf below and drawers pulled out.
The KÖLVATTEN LED lighting with sensor is placed inside a bathroom drawer and it illuminates the care products stored inside.
Kitchen cabinet with MITTLED spotlight.
Gaming room illuminated in blue by LEDBERG string of lights.
White bookcase with YTBERG cabinet lighting.
See all Integrated lighting

Lighting guide part 5: Smart lighting

It has never been easier to control your lighting according to your needs. IKEA smart lighting consists of wireless packages that are ready to use. You can control your lighting in many different ways with a wireless dimmer, remote control and motion sensor. With a DIRIGERA hub and app, you get even more control. Set timers, dim and brighten, create preset moods, adjust colour temperature, control individual lights – all with our IKEA Home smart app. Make the light more like you.

See all Smart LED light bulbs
Film showing how you can control brightness and colour with a remote control on a table lamp with a white lampshade.
DIRIGERA hub on a table surface.
A child sits in a BUSUNGE bed with a VINDKAST ceiling lamp shining in a reddish-pink tone.
A white SKUBB storage case
A decorative light source in a rattan ceiling lamp hanging from the ceiling next to a window.
See all Smart LED light bulbs

How many lamps should you have in a room?

The number of lights in a room depends on several factors, such as the size of the room, your lighting needs and your personal taste. Try experimenting with different types of lighting to find the best combination for your room!