When it comes to lighting your home, every room presents a unique set of challenges and considerations. From what the room is used for, what you want it to look like and how you want it to feel, the right lighting plays a crucial part in achieving this. So, if you need some help finding the right solution for your space, our room-by-room lighting guide is full of advice.

Hallway

As the first part of your home a guest or visitor will see, a well-lit and welcoming hallway needs thinking about just as much as any room.

If your space is long and narrow, investing in a row of flush-mounted ceiling or wall lamps will allow you to direct and spread the light around the space making it feel larger and more atmospheric.

If you do have the ceiling height, then the hall is the perfect place for a showstopper pendant light. Just make sure you can fully open the door and don’t let the lamp hang lower than 30-40cm above the frame.

Photo 1: Over Me ceiling/wall lamp, white, size 40 cm, Over Me ceiling/wall lamp, black, size 20 cm.
Photo 2: Butterfly wall lamp , dark green
Photo 3: Heat brass pendant lamp, size large

Living Room

The living room is the space where visitors and family get to see who you are and how you live, so being able to change the mood with lighting is important.

Getting the balance right between function and form is crucial, as every light has a very different job to do.

A good plan is to think about layers, light needs to come from above, the sides and below. A celling lamp for spreading ambient light over the whole room, a floor lamp to add atmosphere and to highlight decorative features or furniture, and a table lamp by an armchair or sofa for completing personal tasks.

Photo 1: Dahl small pendant lamp
Photo 2: Diva floor lamp
Photo 3: Snowball table lamp brass

Dining Room

From breakfast on the hop to a romantic supper with those you love most the lighting you choose in a dining room needs to do it all.

As well as using a dimmer to control the amount of light, you also need to consider the height. If you position a pendant too high, there is a risk of it dazzling those sitting around the table, while too low and they will bang their heads when standing up.

For a singular or row of pendant lamps, a vertical height of 55-65cm above the tabletop is recommended, with a width of one and a half times the width of the lampshade between each of them. Meanwhile for chandeliers, a vertical height of 75-80cm is used so not to block your fellow diner’s view.

Photo 1: Unika pendant lamp, white, size small
Photo 2: Say My Name pendant lamp, smoked grey glossy

Bedroom

With a third of our lives spent sleeping, managing the light in your bedroom is essential for both a good night’s rest as well as waking up easier in the morning.

While overhead lighting may not be used much in a bedroom it should still look great and become a feature of the room. Meanwhile, wall mounted bedside lamps are a great space saver.

To get their position right, first measure 20cm from the mattress and then 60cm up from this point, so the source of the light is perfectly positioned. Also think about the lamp shades, as pale shades diffuse the light gently all over the room, while a dark shade will create a pool of light above and below.

Photo 1: Reveal pendant lamp, small Reveal pendant lamp, large
Photo 2: Birdy swing table lamp, black/black
Photo 3: Buddy wall lamp, white

Kitchen

Even though it is one of the most frequently used rooms in a home it can be hard to create atmosphere in a kitchen.

The key to this is flexibility and maximising functionality from day to night. So alongside that regimented grid of spotlights, look to include directional wall mounted or pendant lamps to spotlight the countertops, an island or stove. To add more drama and personality, try hanging them in threes, either the same lights in different colours, or the same colour at different heights.

Alternatively, a table lamp is also a good idea for adding pools of soft ambient light that will draw attention to other points of interest around the room, as well as out of the kitchen into the garden and beyond.

Photo 1: Birdy wall lamp, black/black
Photo 2: Unika pendant lamp, grey size small
Photo 3: Blush pendant lamp, black
Photo 4: Ombre table lamp, warm beige

Bathroom

While this may not be the biggest room in your home, and with lots of fixtures and moisture to contend with, you can still do a lot with lighting in your bathroom.

From a statement downlight over the shower to highlight your tile choice, through to wall lights perfectly placed on either side of a basin and mirror, they will provide more than enough glow for you to shave or apply make up by, as well as create the most beautiful reflections on the water when you are whiling away hours soaking in the bath.

Photo 1: Over me ceiling/wall lamp, dusty blue size 40 cm.
Photo 2: Over me ceiling/wall lamp, white size 30 cm.