The Ultimate Guide to Living Room Lighting: How to Layer Ambient, Accent, and Task Light
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I'm a licensed Electrical Engineer with over 15 years of experience, including 6 years specializing in solar installations. Currently at MPUK, a $100M tech start-up, I've deployed solar systems nationwide. I created this blog to show that sustainable energy and beautiful design can go hand in hand. Here you'll find honest, engineer-grade guidance on seamlessly integrating solar and smart-grid technology into stylish homes.
INTRODUCTION
First Impression does matter. Your sitting room is the first impression of your home hence it cannot be taken lightly. It can be the reason why your date visits you again or why that random neighbor respects you. A big aspect of personalizing your parlor is your lighting choice and lighting placement. A good lighting placement is the difference between a living room that feels stiff and cold and one that feels inviting, warm and homily. With the plethora of lighting options and fixtures, it takes a little bit of thinking and forethought to transform your living space to your paradise.
UNDERSTANDING LAYERED LIGHTING
Having a single / double light source for your parlor is not enough. Top-notch designers rely on three distinct types of light working together. So as to avoid the flat, one-tone lighting that can make your parlor feel stiff. A single light source cannot provide that tailored lighting experience your home needs.
Ambient Lighting
This is your baseline illumination of your room. The kind of lighting that helps you navigate the room at night comfortably. It gives your room that background visibility when the other lights are off. Below are popular options for ambient lighting. Common sources for ambient lighting include but not limited to chandeliers, smart LED strip, and floor lamps. Ambient lighting should never be the only lighting source in your home.
Chandeliers
Due to the design and size of my parlor, I don't use any chandeliers. However, If you want to check them out on Amazon, click here
This is my top recommendation for this category(What I use)
Govee TV Backlight★★★★⯪(1,700)·$21.79“Amazon recommended, the best in this category; easy to install and doubles as a space to keep your smartphone”
This one product has completely transformed my living space from boring lifeless room to one that eagerly want to spend time in. It comes with a small- howbeit distracting- camera that analyzes the on-screen content in real time and projects matching colors onto the wall behind the TV; adding immersion for movies and games and also functioning as a regular smart mood lighting when the TV is off. Furthermore with dreamview compatibility, you can sync additional Govee lights around the room.
Govee Floor Lamp★★★★⯪(11,000)·$63.99“The best seller in this category, it doubles as a napkin holder and is very intuitive to install and operate”
These have the capability via dreamview to sync with the Govee TV Backlight, hence they can both function as a single unit. So your whole room can react to whatever is playing on your screen ( I really love this ) and you can set the mood with via your smart assistants and a mobile phone app.
Govee Light Strip★★★★⯪(7,341)·$53.99“The best seller in this category, it doubles as a napkin holder and is very intuitive to install and operate”
If you want to take things further, or you like the cyberpunk feel, this one is for you. The light strip is a flexible and adhesive strip of lEDs that can connect to Wi-Fi or Bluetooth and are controlled via voice assistants (Alexa, Google, and Siri). It also pairs easily with your other Govee products. Giving your home a beautiful futuristic ambient lighting.
If you want to explore more ambient lighting options on Amazon, click here
Accent Lighting
This is the layer that adds drama, depth and personality. It is meant to draw the eye to art, architectural details, bookshelves or a fireplace mantel and adds dimension by lighting vertical surfaces rather than just the floor. Common sources include Picture lights, wall sconces, uplifts behind furniture or small spotlights
I noticed that it is better that your accent lighting is much brighter than the ambient lighting on the specific object you are trying to illuminate.
Ezvalo Picture Light★★★★⯪(494)·$63.99“The best seller in this category, it doubles as a napkin holder and is very intuitive to install and operate”
This product conveniently solves all your picture lighting needs at a good cost. It is a no-brainer choice when shopping for picture lights. It has a large battery 4800mAH, magnetic mounting for easy removal and charging via USB-C, and simple installation with screws no need for additional wiring. It can display 3 color temperatures: warm, cool and neutral, multiple brightness levels and a high CRI for accurate color rendering of art; to top it off, it comes with a remote.
Sadly, you'll need to charge it roughly every week (if on low brightness setting), it's not a setup and forget product. Sad.
Battery Operated Sconce★★★★☆(720)·$55.99“The best seller in this category, it doubles as a napkin holder and is very intuitive to install and operate”
I love this minimalist wall sconce. It's black color doesn't clash with my home's aesthetic at all. I use it to illuminate architectural details and textures. And with a 10,000mAH battery, it can easily last more than a week on a single charge; so far it is operated at a low brightness setting and a timer function implemented so that the light is not operating continuously (when it's not needed).
Click here for more accent light offerings from Amazon.
Task Lighting
This layer is all about function, giving you focused, brighter light for specific activities like reading, needlework, card games etc. Common sources include table lamps, adjustable floor lamps and reading lammps. Your task light should be position in such a way that it falls directly on the work surface without casting your own shadow over it. A lamp placed slightly behind and to the side of a shoulder usually works best.
I find this product very useful in this category:
Pacovy Floor Lamp★★★★⯪(494)·$39.99“The best seller in this category, it doubles as a napkin holder and is very intuitive to install and operate”
It provides a very bright light with over 120 LEDs and a brightness of over 18W. It features dimming and an adjustable color temperature from warm white to cool white and five preset modes I Work, Reading, Leisure, Care, and Night Light), remote control with magnetic storage on the pole. What I value most about the product is that it is a standalone unit, it can be moved where needed and with an adjustable height and neck, it means it adjusts to whatever task need there is. Sadly it is not battery operated, so it has to be tethered to the nearest power source. Click here to explore more options in this category
Why Layering Matters
The benefit of layering is similar to the benefit of division of labor. Different light sources specializing in their areas of expertise working together to give your home that premium and curated look that no single light source can provide. Then it gives you more control and flexibility; you can decide to tone down the ambient lighting leaving only the accent lighting on to create that moody, atmospheric glow for after-dinner conversation. Or you can dim the ambient lighting leaving only task lighting for a studious evening. This flexibility is the whole purpose of layered lighting.
Don't delay in giving your home that character and personality it needs.