There are many ways to elevate your space with proper indoor lighting. Some of the best ideas to light a small room include using ambient lighting to create a spacious feel and accent lighting to emphasize artistic details.
1. Incorporate Natural Lighting
In addition to giving your space a lively atmosphere, letting some natural light in is essential in enhancing your mood and boosting productivity.
Moreover, natural light helps your body produce substances that support growth and improve sleep.
So, it could be a total bummer if your space isn’t getting enough daylight exposure, especially if you live in a city apartment concealed behind tall buildings.
Thankfully, you can imitate natural light and eliminate the gloomy vibe in your room by using the following light sources:
Daylight Bulbs
Daylight bulbs are lighting solutions designed to mimic sunlight. They have a correlated color temperature of 5,000 to 6,500 K, close to natural sunlight’s color (around 5,000 K).
This lighting solution gives your space a bright and airy atmosphere, making it seem like it’s always sunny, even if it’s gloomy outside.
However, if you want to switch to creating a cozy atmosphere appropriate for romantic dinners or self-care, you wouldn’t want your room lighting to be sun bright.
If you wish to install daylight bulbs in your home, consider buying a compatible dimmer to adjust your light’s intensity according to your mood.
Finally, maximize the effect of daylight lighting in your room by adding mirrors or light-colored rugs to reflect light.
Grow Lights
Surprisingly, grow lights and plants make a good combination in supplementing your space with a hint of sunshine. To add, plants purify the air and make your room look lively.
While grow lights originally supply your plants with the right temperature to stimulate photosynthesis, they can double as a light source and accentuate your interior space.
Most grow lights have the same intensity as daylight bulbs so they may work as a mini alternative.
2. Ceiling Lights
Ceiling lights are the best general lighting option. They’re a form of ambient lighting that gives uniform illumination throughout your space.
While ceiling lighting isn’t always compulsory in tight spaces, they’re a go-to option to save on surface space and avoid adding other lighting structures to your room.
Recessed Light Fixtures or Downlights
If you have a low ceiling, avoid dangling lights like pendants because they will make your room look smaller. Thus, recessed light fixtures are the most suitable choice.
Aside from their space-saving feature, downlights are ideal if you want to go for a minimalistic theme.
Even though they’re housed in a hollow opening in your ceiling, recessed lights are exceptional in making the room bright.
Pendant Lights
Give your high ceiling an artistic touch by hanging pendants. Pendant lights are available in different designs like spirals, cylinders, and more, so you can be creative and incorporate your personal taste.
Go for clustered pendant lights to give your room a modernized look. Meanwhile, pendant lights in transparent glass or dome will give your room better light coverage.
Pendant lights are stylish and functional, making them look sophisticated in a small living room or kitchen.
Chandeliers
Who said that chandeliers are meant for grand spaces only?
With chandeliers being available in several sizes, lengths, and designs, it’s not impossible to incorporate them in a small room for an elegant and classy vibe.
Add a hint of glamor to your small space using mini crystal chandeliers. It may be compact, but it’s reasonably priced and serves the same purpose as larger fixtures.
Another interesting thing about crystal chandeliers is that they reflect a unique prismatic glow when hit by sunlight, giving your room a whimsical glow.
Ceiling Fan Lights
Using ceiling fan lights is a creative and budget-friendly idea for optimizing space—you have both illumination and good ventilation in one!
While some may think of ceiling fan lights as old-fashioned, manufacturers are upgrading to contemporary and modern styles, so the possibilities are endless.
Meanwhile, you’ll still find classic ceiling fan lights if you want to opt for a vintage theme.
3. Ambient Lighting to Elevate Your Space
While a ceiling light is substantial in making your room appear spacious, you may add other lighting sources to give your room depth and some dimension.
Choosing the appropriate lighting for your room will distribute light evenly, illuminating dark corners.
Depending on your taste, you may choose either cove lighting, wall sconces, or floor lamps to add ambient lighting to your room.
Cove Lighting
Cove lighting makes use of hidden fixtures mounted on the borders of ceilings or walls. It functions as both ambient and accent lighting.
This lighting casts a gentle illumination directed towards the ceiling or wall, eliminating shadows and balancing well with general lighting.
Wall Sconces
These wall fixtures may function as substantial lighting and are ideal for narrow spaces.
However, wall sconces are potential physical hazards if not installed properly. So, make sure to fixate them at a safe height.
You may install them above or between your bed’s headboard, or mount them on the sides of a mirror for a bit of accent.
Floor Lamps
If you have an empty corner in your room, a floor lamp is a nice addition to fill the awkward space or eliminate shadows.
Having said that, you may also transform it into a cozy reading nook where a large floor lamp can be a decorative installment.
Arc floor lamps, for example, are a nice statement piece for reading nooks. You may add these in a corner behind your sofa for a stylish and vibrant atmosphere.
4. Accent Lighting to Highlight Structures and Furniture
Using accent lighting to place emphasis on art pieces, architectural details, and furniture within your room.
Giving an artistic touch to some areas in your room is a good addition to general lighting.
So, if you have paintings or artworks mounted on your wall, track lights and spotlights are excellent for giving them a dramatic effect. These lights are suitable for plants as well.
On the other hand, use LED lights for under or above-cabinet lighting. They look best in illuminating your kitchen island, too.
Since LED lights give off a soft glow, these lighting ideas will look best on kitchen counters or open wardrobes to make them appear larger.
5. Task Lighting
Task lighting is a good addition to your room, especially if you have a study area or a recreational corner.
This lighting helps reduce eyestrain and shines enough light that your ambient lighting cannot provide.
Sometimes, you may be hesitant about adding a desk lamp since you feel like adding too much detail to your room.
If that’s the case, opt for something subtle, adjustable, or one that functions both as a decoration and a desk lamp.
Most importantly, be strategic about where you install your light source. Set it away from television screens or monitors to prevent glares.
6. Aesthetically Pleasing Lighting
If you’re more on the whimsical side, these lighting solutions will give your room a touch of magic without compromising space.
Fairy Lights
Fairy lights are highly versatile and can be installed anywhere. They’re good installations to your windows and make your room appear even brighter.
Hang these on your window with sheer curtains and watch your room transform into an enchanted fairy lair.
Use them to illuminate your wall to highlight some paintings, or fasten them to a wall with your favorite polaroid pictures for a unique and sentimental decoration.
Aside from giving your room an aesthetically pleasing look, fairy lights can also function as accent lighting.
You can wrap fairy lights around your bed frame, display shelves, and mirrors to accentuate them.
LED Strips
The best thing about LED strips is that they’re energy-efficient and long-lasting. They’re versatile, flexible, and can be used anywhere you like.
Sticking LED strips on your window frame is a good lighting solution to give your space a warm and cozy vibe.
LED strips are available in a wide spectrum of colors—some LED strip lights can interchange colors.
If you’re more on the gamer side, color-changing LED strip lights are perfect for decorating your gaming set-up. You may also use LED strips to accentuate your ceiling, bed, and shelves.
Projector, Plug-In, and Portable Laser Lights
Plain lighting can sometimes be boring, so if you want to incorporate a different ambiance or something out of this world in your room, these lighting options are made for you.
These lighting solutions are compact and easy to set up, and most models are energy-efficient. At the same time, these lights encourage relaxation and help you sleep better.
Do you want your room to look futuristic, or do you want to feel like you’re gazing into a starry sky? There are several projectors and portable laser lights that feature different themes like the following:
- Vibrant Color Lights
- Galaxy
- Starry Night
- Northern lights
