How to properly light a room: lighting ideas for trendy low ceilings
Who has never dreamed of living in a house where there are large windows allowing natural light to enter? This type of home generally has very large spaces with very high ceilings. The lighting is suitable for high ceilings and there is nothing more magnificent. But what happens when the ceiling height is lower than the standard? It is not easy to find lighting ideas for low ceilings .
But as I always say, there is a solution to everything! And even with low ceiling lights . Today, all new houses are built with very high ceilings. But not everyone is lucky enough to live in this type of housing. And that doesn't mean you have to move.
If you live in a house with low ceilings, there's no reason to worry! You just need to choose the right lighting and use a few design tips to no longer feel oppressed in your home.
So, ready to discover my low ceiling lighting tips ? Let's go !
But first, what does a low ceiling room look like?
At first glance, it seems that you can easily distinguish a room with low ceilings from a room with high ceilings. And this is often the case.
A room is said to have low ceilings when the ceiling height is significantly reduced. On average, this height varies between 2.50 and 2.70 meters. But if the distance between your parquet floor and your ceiling is less than these values, your room has a low ceiling.
This is generally the case with old houses, attic apartments or even converted garages which range between 2.30 and 2.40 meters in ceiling height.
But in certain situations, you also have to take into account the proportions of the room. If the latter is very large, even at 2.60 meters, we can say that the ceiling is low. And if a room only has a few windows that do not let in enough natural light, again, the feeling of height is reduced.
It is therefore this last point which is important. Whatever the room, you should be able to feel free, not stifled. And it's up to you to create this feeling of height. I'll show you how to do it with choosing low ceiling lights .
The basis of good lighting for rooms with low ceilings: the color of the walls
Yes, I know. We are supposed to answer the question: “Which light fixture for low ceiling?” » And I should talk about pendants, chandeliers, spotlights, ceiling lights… in short, everything related to lighting. Don't worry. We'll get there.
But in no case can we talk about the lighting of a low ceiling without talking about the color of its paint . For rooms with low ceilings, the subject is crucial!
I know you are tempted by dark colors. They have something more mysterious and they look more chic. But dark paintings are also oppressive. And visually, they lower the height of the ceilings.
Therefore, before thinking about low ceiling lighting ideas, you should first opt for bright and bright colors for your ceiling painting . Once this is done, you can choose between the low ceiling lighting solutions which will be presented a little further.
Some rules to follow with low ceiling lighting
To successfully light your ceiling when it is low, you have a few instructions to follow. Nothing too complicated. But these are the rules that make all the difference. Above all, thanks to them, your ceiling will be completely illuminated!
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Low ceiling lighting should always point upwards to free up space. And the clearer it is, the more distant it seems. We therefore favor indirect light sources or those directed towards the ceiling.
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There are reflections that we would like to do without. For this, light must always be placed above the eyes. For rooms with low ceilings, it is recommended to install the bulbs 1.70 meters from the floor .
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In order not to obstruct the passage, choose low ceiling lighting fixtures capable of conforming to the shape of the room and which can be fixed in hidden places or behind furniture.
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To make the light beams less focused, opt for light sources with a wide beam angle . I recommend bulbs with beam angles greater than 90° to widen the space.
- This time, we're going to say no to suspended lights that come down from the ceiling: chandeliers, pendant lights, etc.
Once all these rules are firmly anchored in your mind, you can now analyze low ceiling lighting ideas and make your choice!
Recessed and semi-recessed lighting
You might not think about it at first, but for low ceiling height, recessed lighting is the ideal choice . It is designed precisely for this: to fit into the available space and to be very small. But in addition, recessed lighting gives a more powerful light, almost similar to natural lighting. The choice is quickly made !
Especially since nowadays it is possible to place recessed lighting in almost improbable places with the development of LED. And if you are worried about the visual aspect, I can assure you you will find different models and designs to integrate aesthetics with practicality.
The ceiling light for low ceilings
The advantage of the ceiling light is that it is not suspended, unlike chandeliers and pendant lights. This is why this luminaire is perfect for low ceilings. But in addition, it provides the function of general lighting of the room.
And more importantly in our situation, the ceiling lights are not bulky at all. This makes it easy to free up space. They are therefore suitable as low ceiling living room lighting , but also for all other rooms in the house: bedroom, dining room or even for the bathroom.
Spotlights on rail
Do you know what's special about the spots? They are adjustable. Yes, they can be directed towards specific areas of the room for more lighting. This allows you to alternate between shadowed areas and brighter areas. It is therefore functional lighting, but also aesthetic.
But with rail spots , you can go even further. By placing them vertically, you can more easily distribute the light in different directions. This allows you to make better use of the available space.
However, avoid recessed spotlights. Even if the latter are very fashionable, they lower the height. Which is not recommended for rooms with low ceilings.
Indirect lighting wall lights
Wall lights are generally used in living rooms or those where there is frequent traffic: the hallway and entrance for example. A wall light even finds its place in a stairwell.
For your room with a low ceiling, opt for indirect lighting. The latter will totally illuminate the ceiling, the floor, and even the walls! And guess what? You can even make it a more subdued atmosphere. Ideal for intimate gatherings or one-on-one dinners.
Lamps and floor lamps
There is nothing better as a low ceiling light. Whether for the living room, bedroom and kitchen, floor lamps are ideal for low heights. It can even be used as main lighting. And by choosing floor lamps with suitable lampshades, you can easily move them.
And you know what ? They are generally equipped with variators. You can therefore change the intensity of the light as you wish. It is thus possible to move from a brighter atmosphere to a more subdued and warm atmosphere.
For certain rooms, table lamps can also be very functional. You will find lamps for the bedside table in the bedroom, but also desk lamps, even living room lamps! The latter when placed in a corner of the living room can change the atmosphere of a given area.
Low ceiling lighting solutions: rely on several layers of lighting!
You now know how to light rooms with low ceilings . But it is not finished. I'm going to tell you a secret that many people don't know about (otherwise, it wouldn't be a secret anymore 🙄 ).
To properly light your room, don't just rely on a single light source. You can make a mix of all these low ceiling lighting ideas to illuminate different areas of the room. Some with ambient lighting, and others with more subdued lighting.
You could thus play with shadow effects and obtain something more original, and matching your decoration style. So I'll let you use your imagination! And in the meantime, we have some new nuggets for you. Lighting fixtures to enhance your trendy decor! Take a look there
