Interior Design
18 Ways to Set the Mood With Lighting
With the right selection and positioning of mood lighting, you can enhance the ambience of a room or an outdoor space
Growing up, I couldn’t stand the darkness of our family home, which featured just a single incandescent globe in the centre of each room. No wonder now, as an architect, I’m forever being told that I seem to flood my designs with light, sometimes providing too many options. I can’t stand darkness and my catch cry has for a long time been, ‘Let there be light’.
Light does much more than give you the ability to see, it creates a mood and an ambience for whatever design story you are trying to tell. Light, along with colour, has the ability to change the whole feeling of a space. Just as you can gaze at a work of art and feel the emotions of the subject matter, you can easily feel the ambience created in these wonderful spaces here.
Light does much more than give you the ability to see, it creates a mood and an ambience for whatever design story you are trying to tell. Light, along with colour, has the ability to change the whole feeling of a space. Just as you can gaze at a work of art and feel the emotions of the subject matter, you can easily feel the ambience created in these wonderful spaces here.
2. Dazzle with a traditional chandelier
Has anyone noticed that the opulent chandelier is back in fashion? Chandeliers provide a central clustered light source that allows light to bounce off crystal fittings, reflecting a light that shimmers and dances across surrounding wall surfaces. Be daring – this type of light fitting is at home in a contemporary space as much as in a classically styled room.
Has anyone noticed that the opulent chandelier is back in fashion? Chandeliers provide a central clustered light source that allows light to bounce off crystal fittings, reflecting a light that shimmers and dances across surrounding wall surfaces. Be daring – this type of light fitting is at home in a contemporary space as much as in a classically styled room.
3. Impress with a contemporary chandelier
Drama, drama, drama. These contemporary chandeliers bring the wow factor to complement this wonderful space created by DKOR Interiors. The gold textured tones of the walls and soft furnishings required a lighting solution that exemplified a rich, modern look.
The light cast by the chandelier through the glass beading, which look like suspended droplets of rain falling from the sky, creates a mesmerising play of shadows, adding to the opulent style of the room. A less charismatic scheme might have called for one light fitting to be enough, but two light fittings, well that’s ‘brilliant’ design.
Drama, drama, drama. These contemporary chandeliers bring the wow factor to complement this wonderful space created by DKOR Interiors. The gold textured tones of the walls and soft furnishings required a lighting solution that exemplified a rich, modern look.
The light cast by the chandelier through the glass beading, which look like suspended droplets of rain falling from the sky, creates a mesmerising play of shadows, adding to the opulent style of the room. A less charismatic scheme might have called for one light fitting to be enough, but two light fittings, well that’s ‘brilliant’ design.
4. Bring in a warming glow with lamps
Visual warmth in a room can be created by the careful selection of materials for the walls and ceilings, and for that matter the selection of soft furnishings. But the selection of the right light source can also significantly enhance the sense of warmth. The glow of a single lamp with the right light output can create whatever ambience you desire. Lamps can be sculptural, large, small, or tall and flamboyant. Choose one that best suits your space.
Visual warmth in a room can be created by the careful selection of materials for the walls and ceilings, and for that matter the selection of soft furnishings. But the selection of the right light source can also significantly enhance the sense of warmth. The glow of a single lamp with the right light output can create whatever ambience you desire. Lamps can be sculptural, large, small, or tall and flamboyant. Choose one that best suits your space.
5. Strut your stuff with a runway
Hallways are notoriously either dark or, the opposite, over-lit. They can also be boring, purely a means of getting from one room to another. However, if you want to make corridors come alive and be as joyful as other parts of your home, be strategic about lighting. Placed well, ceiling-mounted light fittings in a hallway can become statement pieces, like the circular architectural drums pictured here. They are like runway lights beckoning you to walk down the aisle to the room beyond.
Hallways are notoriously either dark or, the opposite, over-lit. They can also be boring, purely a means of getting from one room to another. However, if you want to make corridors come alive and be as joyful as other parts of your home, be strategic about lighting. Placed well, ceiling-mounted light fittings in a hallway can become statement pieces, like the circular architectural drums pictured here. They are like runway lights beckoning you to walk down the aisle to the room beyond.
6. Create an artistic exhibition
If you have pieces of art to show off in your hallway, or any other room for that matter, you’ll need to create a spectacle worthy of the Guggenheim Museum. There can be no more powerful a design tool than lighting to highlight the works of art, sculpture and furniture pieces that occupy a space.
The stage-managed lighting in this wide hallway shows how strategic placement of light is key to creating the right theatrical effect. Colour also plays a huge role in creating the right ambience in a room – the dark walls seen here help absorb a lot of the light to create this rich, dramatic atmosphere.
If you have pieces of art to show off in your hallway, or any other room for that matter, you’ll need to create a spectacle worthy of the Guggenheim Museum. There can be no more powerful a design tool than lighting to highlight the works of art, sculpture and furniture pieces that occupy a space.
The stage-managed lighting in this wide hallway shows how strategic placement of light is key to creating the right theatrical effect. Colour also plays a huge role in creating the right ambience in a room – the dark walls seen here help absorb a lot of the light to create this rich, dramatic atmosphere.
7. Think inside the box
The lighting in this bathroom plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the beautiful interior design that makes the ensuite feel like one you might find in a five-star hotel. Highlighted pigeon boxes display everyday bathroom items, such as shampoo and candles, and the mirror is bathed in a softly glowing light, proving that bathroom lighting doesn’t have to be clinical. Here, subtle lighting creates a peaceful ambience.
The lighting in this bathroom plays a pivotal role in reinforcing the beautiful interior design that makes the ensuite feel like one you might find in a five-star hotel. Highlighted pigeon boxes display everyday bathroom items, such as shampoo and candles, and the mirror is bathed in a softly glowing light, proving that bathroom lighting doesn’t have to be clinical. Here, subtle lighting creates a peaceful ambience.
8. Wow with multi-coloured LED strip lighting
There are many ways to create mood in a room using standard lighting, but coloured LED strip lighting provides another vivid dimension. By all means, light a space for practical reasons, but if you install coloured LED strip lighting, it will add a somewhat otherworldly ambience as seen in this hallway. Some LED lights can even change colour.
There are many ways to create mood in a room using standard lighting, but coloured LED strip lighting provides another vivid dimension. By all means, light a space for practical reasons, but if you install coloured LED strip lighting, it will add a somewhat otherworldly ambience as seen in this hallway. Some LED lights can even change colour.
9. Make a feature of single colour
If the night club ambience of the hallway above is not your style, try a single colour instead. Against a white background, the effect can be quite dramatic and the neutrality allows the colour to radiate over an area. I love the use of the cobalt blue LED strip lighting that lines the kick board and underside of the overhead cabinets in this kitchen. Add some decorative touches on the same shade elsewhere for balance.
Light up a kitchen with LEDs
If the night club ambience of the hallway above is not your style, try a single colour instead. Against a white background, the effect can be quite dramatic and the neutrality allows the colour to radiate over an area. I love the use of the cobalt blue LED strip lighting that lines the kick board and underside of the overhead cabinets in this kitchen. Add some decorative touches on the same shade elsewhere for balance.
Light up a kitchen with LEDs
10. Play hide and seek
It looks like they aren’t there, but the lighting fixtures in this kitchen are simply rather subtle. Ambience is created by white diffused light hidden in kick boards, along overhead suspended racks and in bulkhead pelmets. This option is rather intense, so doesn’t require too much extra light cast by other sources.
It looks like they aren’t there, but the lighting fixtures in this kitchen are simply rather subtle. Ambience is created by white diffused light hidden in kick boards, along overhead suspended racks and in bulkhead pelmets. This option is rather intense, so doesn’t require too much extra light cast by other sources.
11. Get down with downlights
Upon graduating as an architect, I did two things to my mum’s dismally dark house. I changed her outdated kitchen and I flooded every room with as many recessed downlights as I could. Are there too many lights now? Perhaps there are. Is the house a glowing beacon in the horizon? Yes it is. And do I still have to turn the lights on when visiting my old family home? Unfortunately I do – for some reason Mum still has them turned off. The moral here is that if you invest in good lighting, take advantage of it and embrace the light!
Upon graduating as an architect, I did two things to my mum’s dismally dark house. I changed her outdated kitchen and I flooded every room with as many recessed downlights as I could. Are there too many lights now? Perhaps there are. Is the house a glowing beacon in the horizon? Yes it is. And do I still have to turn the lights on when visiting my old family home? Unfortunately I do – for some reason Mum still has them turned off. The moral here is that if you invest in good lighting, take advantage of it and embrace the light!
12. Cluster a conversation starter
With lighting as glamorous as the clusters pictured here, you can imagine gathering around this central island counter sipping champagne and feeling a million dollars. I am sure the topic of conversation would not be about new cars or the latest fashion purchases, but about the stunning light fixture above. Rocco Borghesse has captured the opulent mood of this space by creating a one-off piece of variously sized glass orbs, clustered together to create an impressive display.
With lighting as glamorous as the clusters pictured here, you can imagine gathering around this central island counter sipping champagne and feeling a million dollars. I am sure the topic of conversation would not be about new cars or the latest fashion purchases, but about the stunning light fixture above. Rocco Borghesse has captured the opulent mood of this space by creating a one-off piece of variously sized glass orbs, clustered together to create an impressive display.
OUTDOORS
13. Get strung up on external lighting
Casting light via wall-mounted spotlights can sometimes provide too many shadows when sitting outside. A more exciting way to light up a private courtyard or compact outdoor entertaining space is to cluster lights along lines strung overhead, draped from one side of the area to the other, simulating the random pattern of stars. This is a very cost-effective way to create a sparkling mood outside, just by using standard light globes.
Reasons to use outdoor lighting
13. Get strung up on external lighting
Casting light via wall-mounted spotlights can sometimes provide too many shadows when sitting outside. A more exciting way to light up a private courtyard or compact outdoor entertaining space is to cluster lights along lines strung overhead, draped from one side of the area to the other, simulating the random pattern of stars. This is a very cost-effective way to create a sparkling mood outside, just by using standard light globes.
Reasons to use outdoor lighting
14. Make a bold colour statement
Designers install lighting to highlight a space or to create focus on an object, but Harold Leidner Landscape Architects went one step further by ‘energising’ this garden space with the use of neon LEDs. While the curved sofa and oversized mirror are impressive, the star of this decor scheme on a rooftop terrace is the turquoise LED weatherproof lighting. It almost feels like it helps to lift the seating off the ground, making it feel very space age. Beam me up, Scotty!
Designers install lighting to highlight a space or to create focus on an object, but Harold Leidner Landscape Architects went one step further by ‘energising’ this garden space with the use of neon LEDs. While the curved sofa and oversized mirror are impressive, the star of this decor scheme on a rooftop terrace is the turquoise LED weatherproof lighting. It almost feels like it helps to lift the seating off the ground, making it feel very space age. Beam me up, Scotty!
15. Highlight the great outdoors
Spending time in the garden is all about experiencing the outdoor pleasures of touching a plant or smelling a flower. That’s okay during the day, but at night it’s a fair bit harder to find those plants and flowers. That does not have to be the case if you install lighting that highlights your garden’s best features.
Here, C.O.S Design created an amazing night-time experience in this courtyard, with the strategic placement of directional lighting to highlight various areas of the garden and to create interesting shadows. Not only do the plants come alive, but all the textures of the materials that make up the space, such as the timber, masonry and tiled finishes, are also enhanced by the dramatic lighting.
Spending time in the garden is all about experiencing the outdoor pleasures of touching a plant or smelling a flower. That’s okay during the day, but at night it’s a fair bit harder to find those plants and flowers. That does not have to be the case if you install lighting that highlights your garden’s best features.
Here, C.O.S Design created an amazing night-time experience in this courtyard, with the strategic placement of directional lighting to highlight various areas of the garden and to create interesting shadows. Not only do the plants come alive, but all the textures of the materials that make up the space, such as the timber, masonry and tiled finishes, are also enhanced by the dramatic lighting.
16. Create a sense of arrival
The way you light up a home’s approach can create a sense of what lies ahead and indoors. The outdoor steps pictured here could easily have been flood lit to show you safely up the stairs, but by highlighting each riser with surface-mounted, low-output lights, a sense of anticipation is created – a bit like walking the red carpet.
The way you light up a home’s approach can create a sense of what lies ahead and indoors. The outdoor steps pictured here could easily have been flood lit to show you safely up the stairs, but by highlighting each riser with surface-mounted, low-output lights, a sense of anticipation is created – a bit like walking the red carpet.
17. Soften up an entrance
The mood and ambience in the entrance to this home is created by diffusing light behind translucent panelled gates. Again, on arrival, a sense of anticipation is created. Ensure that the placement of the light source is well hidden so that you can’t see the light fitting, but only the glow of its light.
The mood and ambience in the entrance to this home is created by diffusing light behind translucent panelled gates. Again, on arrival, a sense of anticipation is created. Ensure that the placement of the light source is well hidden so that you can’t see the light fitting, but only the glow of its light.
18. Dive into a block of colour
If you ever wanted to know what it would feel like to dive into a can of paint, this pool might give you the answer. Waterproof LED lighting comes in a variety of colours and when installed in a pool, the coloured light gets dispersed throughout the body of water and the results are amazing. As seen here, it can create the illusion of a single block of colour.
YOUR SAY
Have you created a mood in your home using ambient lighting? Upload a photo in the Comments section below.
MORE
Lighting Got You Confused? Get to Know the Basics
10 Easy Ways to Get Your Interior Lighting Sorted
How to Create Powerful Lighting Effects for Your Home
If you ever wanted to know what it would feel like to dive into a can of paint, this pool might give you the answer. Waterproof LED lighting comes in a variety of colours and when installed in a pool, the coloured light gets dispersed throughout the body of water and the results are amazing. As seen here, it can create the illusion of a single block of colour.
YOUR SAY
Have you created a mood in your home using ambient lighting? Upload a photo in the Comments section below.
MORE
Lighting Got You Confused? Get to Know the Basics
10 Easy Ways to Get Your Interior Lighting Sorted
How to Create Powerful Lighting Effects for Your Home
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1. Perfect your space with pendants
If you are not especially ostentatious and your style and mood is more funky and chic, choose a light fitting that suits the style of your space. This converted school house picked up the relaxed atmosphere of this cool kitchen with three simple, coloured pendants. They work well because the colours match those found elsewhere in the space. The ambience created is one of fun, albeit slightly industrial – but most of all it’s a very modern look.
More kitchen pendant lighting ideas