Set the Perfect Living Room Ambience With These Ceiling Lighting Ideas (2024)

Room Design

Living Rooms

• 01 of 22

  Hang a Metallic Masterpiece

  

  Whether it's a chrome or brass fixture, a metallic ceiling light can be a great way to add a little extra glamour to a space.

  In this sleek living room, Emily Henderson Design opts for a 1970s-style glass globe and brass tube chandelier. The piece's metallic sheen draws the eye up, while its unique shape adds a bit of playfulness to the otherwise serious and modernist-feeling space.

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• 02 of 22

  Create Glow With a Lantern

  

  Lightweight and grandly scaled, a paper lantern can transform a living room into a showstopper, as put on display in this dreamy living room designed by Calimia Home. If you're inclined to try the look into your own space, size up! The bigger the globe, the more drama (and glow) it will create.

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• 03 of 22

  Make a Minimalist Statement

  

  When you already have a statement ceiling, such as a ceiling with exposed beams, an understated chandelier can be the way to go. In this bright and airy living room, designer Ashley Webb uses a delicate gold chandelier to offset heavy beams, creating an eye-catching contrast.

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• 04 of 22

  Double Up With Matching Light Fixtures

  

  Whether you have a long and narrow room, or an oversized room, doubling up on light fixtures can provide better light and feel unexpected.

  As put on display by designer Jessica Nelson Design in this cozy living room, matching hurricane pendants hung side by side ensure the space is adequately lit and also provide visual balance.

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• 05 of 22

  Bring in a Black Chandelier

  

  Nothing makes a statement in a living room quite like a black chandelier. Elegant and darkly romantic, a black chandelier sets a definite mood, as illustrated in this eclectic living room designed by William Hunter Collective.

  Choose a black iron Gothic design as the collective does here, or opt for a black beaded design for something more traditional-feeling and classic.

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• 06 of 22

  Utilize Natural Light

  

  If a full renovation is in the cards, you might consider swapping a traditional wired fixture for a feature lit by natural light, such as a skylight.

  If you're thinking of going natural and trading a fixture for a skylight, consider doing so as the firm Arbor & Co does in this modern studio and select white or light-colored walls. Light colors will help reflect natural sunlight rather than absorb it.

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• 07 of 22

  Set a Mood With a Modernist Chandelier

  

  Love the look of eclectic interiors? A living room ceiling fixture can be a great place to take a stylistic risk and integrate a fixture that's stylistically different from the rest of your room.

  Modernist chandeliers, in the style of vintage French and Italian Modernist chandeliers, are almost always a safe bet. Pair them with traditional, bohemian, or contemporary furnishings, as Ashley Montgomery Design does here.

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• 08 of 22

  Work a Wicker Pendant

  

  Complement existing textural touches in a room with a wicker pendant. As the firm Becca Interiors illustrates in this rustic, monochromatic living room, a wicker pendant is the perfect way to draw the eye up and highlight a subtle yet unique ceiling treatment.

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• 09 of 22

  Revive a Retro Fixture

  

  A vintage lighting fixture is never a bad idea in a living room. In this bohemian-inspired space with Southwestern undertones, the Dazey Den uses a chrome and glass spiral chandelier to add some retro flair.

  You might also notice how the chandelier's spiral form echoes the shapes of the potted cactus on the floor. Let this be a reminder to always have fun with your lighting.

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• 10 of 22

  Create Flair With a Feathery Pendant

  

  Texture talks, especially in the form of a feathery pendant. A feathery pendant plays opposite a velvet blue and teal sectional and a piece of bright orange Op Art, creating a fun and joyful dynamic.

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• 11 of 22

  Install a Constellation Chandelier

  

  If you're all about making bold moves, do as Michelle Boudreau Design does in this swanky living room and try a constellation chandelier. Generally consisting of glass globes connected by a network of metal rods, these chandeliers are great for making an impact—plus, as a bonus, they give off tons of light.

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• 12 of 22

  Go for a Geometric Pendant

  

  If you have a room with a defining architectural feature—such as the triangular window in this living room designed by Whittney Parkinson Design—you might consider echoing that shape with your ceiling light. Here, a geometric fixture mimics the shape of the window, creating visual harmony.

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• 13 of 22

  Try a Touch of Tradition

  

  A simple iron chandelier topped with white chandelier shades is a classic-as-can-be option that can work in a wide range of living rooms. Use one to complement everything from traditional to cottage to farmhouse-inspired living rooms.

  Here, Ashley Montgomery Design partners one with a contemporary living room featuring rustic elements.

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• 14 of 22

  Hang a Halo Chandelier

  

  Halo chandeliers are interior designers' secret weapon for creating ample light in high-ceiling rooms. They're also a great stylistic fit for modern rooms with a slightly rustic edge, as put on display here by the firm Leclair Decor.

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• 15 of 22

  Create a Focal Point

  

  We often think of living room light fixtures as being made of metal or glass, but they don't have to be. In this restful-feeling living room, the firm Becca Interiors opts for a free-form for a pendant made of rattan. The organic shape feels interesting while adding an unexpected element of movement to the room.

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• 16 of 22

  Direct Light With Recessed Lighting

  

  When considering ceiling lighting, you might overlook recessed lighting because it feels boring. However, as showcased in this bright and modern living room by Emily Henderson Design, recessed lighting can have a decorative edge. Here, black recessed lights embedded in a wood ceiling make a cool and modern statement.

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• 17 of 22

  Layer Light With a Tiered Chandelier

  

  Whether you have high ceilings and you're looking for a way to fill some of the empty white space (or you're a fan of more shadowed light), a tiered chandelier can be an excellent living room lighting choice.

  In this rustic and elegant living room, Whittney Parkinson Design uses a tiered iron chandelier to tie together the room's Old World and modern elements.

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• 18 of 22

  Go Glam With a Sputnik Chandelier

  

  Is there anything chicer than a Sputnik chandelier? With their starburst silhouette and subtle retro feel, Sputnik chandeliers are incredibly glamorous.

  Try a traditional Sputnik design in a Mid-Century Modern living room, or opt for a design featuring a fun, decorative embellishment like brass butterflies, as the firm Mary Patton Design does here.

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• 19 of 22

  Create Sheen With Brass

  

  Whether your living room is awash in white, pastels, or neutrals, a brass lighting fixture can be a smart way to add interest. In this white-walled living room filled with soft blue and pink, White Sands Design + Build uses a brass halo chandelier to give the space an eye-catching dimension.

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• 20 of 22

  Layer in Texture

  

  Neutral or monochrome rooms are a great place to consider the possibility of in a textural lighting fixture. In this primarily black, white, and brown living room, LeClair Decor uses a modernist macrame pendant to add intrigue and interest.

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• 21 of 22

  Tie in Old World Charm

  

  Halo chandeliers are perfect for bridging the gap between old and modern.

  Here, the firm White Sands Design + Build hangs a Medieval-style halo chandelier in a room featuring Old World elements like distressed beams and modern elements like beanbag chairs. The halo chandelier synchronizes with both, working to make the room feel perfectly harmonious.

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• 22 of 22

  Illuminate With a Globe Chandelier

  

  Globe chandeliers are a forever classic, and this cozy living room designed by Ajai Guyot shows why.

  A globe chandelier's multiple bulbs disperse light to virtually every corner of a room, while the globes' simple, circular shape complements common circular decor and furniture items like round tables, round mirrors, and cylinder base lamps.