Living Room Ceiling Lights

Around 240 living room ceiling lights measuring 30 cm or more in diameter, in metal, bamboo, glass or ceramic, by Sollux, Good & Mojo, Maytoni, Ferroluce or Marset.

How to choose a living room ceiling light

The essentials

A living room ceiling light is chosen on three measurements: its diameter, its height and the amount of light it gives. In a 20 m² living room, a diameter of 50 to 60 cm and 2,000 to 3,000 lumens in total are in scale with the room. Fixed to the ceiling, it drops only 10 to 30 cm: it is the light for ceilings lower than 2.50 m and for areas where people walk through.

Diameter: roughly one eighth of the width of the room, so 50 cm for a living room 4 m wide.
Light: 100 to 150 lumens per m², so 2,000 to 3,000 lumens for 20 m², all light sources combined.
Colour: 2,700 to 3,000 kelvins for warm light, with a diffuser that hides the bulb.
Height: the bottom of the light stays at least 2.10 m from the floor wherever people walk.

Which type of ceiling light for a living room?

A ceiling light is fixed directly to the ceiling, with no visible cable or rod. It lights the whole room from above and drops only 10 to 30 cm. Pendant lights and chandeliers hang down into the room and need more height.

Light	Drop from the ceiling	Ceiling height	Light	For which living room
Ceiling light	10 to 30 cm	From 2.30 m	General and diffused	Small living room, low ceiling, walkway
Pendant light	50 cm to more than 1 m with the cable	2.50 m and over, or above a piece of furniture	Directed downwards	Above a coffee table or a dining table
Chandelier	60 cm and over	2.70 m and over	General, from several sources	Large living room, high ceiling

Rules of thumb, to be adapted to the shape of each model.

Flush, globe or multi-light

Flush ceiling light: a disc or drum 10 to 15 cm deep, sitting tight against the ceiling. It is the most discreet.
Globe or dome: a glass diffuser mounted on a short base, 20 to 35 cm high. The light goes in every direction.
Multi-light ceiling light: two to six light sources on a single base. It lights several areas from one electrical point.
Large format: 70 cm in diameter and over. It plays the role of a chandelier without hanging down into the room.

Other ceiling lighting

What size ceiling light for a living room?

A ceiling light that is too small gets lost on the ceiling and leaves the corners in shadow. A simple rule of thumb: its diameter is roughly one eighth of the width of the room. In a living room 4 m wide, that gives 50 cm.

Living room size	Recommended diameter	How many ceiling lights
Under 15 m²	30 to 49 cm	One ceiling light in the centre
15 to 25 m²	50 to 69 cm	One ceiling light, backed up by lamps
25 to 35 m²	70 cm and over	One large ceiling light, or two of 40 to 50 cm
Over 35 m²	70 cm and over	Two ceiling lights, one per zone

Rules of thumb for a ceiling height of 2.40 to 2.70 m.

The selection follows this split: six ceiling lights in ten measure 30 to 49 cm in diameter, one in five 50 to 69 cm, and close to fifty reach 70 cm or more. The 40 cm diameter is the most common.

How to check before you chooseCut out a cardboard disc of the diameter you have in mind and hold it against the ceiling, where the electrical point is. Look at it from the sofa, then from the doorway. If it looks small from 3 m away, go up a size.

What brightness and what colour temperature?

For the general lighting of a living room, allow around 100 to 150 lumens per m². Watts no longer tell you anything about the light produced: read the lumens, shown on the bulb or in the light's specifications.

Living room size	Total lumens	Equivalent in 806-lumen LED bulbs
15 m²	1,500 to 2,250 lumens	2 to 3 bulbs
20 m²	2,000 to 3,000 lumens	3 to 4 bulbs
30 m²	3,000 to 4,500 lumens	4 to 6 bulbs, across several lights

An 806-lumen LED bulb uses around 7 to 9 W and replaces an old 60 W bulb. With dark walls, aim for the top of the range.

Warm or neutral light?

Between 2,700 and 3,000 kelvins, the light is warm and slightly golden: it is the colour you expect in a room for relaxing. At around 4,000 kelvins, it becomes neutral and suits a desk corner. Keep the same colour on every light source in the living room.

Integrated LED or replaceable bulb?

A ceiling light with integrated LED is slimmer, and its light output is known from the moment you buy it. A ceiling light with a bulb holder, most often E27, lets you choose the brightness and the colour, and takes a smart bulb controlled from a phone.

Dimmer: two things to checkA ceiling light on at full power in the evening flattens the mood. A dimmer solves the problem, on two conditions: the bulb or LED source must be marked ‘dimmable’, and the wall dimmer must be designed for LEDs. Otherwise, the light flickers or buzzes.

Which ceiling light for which living room?

Low ceiling, under 2.50 m

Choose a flush ceiling light, no more than 15 cm deep, in a colour close to that of the ceiling. An opal glass or fabric diffuser spreads the light without any dazzling point. The bottom of the light must stay at least 2.10 m from the floor wherever people walk.

A 20 m² living room with a 2.50 m ceiling

A ceiling light 50 to 60 cm in diameter and 20 to 25 cm high is in scale. Paired with a floor lamp and a table lamp, it does not need to provide the room's 2,000 to 3,000 lumens on its own.

High ceiling, 2.80 m and over

The volume allows for a ceiling light of 70 cm and over, or a model with several globes.

With children

Go for a closed diffuser that hides the bulb: you soon see it when you are playing on the floor or lying on the sofa. Smooth glass and metal wipe clean in one go, whereas woven fibres hold on to dust.

On a tight budget

Close to a hundred ceiling lights in the selection are offered at under €200, and seven in ten at under €500. Large formats from design houses go above €1,000.

For other rooms

Designer living room ceiling lights: materials, colours and brands

Close to one ceiling light in two in the selection is in metal, mostly steel. Next come bamboo and rattan, glass, ceramic and polycarbonate. As for colours, black, gold and white share the lead, with around forty models each.

Black, gold or silver metal: clean lines, contemporary living room. Black outlines the ceiling, gold warms up a pale room.
Bamboo and rattan: the light passes between the fibres and casts shadows on the ceiling. Best backed up by a lamp for reading.
Opal or blown glass: the most even light, with no cast shadow. The right choice when the ceiling light is the main light source.
Ceramic: a matt surface and muted colours, for a living room with natural materials.
Polycarbonate: large, lightweight diameters in bold colours.

Sollux is the brand with the most models, with around fifty ceiling lights, including the Berge in wood and chrome-plated steel. Good & Mojo weaves bamboo in the Kalimantan, Hokkaido and Ibiza models. Maytoni works in metal, silver or cognac, with the Balbo and Dallas. It's about Romi and Belid offer glass ceiling lights, such as the Bologna or the Bullo XL in opal glass. Marset makes the Ringo 70C, a 70 cm polycarbonate ceiling light. Ferroluce, Verpan, HAY and UMAGE complete the selection.

A few living room ceiling lights from the selection

Ceiling lamp cognac Balbo - Maytoni - The Cool Republic

Maytoni Cognac ceiling light Balbo - Maytoni €410,40

Good & Mojo Ceiling light in black and natural bamboo 50x15 cm Ibiza - Good & Mojo €99,99

Belid Opal glass ceiling light Ø38 Bullo XL - Belid €331,95

Fixed ceiling lamp in green polycarbonate 70x21cm Ringo 70C - Marset - The Cool Republic

Marset Fixed green polycarbonate ceiling light 70x21cm Ringo 70C - Marset €2.225,00

By colour, material and brand

How to fit a ceiling light and plan your living room lighting?

Replacing a chandelier with a ceiling light

Switch off the power at the circuit breaker, then check there is no voltage before touching the wires.
Take down the old light and identify the wires: live, neutral and earth.
Measure the mark left on the ceiling: the base of the new ceiling light must cover it, otherwise allow for a paint touch-up.
Fix the mounting plate with wall plugs suited to the surface: concrete, plasterboard or an old ceiling. A heavy model is fixed into the load-bearing structure.

If you have the slightest doubt about the wiring, call in an electrician. The same goes for a bathroom or wet room, where the choice of light depends on its IP rating and its distance from the water points.

Which lights go with a ceiling light?

Think in three layers: the ceiling light for general light, a floor lamp near the sofa for reading, a table lamp or a wall light for atmosphere. In a 20 m² living room, three to five light sources are a good guide, with the ceiling light providing around half of the light.

Looking after a ceiling lightSwitch it off and let it cool down before you start. Glass and metal are cleaned with a barely damp microfibre cloth. Bamboo and rattan are dusted with a paintbrush or with the vacuum cleaner, using a soft brush.

Frequently asked questions

Which type of ceiling light for a living room?

A flush or globe ceiling light, at least 30 cm in diameter, suits most living rooms. Under a ceiling lower than 2.50 m, choose a model no more than 15 cm deep. In a large room, a ceiling light of 70 cm and over or a multi-light model replaces the chandelier.

What size ceiling light for a 20 m² living room?

A diameter of 50 to 60 cm is in scale with a 20 m² living room. The rule of thumb: roughly one eighth of the width of the room, so 50 cm for 4 m wide. In a long, narrow room, two 40 cm ceiling lights give better light than a single large one.

What wattage for a living room ceiling light?

Think in lumens rather than watts. Allow 100 to 150 lumens per m², so 2,000 to 3,000 lumens for a 20 m² living room, all light sources combined. That means three to four 806-lumen LED bulbs, which use 7 to 9 W each.

What colour temperature for a living room ceiling light?

Warm light, from 2,700 to 3,000 kelvins, suits a room for relaxing. Neutral light, at around 4,000 kelvins, is best kept for a desk corner. Keep the same colour on all the lights in the living room to avoid a mismatched effect.

Which ceiling light for a living room with a low ceiling?

Go for a flush ceiling light, 10 to 15 cm deep, with an opal diffuser that spreads the light. The bottom of the light must stay at least 2.10 m from the floor in walkways. A colour close to that of the ceiling makes it more discreet.

Ceiling light, pendant light or chandelier: which to choose for a living room?

A ceiling light stays flush to the ceiling and suits low ceilings and areas where people walk through. A pendant light hangs down into the room and goes above a table. A chandelier, with several light sources, needs a ceiling height of 2.70 m or more.

Integrated LED or replaceable bulb for a living room ceiling light?

Integrated LED allows for very slim ceiling lights, with a light output known in advance. A ceiling light with a bulb holder, often E27, lets you choose the brightness and colour of the bulb and takes a smart bulb. If you want a dimmer, check for the word ‘dimmable’ in both cases.

Is a ceiling light enough to light a living room?

It is enough for general light, not for atmosphere. Add a floor lamp near the sofa and a table lamp or a wall light: three to five light sources are a good guide in a 20 m² living room. The ceiling light then provides around half of the light.