For many people, the living room is the most important room in the house or apartment. There you can rest and relax after a hard day. In the living room, they watch films, listen to music or receive guests. Accordingly, the room should be furnished and illuminated particularly attractively. The appropriate LED lighting ensures the latter.
But what exactly should it look like? What should be considered when planning LED lighting? At LED Strips World, we know exactly what is important when it comes to the lighting concept. Therefore, we give you five tips below on how to optimally illuminate your living room with LED strips and lamps. But first, we want to clarify why it should be LED lighting at all.
What distinguishes LED lighting in particular?
The classic light bulb has long had its day. The LED has been on the rise for years – and for several good reasons. One of the most important is the low energy consumption of LEDs. Compared to other lamps, LED lights to consume up to 80 percent less electricity.
In addition, LEDs are very durable. LED Strips World’s QLF Pro Strips, for example, have an operating life of 200,000 hours. This means that they will remain bright and colorfast for six decades of normal use.
Another positive aspect is that the LED lighting shines in full brightness immediately after switching on. LEDs do not have start-up time, as is the case with energy-saving lamps, for example. Modern LED lamps are also dimmable, which significantly expands the possibilities of use.
With our five helpful tips, we will tell you how best to equip your living room with LED lighting.
Tip 1: Plan enough light sources
Basically, there should be a central light source in the living room that illuminates the entire room. It is usually located on the ceiling. There are also lamps that are attached to the wall or placed in the room. However, they run the risk of unsightly shadows if furniture or other objects are in the way of the light.
For the ceiling, the following types of lamps are particularly popular:
ceiling spotlight
pendant lamp
chandelier
A ceiling spotlight often consists of several lamps that shine in different directions. This means that the entire room can be supplied with light evenly. A chandelier looks particularly elegant but represents a rigid light source. A pendant light also only distributes its light in one place. It should therefore have a shade that distributes as much light as possible in the room.
To create coziness in the living room, it is worth using a ceiling lamp with a dimming function. This allows you to darken the room if necessary and thus ensure a relaxed atmosphere.
If the living room has a crooked floor plan, then the use of different light sources is even indispensable. Walls could ensure that not every corner of the room is illuminated with a single lamp. In this case, there should be several strong light sources in the living room.
Suitable light sources for different areas of the living room
In addition to the central ceiling lamp, the living room should also have other lamps. These should be chosen according to the activity that is commonly practiced in their area.
In a reading corner, for example, there should be as strong a light source as possible. This protects the eyes when reading. The Cosmic floor lamp from LED Strips World, for example, is well suited. It is 180 centimeters high, has 576 LEDs, and emits up to 8000 lumens. It not only illuminates the pages of a book, but also a room of up to 50 square meters.
When watching TV, on the other hand, a rather weak light is desired. It serves exclusively as an additional light source to relieve the eyes. Lamps or LED strips that are located behind the TV set are well suited for this.
If there is a dining table in the living room, it should have its own light source. A lamp hanging above the table is common. It provides sufficient light for everyone who dines at the table. The dining table lamp should also be dimmable. So it can be set to a weaker light if you are sipping wine after the meal.
Tip 2: Cold or warm light
When choosing lamps for the living room, the light temperature plays a decisive role. It is given in Kelvin and is decisive for whether the light is perceived as warm or cold. The following values make the difference:
less than 3300 Kelvin: warm white light
between 3300 and 5300 Kelvin: neutral white light
more than 5300 Kelvin: cold white light
For comparison: a candle glows with 1500 Kelvin, daylight with 5500 to 7000 Kelvin.
Warm white light has a relaxing effect. So if you want to create a cozy atmosphere in the living room, you should use lamps with less than 3300 Kelvin primarily. This is a signal to your body that it can relax.
The situation is different when the living room is sometimes also used as a workplace. Then at least the lamps near the work table should emit cold white light. It promotes concentration, which is quite desirable at work. This also applies to the reading corner. After all, you want to be able to concentrate while reading and not constantly run the risk of falling asleep while reading.
However, the general lighting concept in the living room should still be warm white, since the room is primarily used for relaxation. A good compromise is neutral white light. It has an activating effect and creates a functional and at the same time cozy atmosphere.
Change the light temperature by dimming
If you opt for dimmable LED lighting in the living room, you do not have to commit to a specific light temperature. Rather, you change them according to the activity you are currently doing.
The LED strips in our QLF series can be set to light temperatures between 2200 and 6500 Kelvin. In the low range, they produce a warm white light that invites you to relax. In the high range, they provide cold white light. This makes them suitable for the reading or working area in the living room.
Tip 3: Discreet or indirect lighting thanks to LED strips
In addition to light sources that illuminate the entire living room, the use of hidden lights is also recommended. They ensure comfort in a special way, as their light is very subtle. The best option is LED strips like those from our QLF series.
They are equipped with 200 LEDs per meter and thus provide even light over a longer length. They can be attached to the edges of furniture, for example. On the underside of the sofa or above the wall unit, the LED strips create a special atmosphere. They can also be attached very well to stairs and increase safety there.
Indirect light can also be generated with LED strips. This is light that bounces off the wall or ceiling. For example, if you attach an LED strip behind the television, it only illuminates the wall behind it. However, the light is reflected and creates a cozy atmosphere.
Can be cut individually
The LED strips in our QLF and QLF Plus series can be individually adapted to your needs. Depending on the model, they can be cut every ten to 75 millimeters. All you need is standard household scissors. Afterward, the LED strips are of course still fully functional. Thanks to the cut, they are always exactly as long as you want them to be.
The same applies to the products in our QLP series. They are LED modules that transform entire wall surfaces into light sources. They can be cut every 48 millimeters and therefore also fit exactly into the space provided.
The LED modules generate a brightness of 30,000 lumens per square meter and make every living room shine. Since they are dimmable, their light intensity can be easily adjusted to the situation.
Tip 4: Highlight special objects with lighting
In every living room, there are objects that the residents are particularly proud of. This can be, for example, a mural by a well-known artist or a large-format family photo. Decorative objects or collectibles in a showcase also want to be admired. The right lighting literally puts them in the right light.
A spotlight aimed directly at the special object emphasizes its great importance. The luminaire can be a spotlight from the ceiling lamp or a light specially installed for the object. When guests enter the room, thanks to the light, their eyes immediately fall on the special object. The lamp also creates an interesting lighting atmosphere during a cozy get-together.
Tip 5: Lamps are not only a source of light but also a decoration
When furnishing your living room, you should not neglect the lighting. This does not only refer to the conception of the light, which we have explained to you so far. It’s also about the look of the lamps themselves. If they are appealing, they give the room that certain something.
This is possible, for example, with our already mentioned Cosmic floor lamp. Their design is timeless and based on the high-quality look of Apple products. This decision is not accidental. The product is compatible with Apple’s HomeKit. This means that it can be operated with the iPhone, the iPad, or via voice control with the HomePod.
Another design trick is the lack of a light switch. The built-in acceleration sensor detects the movement and carries out the desired action.
In addition, the innovative technology developed by Apple, Adaptive Lighting, is used in Cosmic. It ensures that the color temperature of the light automatically adapts to that of the environment. A built-in microprocessor also reduces the flickering of the lamp by clocking 170 million times per second.
Cosmic is also capable of glowing in millions of colors. Would you like to bathe your living room in an idyllic blue or in a romantic red? Or should it rather be a cold white light so that you can read with concentration? The decision is entirely yours.
In any case, the lamp offers you countless possibilities to make yourself comfortable in your living room.
