Lighting a Flat: the plan in three layers
The cheapest intervention with the greatest effect, and it needs no tradesman
Of all the things that make a flat look expensive, light is the cheapest and the most effective. A room with good furniture and one ceiling fitting looks flat in the evening. The same room with three layers of light looks photographed.
This page explains the principle and then goes through the rooms one by one, with heights, colour temperatures and the question of which lamp belongs where. The overall sequence of furnishing is under furnishing an apartment.
Why one ceiling light is never enough
Light from above hits everything evenly and therefore produces no shadows the eye could read as depth. A room lit that way looks flat, colours look washed out, and people look bad in it because overhead light throws hard shadows into their faces.
As soon as several sources burn at different heights, an alternation of light and dark appears. Precisely that alternation is perceived as comfort. So the first rule of any lighting plan is: several small sources instead of one large one.
The three layers
1. Base light
Ceiling fitting or chandelier, for overview and presence. It is rarely needed on its own but shapes the room even by day, switched off.
2. Task light
Light where something happens: above the dining table, beside the reading chair, at the desk, at the mirror. This is where floor lamps and table lamps belong.
3. Mood light
Small points on walls and in niches: wall lamps, lit pictures, light behind a piece of furniture. This layer is forgotten most often and makes the biggest difference.
The layers must be switched separately, otherwise the division serves no purpose. Where extra wiring is impossible, plug switches and radio dimmers help. As a rough figure: at least three sources per living room, five or six in large rooms.
Colour temperature and colour rendering
Two figures on the packaging decide whether a flat looks warm in the evening or like a waiting room. The first is colour temperature in kelvin. Living spaces want 2400 to 2700 kelvin, which corresponds to old incandescent light. From 3000 kelvin it becomes matter of fact, from 4000 every room looks like a workshop.
The second figure is colour rendering, given as Ra or CRI. From Ra 90 upwards wood tones, textiles, marble and gold leaf are reproduced correctly. With cheap lamps at Ra 80 the same gilt frame looks dull and the same velvet looks flat. Saving here makes expensive furniture look cheap.
Third point: dimmability. If only one thing is dimmable, make it the base light. And all lamps in one room should have the same colour temperature. Mixed colour temperatures are the most common reason a room feels restless without anyone being able to say why.
Room by room
| Room | What is needed | Measurements and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Living room | Base light, two reading lamps, wall light | Floor lamp behind the armchair, shade edge roughly at seated eye level |
| Dining room | Light above the table, light on the wall | 80 cm above the top, fitting width about a third of the table length |
| Bedroom | Two reading lamps, one very dim night light | Wall lamps with lower edge around 60 cm above the mattress, very warm colour |
| Hallway | Two or three small points of light | Wall lamps instead of a ceiling light, otherwise the hall reads as a corridor |
| Workspace | Directed light from the side | From the left for right handers, so the hand casts no shadow |
| Mirror | Light from both sides | At face height, never from above, or shadows form under the eyes |
The chandelier: a question of height
A chandelier needs ceiling height, but less than most people assume. Above a dining table 2.50 metres is enough, because nobody walks underneath. Free in the room, the lower edge should stay at least 2.10 metres above the floor.
For size there is a simple rule: room length plus room width in metres gives roughly the right diameter in centimetres. A room of four by five metres therefore carries a chandelier of around ninety centimetres. Above a dining table the size follows the table, not the room.
Wall lamps: the underrated layer
Wall lamps need no floor space, give light at eye level and open the wall upwards. That makes them especially valuable in small flats. The usual mounting height is about 1.60 to 1.75 metres, lower beside a bed, at face height beside a mirror.
Two identical wall lamps left and right of a mirror, a bed or a fireplace create symmetry at once. That is why the same arrangement appears again and again in hotels: it works in every room and in every style.
Light without a tradesman
- Floor lamps replace missing ceiling outlets completely. A floor lamp with a shade behind the sofa covers half the seating group.
- Table lamps on sideboard, console and commode are the quickest mood layer, selection under table lamps.
- Radio dimmers and plug adapters make any socket lamp switchable without laying a cable.
- A mirror opposite a light source visually doubles it, particularly in the evening.
- Changing all lamps to the same colour temperature is the cheapest intervention with the greatest effect.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is too little light at mid height: everything hangs from the ceiling or stands on the floor while the zone between eighty and one hundred and seventy centimetres stays dark. That is exactly where life happens. The second most common mistake is mixed colour temperatures in one room, the third is a room that is too bright overall: living rooms may have dark corners in the evening, they live on them.
What Casa Padrino carries in lighting
The range covers all three layers: chandeliers in crystal, brass and wrought iron, wall lamps in pairs, floor lamps and table lamps. Dimensions, lamp holder and material are given for every fitting, which is essential for planning heights.
The advantage of a single source lies in coordination: brass, crystal and wrought iron stay in the same tone across all rooms. For an overview see lighting as a whole as well as the home page and luxury furniture.
Three layers, one source
Chandeliers, wall lamps, floor lamps and table lamps with complete dimensions for lighting design.
View lighting View chandeliersRead on
Frequently asked questions about lighting
How many lamps does a living space need?
At least three, five or six in large rooms, spread over three heights. One ceiling light, two sources at standing and table height and one or two points on the wall make a complete concept.
Which colour temperature is right?
2400 to 2700 kelvin for living spaces, rather 2200 to 2500 in the bedroom. From 3000 kelvin light feels matter of fact, from 4000 like a workshop. All lamps in one room should share the same colour temperature.
What does Ra 90 mean and why does it matter?
Ra or CRI states colour rendering. From Ra 90 wood, textiles, marble and gold leaf appear in their true colour. At Ra 80 the same materials look dull, which noticeably weakens the impression of good furniture.
How high does a light hang above the dining table?
Around eighty centimetres above the table top, so the lamp is not visible when seated. The fitting width corresponds to about a third to a half of the table length.
What diameter should a chandelier have?
Room length plus room width in metres gives roughly the diameter in centimetres. A room of four by five metres therefore carries around ninety centimetres. Above a table the size follows the table.
At what height are wall lamps mounted?
About 1.60 to 1.75 metres above the floor. Lower beside a bed, with the lower edge around sixty centimetres above the mattress, and at face height beside a mirror.
How do you light a mirror correctly?
From both sides at face height, not from above. Light from above throws shadows into the eye sockets and under the chin. Two identical wall lamps left and right are the proven solution.
What if there is no ceiling outlet?
Work with floor lamps and table lamps. A floor lamp behind the sofa covers half the seating group, two table lamps on commode and sideboard add the mood layer. Radio dimmers make everything switchable without laying cables.
Is indirect light better than direct?
Neither, they belong together. Indirect light on wall and ceiling creates brightness without glare, directed light is needed for reading and working. Indirect light alone quickly feels diffuse and dull.
How bright does a living room have to be?
Less bright than many assume. Living spaces may have dark areas in the evening, they live on the contrast. More important than overall brightness is light where something happens, plus a dimmable base.
