My LR needs serious lighting help

[hamster]

First thing. The furniture isn't moving. Particularly that end table on the right. I know it would look better elsewhere, but it's where H sits and I'm just not having that conversation. Choose your battles and all. This is hardly the most offensive thing decor/layout wise. (I only adamantly say this because I know it's going to come up)

Anywho. I'm going to put a lamp on the turquoise table in the back. I assume a table lamp will go on the end table between the couch and love seat (the torch light it dumb there, I know, it used to be where the turquoise table is). What else? A floor lamp where the one to the left of the love seat is? What kind? (we rarely sit there) I can't find anything I like. I'm looking for something that would like a modern rustic. I like bronze, and we've obviously got the cabin feel with the deer head and pine paneling, but I'm looking to make it more modern. Does that make sense? 

I'm not opposed to overhead lighting, (and H would be more apt to crawling in the attic than moving that end table, for a reference) but then I feel like the furniture is permanently in that spot. I mean, I don't know where else it would go, but still...

I'm home, so I can take more pictures. 

[kore2]

Could you put a lamp on the console table against the wall? This was always a huge struggle in my old living room. I *hated* the overhead light, but never felt like I had adequate light in the room.

[ijack]

How much light do you want/need? What do you guys do in the room?

[sfy]

A friend just had 4 recessed lights installed for $300. I'd probably do that.

[hamster]

Feb 18, 2016 11:21:02 GMT -5 kore2 said:

Could you put a lamp on the console table against the wall? This was always a huge struggle in my old living room. I *hated* the overhead light, but never felt like I had adequate light in the room.

Technically, but the head above it (i know) comes down kind of low, and I feel like it would be really cluttered looking as a result. 

[hamster]

Feb 18, 2016 11:24:55 GMT -5 ijack said:

How much light do you want/need? What do you guys do in the room?

I mean, we probably don't need a ton, but H does read a lot and we'd need to be able to play games or what not. A normal amount of living room light? lol. 

[ijack]

I prefer overhead lights, so that would be my vote. You definitely need something by the sofas for reading

[hamster]

If you put in overhead lights, where would they go? Above each seat? Where else? Cost is not a factor, H would do the wiring.

[UnderProtest]

Recessed lighting in the ceiling....depending on that wattage, maybe between 4-6 lights? A table lamp on the blue cabinet and on the side table between couch and love seat. And uplighting in the corner on the left in your picture....can't tell if that is where the tv is. What is on the other side of the room?

[hamster]

Feb 18, 2016 12:57:31 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Recessed lighting in the ceiling....depending on that wattage, maybe between 4-6 lights? A table lamp on the blue cabinet and on the side table between couch and love seat. And uplighting in the corner on the left in your picture....can't tell if that is where the tv is. What is on the other side of the room?

I'm standing in the kitchen entry way next to the blue table. First pic was taken next to the tv.

[UnderProtest]

Definitely recessed lighting and maybe even uplighting too in those dark corners! What are the two things on the ceiling near the fireplace?

[hamster]

Feb 18, 2016 13:11:53 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Definitely recessed lighting and maybe even uplighting too in those dark corners! What are the two things on the ceiling near the fireplace?

Ladder bookshelves with not much on them at the moment.

[hamster]

Feb 18, 2016 13:43:18 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

Feb 18, 2016 13:39:39 GMT -5 hamster said:

Ladder bookshelves with not much on them at the moment.

She was asking about the two things on the ceiling, I'm guessing one might be a smoke detector?

Oh, what about a light tube?  My MIL had one in Arizona and it helped so much (only during the day, obviously).  It's like a skylight but without actually having to worry about a window.

Derp. Reading fail.

One is a fan. We use the woodstove almost exclusively so that's how the heat gets to the back of the house.

The other is a light. One lone recessed light.

[UnderProtest]

Feb 18, 2016 13:43:18 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

Feb 18, 2016 13:39:39 GMT -5 hamster said:

Ladder bookshelves with not much on them at the moment.

She was asking about the two things on the ceiling, I'm guessing one might be a smoke detector?

Oh, what about a light tube?  My MIL had one in Arizona and it helped so much (only during the day, obviously).  It's like a skylight but without actually having to worry about a window.

Ha, thanks.

[UnderProtest]

Feb 18, 2016 13:50:38 GMT -5 hamster said:

Feb 18, 2016 13:43:18 GMT -5 RockNVoll said:

She was asking about the two things on the ceiling, I'm guessing one might be a smoke detector?

Oh, what about a light tube?  My MIL had one in Arizona and it helped so much (only during the day, obviously).  It's like a skylight but without actually having to worry about a window.

Derp. Reading fail.

One is a fan. We use the woodstove almost exclusively so that's how the heat gets to the back of the house.

The other is a light. One lone recessed light.

Yeah, take out the weirdly placed lone recessed light while he is rewiring the whole ceiling.

Oh, and is the fan centered to the fireplace?

[hamster]

Feb 18, 2016 14:07:35 GMT -5 UnderProtest said:

Feb 18, 2016 13:50:38 GMT -5 hamster said:

Derp. Reading fail.

One is a fan. We use the woodstove almost exclusively so that's how the heat gets to the back of the house.

The other is a light. One lone recessed light.

Yeah, take out the weirdly placed lone recessed light while he is rewiring the whole ceiling.

Oh, and is the fan centered to the fireplace?

It's a little off center. I suspect moving it would be a big undertaking.

[steph96]

I would go for some type of overhead lighting. It would be the most practical.

[MixedBerryJam]

I have an equally dark living room and recently installed a ceiling fan/halogen lamp. It has made a world of difference. I love how bright my room is now. That, with a table/floor lamp on either end of the couch, is sufficient for us.

[Susie]

We put recessed lighting in our family room.  The positions of the lights were based on the shape of the room rather than furniture, so it didn't matter that we later replaced the sectional with a different shaped couch + arm chair.

The overhead lighting made a world of difference, even more so at night than these pics.

Before:
 

After:  no more awkward lamps!

There are 5 recessed lights, one in each corner plus one directional pointing at the fireplace.

[lightbulbsun]

A good rule of thumb when laying out overhead lighting is to space them the same distance as the ceiling height. If the ceiling height is 8', then space them 8' apart.

[hamster]

Poor H, lol. He's not going to be thrilled about this.

[hamster]

LOL.

H bought a $2000 canopy for the truck. Seemed like a good time to bring up lighting. I got an angry blank stare and he said he'd return the canopy.

Apparently they are a pain in the butt to install.

[huskymom]

We have 12 evenly spaced recessed lights in our living room, they are small ones and controlled by 3 light switches, all on dimmers. I love them!

[aurora]

Feb 18, 2016 21:19:13 GMT -5 hamster said:

LOL.

H bought a $2000 canopy for the truck. Seemed like a good time to bring up lighting. I got an angry blank stare and he said he'd return the canopy.

Apparently they are a pain in the butt to install.

Crawling around in an attic is never fun, though I admit this made me laugh.

Would he be more amenable to track lighting? There is some nice stuff out there, not just the ugly practical ones from decades ago.

[dancelnow]

With it being a standard ceiling height, recessed lights would be best to not lower the overhead space. Definitely spaced out, not over furniture specifically. On a dimmer would be even better.

I love that we have 3 low wattage over the fireplace for evening relaxing. But then more lights on a separate switch for full lighting.

You could also put wall sconces in place of those floor lamps. That doesn't help though if your husband wants to read in the seat by the end table, so maybe a floor lamp by the table.

[fireplace]

Feb 18, 2016 11:29:00 GMT -5 sfy said:

A friend just had 4 recessed lights installed for $300. I'd probably do that.

this is what we have