Experts reveal the number of light sources you should have in a living room to nail the layered lighting trend – the number surprised even me

2024 was the year of cool lighting, there’s no doubt about it. And it was also the year we all really learnt about the concept of layered lighting as we embraced the idea of a truly cosy and cocooning home in which the right atmospheric lighting plays a major role. And nowhere is this true more than in the living room – but now that I know that a room should have multiple lamps and light fixtures, the question is just how many light sources should a living room have.

As we find ourselves in 2025, our journey of discovering more showstopping living room lighting ideas continues on from last year. But layering your light sources is not just the current lighting trend – it’s a timeless method that will aid in creating the desired ambiance in your living space, depending on the occasion, whether it’s just you winding down after a long day or you’re entertaining guests.

‘When it comes to styling your living room, lighting is a key part of defining the aesthetic,’ says Mary Buchanan, creative director at Laura Ashley Lighting. ‘The most important thing to consider is layering the lighting within your scheme. A common mistake is to focus on a show-stopping piece and forgo lighting the rest of the room, leaving it without atmosphere. The use of wall lights, table lamps and floor lamps make for the perfect relaxing space, leaving no corner unlit and keeping the space cosy.’

But the real question I wanted answered by our lighting experts was the amount of light sources you and I should be aiming to incorporate in our lounges, necessary to light the whole space.

The ideal amount of light sources in a living room

‘When it comes to how many light sources to include in your space, it does depend on the size of your room,’ explains Ally Dowsing-Reynolds, co-founder and lighting expert from Dowsing & Reynolds. ‘On average, we recommend having around eight sources of light for a larger room like a living room.’

And at first, the number shocked me – but after further explanation, it actually made sense.

‘But remember this does include things like windows, candles, doors, fairy lights etc,’ Ally continues. ‘For example, a lighting scheme with a ceiling light, wall lights, a floor light and a table lamp, paired with your natural light and any ambient fairy lights or candles is a great formula for a well-lit room that can be easily transitioned down for the evening.’

But, of course, this largely depends on the size of your living space – and the number of light fixtures for small living room ideas would likely be lower. However, if you were to follow the lighting scheme outlined above, these are some of my top picks of buys to include.

Should you incorporate the ‘big’ overhead light?

There’s been a lot of talk lately, especially on social media, about whether we should use or ditch the overhead light, dubbed the ‘big’ light. When it comes to using it in your living room, the experts say it depends largely on the occasion.

‘As spaces are required to be more multifunctional, the overhead light is often required to provide optimum visibility. However, layering lighting allows a space to also remain versatile and cosy,’ Mary at Laura Ashley Lighting says.

If you’re playing board games, for example, it might be time to turn the ceiling light on. So while you can choose to not use it a lot of the time, you should still have one in place for the times you need high visibility.

Marlena Kaminska, lead digital designer at ValueLights, adds, ‘Whilst ceiling lights will always be a key feature in every space, and we all have our own preferences, for the most part I’d recommend sticking to layered lighting in a living room, whilst spaces such as the kitchen and dining space benefit more from using overhead lights.’

Finally, Ally at Dowsing & Reynolds suggests a way to soften the overhead light, ‘Adding a dimmer to the main light helps to make the light less harsh and adds some ambience.’

This might mean you’re in need of going for a browse and a shop in the lighting section – but for the resulting ambiance, it’s worth it.