Today’s Dear Danica submission is a wonderful example of how knowing the “rules” doesn’t always make them easy to apply. We’re discussing lighting combinations – more specifically, how to mix and layer lights within a room. The rulebooks often discuss where lights should be located, but they rarely cover how to choose table lamps, floor lamps, sconces, and picture lights that complement one another. Should they match? Should they not? That’s exactly what we’re diving into today.
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Dear danica,
I’m having trouble with lighting in our library. I live in a colonial house built in 1800. It has one overhead light. I’ve read the articles on layers of light, and studied design books and images online, but they rarely have enough lights in a room that align with the “rules”. I assume the lamp ruins the pic so they move things around, but I can’t figure out what to do on the sides of my couch. If I do a floor lamp on one side and a table lamp on the other, how do I choose pieces that are mismatched but coordinate? If I plan to add sconces or picture lights, how do I choose ones that all go together? My style leans English traditional but with some modern or quirky elements thrown in. Help please!
– Lori
You’re not wrong to assume that photos of designer homes are styled specifically for the shot. It’s very common for recessed lights, light switches, and outlets to be photoshopped out of images. Beyond that, every home you see is tweaked (whether a little or a lot) to look good for a photo. Meaning the layout, styling elements, and lighting in a photo may be different from what they are for day-to-day use.
Yes, there are recommendations for how many lights every room should have and where they should be placed (you can read about that here), but it seems you already know the “rules.” It’s the execution of the rules that is giving you trouble.
Being that you like English traditional interiors with a touch of quirkiness, you have a lot of freedom in the types of lights you choose. Mix chunky table lamps with skinny candlestick lamps. Mix black iron, bronze, and antique brass finishes. Mix picture lights with sconces on the walls and table lamps with floor lamps throughout the room. Mix solid-colored lamp shades with patterned and pleated shades.
Looking at your library, I see 9 great spots for lights that will help illuminate the room:
- Three picture lights above the bookcases. If you can find lights with a long extension, that’d be best so they illuminate the front of the bookcases. I’d choose either an antique brass or bronze finish for these.
- A sconce with a fabric shade in the corner next to the bookcases. Again, either an antique brass or bronze finish.
- A shallow table and a chunky table lamp below the artwork. Any color base with a pleated lampshade would look great!
- A table lamp next to the couch – something with a pattern on the base.
- Move the pharmacy floor lamp to the other side of the couch. This allows you to still have light on this side of the room without obstructing the view.
- Keep the lamp on your secretary hutch – that’s incredibly charming!
- A pair of sconces above the fireplace mantel. An antique brass or bronze finish would suit.
- Keep the lamp in the corner on the fabric side table.
- Add a cocktail table and a small candlestick lamp next to the chair. Brass, bronze, or black iron would all work!
In your space, I don’t recommend matching table or floor lamps. Switch up the lamp shades from pleated and patterned to solid and smooth. Mix ceramic lamps with metal lamps and limit the metal finishes to 2 or 3 that complement the paint color – antique brass, bronze, and black are a classic combination. Mix up the shapes of the lamp bases to avoid monotony – some short and stout, others curvy and tall. And perhaps the most important advice I can offer – don’t overthink it. Try out different lighting combinations and be playful with them. This part isn’t meant to be so rigid!
Lighting Combinations
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