How to light a room properly

The single biggest difference between a room that feels good and one that doesn't is usually the lighting, and it's also the cheapest thing to change.

Three layers - ambient, task and accent - with warm bulbs and at least three light sources per room.

We don't sell furniture - we make prints, postcards, pin badges and cards in house, printed in the UK. So this is a straight guide, plus the print and the card that go with it.

The three layers

• Ambient: the general wash. A ceiling light or uplighter, dimmed, doing the least work of the three.
• Task: reading lamps, under-cupboard lighting, a desk lamp. Bright, directed, switched separately.
• Accent: a small lamp on a shelf, a picture light, a candle. This is the layer everyone skips.
• Aim for at least three light sources in any room you sit in.
• Put them on separate switches so you can drop to two at night.

Bulbs: the numbers that matter

• 2700K for living rooms and bedrooms - warm white, the colour of an old filament bulb.
• 3000K for kitchens and bathrooms, where you want it crisper.
• Avoid anything 4000K and above at home. It's office lighting and it reads as cold.
• Match the colour temperature across every bulb in a room. Mismatched bulbs are why a room looks off.
• Buy dimmable bulbs and a dimmer switch - the cheapest upgrade in this guide.

Room by room

• Living room: two table lamps at roughly seated eye level, plus one floor lamp behind a chair.
• Bedroom: bedside lights you can reach lying down, and nothing bright overhead.
• Kitchen: under-cupboard strips over the worktops - you can't chop in your own shadow.
• Hallway: one warm light low down is more welcoming than a bright ceiling fitting.
• Bathroom: light at face height beside a mirror, not above it, or everyone looks exhausted.

Quick fixes tonight

• Turn the big light off and see what's missing. That's your shopping list.
• Swap every bulb in one room to matching 2700K.
• Put a lamp in the corner that's currently dark. Every room has one.
• Move a lamp off a side table onto a shelf for a different height.
• Add a dimmer to the room you use in the evening.

Shop cards

Prints for the wall

Designed in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Three sources per room, minimum.
• 2700K everywhere you relax.
• Match colour temperature across the room.
• Light the dark corner first.

Where to shop next

• How to style a living room on a budget
• How to hang wall art properly
• How to build a gallery wall
• Choosing furniture for a small flat
• First home checklist: what to buy first
• Colour schemes that actually work
• Seasonal decor without the clutter
• Posters and prints
• Postcards
• All guides
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas
• Pin badges

Frequently asked questions

What colour bulb is best for a living room?

2700K warm white. Anything 4000K or above reads as office lighting and makes a living room feel cold.

How many lights should a room have?

At least three separate sources in any room you sit in, across ambient, task and accent, ideally on separate switches.

Why does my room feel cold and unwelcoming at night?

Usually a single cool-white ceiling light. Switch to warm bulbs, add two lamps at lower heights, and put the overhead on a dimmer.