When it comes to beautiful spaces, a room never really comes to life until you get the lighting just right.
Even if you have the perfect color on the walls and furniture and accessories that you love - when someone walks into your home, their eyes go to wherever the light leads them.
Whether you’re in a newly built home or renting an apartment, switching out the overhead lights for new fancy led ceiling lights can amp up the beauty and comfort of your home.
We’ve put together a guide along with some technical tips. So, get out your tape measure and we’ll show you how to choose ceiling lights like a pro.
Matchy-matchy, no-no!
Don’t make matching ceiling lights your goal. Instead, you want to “coordinate” the light fixtures throughout your home. To do that, look for shared features, like shapes, colors, materials and décor styles. Having said that, there is always that wildcard fancy lamp light you’ve got your heart set on for the entryway or a unique bedroom chandelier that just seems made for the space. In other words, always opt for lighting that enhances the room and makes you happy!
Where should you start?
We suggest you start where you think the most important or dominant light fixture or fixtures will be. For instance, many consider the kitchen to be the centerpiece of the home. In that case, start by choosing eye-catching pendant ceiling lights to brighten the island or workspace. A pair of oversized pendant lights is a current look but a row of smaller pendants can have an equally stylish impact. It will all depend on the size of your kitchen, the length of the island, and any built-in overhead lighting you already have.
Tip: For kitchen islands that are 6 feet or longer, try 2-3 pendant lights spanning the length of the island.
Our Modern Industrial Cone LED Pendant Light showcases a unique concrete-like finish. But, these decorative LED ceiling lights are iron and aluminum and include an adjustable cord for achieving the best lighting in any space.
After selecting LED pendant ceiling lights for the kitchen, you can now move on to your second choice. In an adjoining living room, select a fixture that repeats the shape somewhat, with all or some of the same finishes. For example, if your kitchen fixture is predominantly round, you might want to go with a round light fixture that speaks to your style.
Is your heart set on adding dramatic lighting to your living room? Go ahead and follow your heart! Fancy ceiling lights for living room lighting in the same finish as other lighting but in a distinctive style can complement each other.
Our Bella Glass Ceiling Pendant with its fancy lamp light and the Feather Cloud Pendant Light are two modern decorative led ceiling lights with comparable shapes.
Dining room table lighting
Next, let’s look at the eating areas in your home. Whether your kitchen has a breakfast nook or you have an open-concept home with the dining room next to the kitchen, look for ceiling lights with coordinating features. For example, if your kitchen island has black cone-shaped pendants, a unique disc pendant with a partly black finish will look striking over a small round dining table.
The Petra Disc Pendant brings its eye-pleasing aesthetic to a kitchen breakfast nook or dining area.
Let’s say your kitchen island lights feature glass shades with gold hanging rods and fittings. A modern chandelier in harmonizing gold tones can make a statement above a long dining table.
Brass & Glass Sculpted Pendant Lights and our Stream Chandelier showcase warm golden tones and sculptural charm.
Tip: In the dining room, a linear ceiling light or multiple fancy LED ceiling lights looks best over a long oval or rectangular table. For a long table, keep the fixture at least 12 inches shorter than the table or 6 inches on each side. A square or round table looks best with a single chandelier or pendant light hanging over the center.
What about scale?
When selecting fancy LED ceiling lights for your home, it’s important to maintain a sense of scale in each room.
If you’re not sure what size (diameter) of the fixture a room needs, try this decorator’s formula:
- Take the room’s measurements. Say the room is 12 feet x 12 feet.
- Add those two numbers together. In this case, the answer is 24 feet.
- Now convert that number to inches. The fixture for this space should be at least 24 inches or larger.
For a large room, when it comes to the right scale, err on the side of “too large.” An oversized pendant ceiling light will create a focal point and help fill up large, open spaces.
Fancy ceiling lights for living room lighting
In the living room, you might want to hang a decorative ceiling light in the center of the room or in a position that highlights the conversation area. Then, you can concentrate on the outer walls for downlighting, as well as table and floor lamps for warm, functional illumination.
Being able to control the lighting in your living room is important, so wherever possible include dimmers. Dimmers are perfect when entertaining, adjusting the light to different times of the day or just for those situations when dimming the lights is that extra touch needed.
In a living room, the scale still applies but you also have to consider areas where people need to stand or walk around. Generally, keep 7 feet of clearance from the bottom of pendant ceiling lights to the floor.
For living spaces with 8-foot ceilings, a low-profile flush mount ceiling light will give you the lighting and clearance you’ll need.
Our Pepper Cone LED Metal Ceiling Lamp is the perfect solution for low ceilings and includes an anti-glare fancy lamp light.
Still not sure how to determine what height decorative LED ceiling lights should be? Grab your handy measuring tape and a calculator and try this formula:
- Calculate the floor to ceiling height of the room in feet. Let’s say the room is 10 feet high.
- Multiply the height by 2.5-3 inches per foot. Example: 10 x 2.5-3” = 25-30 feet
- Now change the value from feet to inches.
- Answer: The ideal light fixture height for this room is 25-30 inches.
Use this formula to allow for standing/walking clearance in a living room or bedroom. For an open foyer or hallway, the bottom of the light should be at least 6 inches higher than the door.
Is it warm in here?
Let’s say you’ve found the best fancy LED ceiling lights for your living spaces. One way you’ll want your decorative LED ceiling lights to match is by choosing a consistent lighting temperature. Mixing cool tones with warm tones will make your space look “off” and bring out different colors in walls, upholstery and people’s skin tones.
Tip: Look for LED lighting in the 2700K to 3000K color temperature range for most living spaces. This provides warm lighting in orange/gold hues. In a bathroom or entryway, you can opt for 3000K to 4000K.
It’s remarkable how swapping builder-grade light fixtures for something better can have such a big visual impact on your home. What’s more, it can brighten everyone’s mood.
Ready to shop and find the best ceiling lamps online? Check out our selection of decorative LED ceiling lights. We have distinctive modern lighting for every room in your home.