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Lighting ideas for your living room

Discover lighting ideas for your living room. From watching TV to enjoying a hobby or throwing a party, there’s a lot going on in this room. You need a mix of lighting for your different activities and to help create different moods.

A SKURUP work/wall lamp is mounted on the wall above three SÖDERHAMN chaise longues in a colourful living room.

What do lights do?

They do different things. They can light up a room so you and your eyes feel comfortable. They can light up a specific area or thing, like your book or a picture on your wall. And they can help create and change the mood in your room at the flick of a switch.

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A white stained oak veneer DYKARKLOCKA pendant lamp hangs from the ceiling above a TONSTAD coffee table in a living room.
A round orange glass VARMBLIXT LED table/wall lamp and some framed posters are mounted on a wall near some white flowers.
A small-space dining area with a beige LINANÄS sofa, a black SANDSBERG table with three black ADDE chairs and BÄCKNATE lamp.
A VATTENSTEN LED lighting strip is attached to the undersides of wall-mounted cabinets above some vases on other cabinets.
A black/white 8-armed STORSLINGA LED chandelier hangs from a ceiling in an industrial-style room with large windows.
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What lighting is suitable for a low ceiling living room?

If your ceiling is low, a ceiling lamp is a good way to spread light throughout your room. It’s best to avoid a chandelier or a pendant that hangs too low down in the middle of the room where you walk. A pendant hanging down over a desk, table or coffee table can work well. 

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A NYMÅNE LED pendant lamp hangs over a black LISABO table and two black LISABO chairs which stand on a LOHALS rug.
A chrome-plated/opal white glass DEJSA ceiling lamp with 3 lamps is attached to a white ceiling in a room with beige walls.
Two brass/grey clear glass SOLKLINT pendant lamps hang from the ceiling in a room which also has a wall lamp on one wall.
A brass/grey clear glass SOLKLINT ceiling lamp is attached to the ceiling in a room with a white and green colour scheme.
A matt/black KABOMBA LED ceiling lamp is attached to a ceiling in a room with tiled walls and white-framed windows.
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What about a living room with a high ceiling?

If you have a higher living room ceiling, you don’t have to worry about hitting your head on the light. So a chandelier or ceiling lamp or a pendant will all work well in the middle of your room. You can go for bigger pendants or why not hang up more than one? 

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A black/white 8-armed STORSLINGA LED chandelier hangs from a ceiling above a sofa-bed and a SONHULT nest of tables, set of 2.
Modular LILLEHEM seating and a dark grey-green GLADOM tray table stand on a RASTPLATS rug in front of some IVAR storage.
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Add light everywhere in your living room with wall lamps

Lamps on a wall can be great at lighting up a space that might otherwise be quite dark – like the back of your living room. That helps give a soft general light in the whole of the room. You avoid sharp contrasts between light and dark areas that tire the eyes.

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A stripe pattern/white glass RORKULT wall lamp is mounted on a wall near a painting in a frame which is also on the wall.
A NYMÅNE wall up/downlighter is mounted on a wall above some flowers in a vase on a cabinet and next to a LINDBYN mirror.
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Wall lamps that give shades and play with light and shadows

Shades can give you different lighting effects when you turn on the lamp. They can create exciting shadows or a warm, cosy mood, for example. A shade can add a lot to your decor even when the lamp isn’t lit.

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A MÅNALG wall lamp is mounted on a wall near a LINDBYN mirror and above a LISABO desk with flowers in a vase on top of it.
A SOLKLINT wall lamp is mounted on a wall above a KÄMPIG 3-arm hook. The lamp makes patterns of light and shadow on the wall.
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Change colour and intensity with smart lighting

You can dim and change the tone of the light of smart LED bulbs like these. So you can have brighter, colder light to set the table and warmer light for dinner. IKEA smart lighting is full of possibilities. You can even set up different lighting combinations or “scenes”, and save them in an app, ready for instant use.

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The wireless dimmer/power switch of a TRÅDFRI starter kit lies on a green table underneath a white ZEBRASÄV pendant lamp.
A white ZEBRASÄV pendant lamp hangs over a table with food on it. The light brightens and the food is replaced with a laptop.
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Unique lamp shades that add more atmosphere to your living room

Why not make a personal style statement with a pendant that stands out? These ones make a big impact even when they’re not lit. Some open out and change shape when you pull the string! 

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A close-up of a white VINDKAST pendant lamp hanging in a living room with red curtains. The lamp is lit.
A white RAMSELE pendant lamp hangs in a living room near a sofa with a throw hanging over one end. The lamp is lit.
A black IKEA PS 2014 pendant lamp hangs above a VOXLÖV dining table in front of two glass doors. The lamp is lit.
A KRAGSTA coffee table and a PERSBOL armchair stand in front of a leather VISKAFORS 2-seat sofa and a FLYGHÖJD floor lamp.
An EKEDALEN extendable table, with four KRYLBO chairs and an URBAN junior chair around it, stands in a dining room.
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Looking for more about living room lighting?

Like these wall lighting ideas for your living room? You can find more bright ideas here.