Lighting isn’t just about brightness – it’s about balance. The right lighting scheme transforms a space, making it feel inviting, practical, and effortlessly stylish. But achieving that isn’t as simple as just installing a few ceiling spotlights.
This is where the idea of layering lighting comes in.
Layering lighting means using multiple light sources at different levels to create depth, atmosphere, and functionality within a space. Rather than relying on a single overhead fixture, a well-designed lighting plan combines different types of lighting to suit different moods, activities, and times of day.
Carefully considering how your choice of lighting interacts with architecture, furniture, and lifestyle helps ensure your home feels as good as it looks. Here’s how to approach it.
The three layers of lighting
A room with just one type of lighting will always feel either too bright, too dim, or simply one-dimensional. That’s why we design lighting schemes using three key layers:
Ambient Lighting: AKA The Big Light
This is the general lighting in a space – the kind that allows you to walk into a room and see everything clearly. It’s often referred to as ‘the big light’ because it’s usually the most noticeable source of brightness, and casts the widest reach.
Common types of ambient lighting include:
- • Pendant lights
- • Recessed spotlights
- • Ceiling-mounted LEDs
- • Wall sconces
While ambient lighting is essential, it shouldn’t be the only light source in a room. On its own, it can feel stark, and a lot of people are unable to relax with the big light on. This is why we always layer additional lighting for flexibility and to allow you to create the right atmosphere.
Task Lighting: Focused & Functional
Task lighting provides concentrated light for specific activities (tasks), such as cooking, reading, or working. Without it, a room can feel impractical – think of a kitchen without under-cabinet lighting, or a dressing table without a well-lit mirror.
Task lighting is usually incorporated based on how a space will be used. In kitchens, LED strips under cabinets prevent shadows on worktops. In bedrooms, integrated headboard lighting provides a soft yet functional glow for reading. Bathrooms benefit from backlit mirrors, ensuring good visibility without harsh overhead shadows to help with getting ready.
This type of lighting really has to be considered to help as space becomes practical, as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Accent Lighting: Depth & Atmosphere
Accent lighting is the finishing touch – it adds warmth, highlights architectural features, and creates a sense of depth. It’s the difference between a room that simply has lighting and one that feels beautifully designed.
Some of our favourite ways to integrate accent lighting include:
- • LED strips within bespoke joinery – Perfect for shelving or display units.
- • Recessed lighting in ceiling coving – A subtle, elegant way to enhance the space.
- • Spotlights on artwork or alcoves – Drawing attention to key focal points.
- • Statement table and floor lamps – Acting as both decorative and functional elements.
By layering these three types of lighting, you can create a space that’s not only well-lit but also adaptable for different times of day and activities.
Planning a lighting scheme: Where to start
When we’re working on a large-scale renovation, we start by creating technical lighting and electrical diagrams. These plans detail how lighting circuits are connected and how switches will operate, ensuring everything works smoothly once installed.
A well-designed lighting plan aims to answer the following questions:
- • How will the space be used? Lighting might need to be bright and practical for a kitchen, as opposed to soft and inviting for a bedroom.
- • Where should the lighting be positioned? We want to avoid creating unnecessary, avoid shadows, and highlight key areas.
- • What is the right balance of circuits? Ever been to a house or an office where there’s a panel of switches and you have to flick every single one on and off to pinpoint which controls the tiny spotlight you want? It’s a pain, so we prefer to keep controls simple and intuitive.
By going through this lighting planning stage, it means we can layer lighting effectively, making sure each space has the right combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting to suit your needs.
Dimmable circuits and smart lighting: Flexibility at your fingertips
One of the biggest priorities in lighting design is creating flexibility. A kitchen might need bright lighting for cooking during the day but a softer atmosphere for entertaining in the evening. That’s why we often integrate dimmable circuits, allowing light levels to be adjusted effortlessly, without overcomplicating design by adding extra switches.
If you’re looking to include dimmable circuits into your designs, aim to keep them simple and intuitive to use. A common mistake in lighting design is adding too many circuits, making it complicated to control different light sources.
As a general rule:
- • Limit circuits to a maximum of three in most rooms to ensure ease of use.
- • In open-plan spaces, introduce additional circuits to allow for different lighting zones.
- • For smart home setups, circuits can be controlled via a single touch panel, eliminating the need for multiple switches.
Even without smart home technology, dimmable lighting is an easy way to make a space more adaptable. As long as the right fittings and dimmable bulbs are chosen, it’s simple to create different lighting moods throughout the day.
Smart lighting: Is it worth it?
If you want full control over your lighting, smart home systems offer incredible convenience. We often work with AV specialists to integrate lighting into automated home systems, allowing clients to adjust brightness, colour temperature, and pre-set ‘scenes’ via an app or voice command.
Here are a couple of things you should consider when installing smart home lighting:
- • Hardwired vs. Wireless systems: Hardwired setups offer seamless integration but must be planned early in the design phase. Wireless systems are easier to retrofit but may have some limitations in terms of their functionality.
- • Where the control panel will go: A well-designed system should be intuitive, avoiding an overwhelming number of switches. Placement of your control panel should be considered as part of your overall design.
- • Equipment storage: A smart home system requires a central hub, which needs a dedicated space within the home.
When planned correctly, smart lighting creates a seamless experience, allowing lighting to adapt to different times of day with ease.
How to layer lighting in different spaces around your home
Lighting needs vary from room to room. Here are some suggestions on how to approach fixture selection and layered lighting in different rooms of your home:
Kitchens
A kitchen needs a combination of practical lighting for food prep and softer lighting for dining.
- Ambient: Recessed ceiling spotlights or pendant lights over an island.
- Task: Under-cabinet LEDs to brighten worktops.
- Accent: Plinth lighting or integrated LED strips in shelving for a softer glow.
Living Rooms
Living rooms need flexible lighting for both relaxation and entertaining.
- Ambient: A central pendant or recessed spotlights.
- Task: Floor lamps next to seating areas.
- Accent: Wall-mounted sconces, backlit shelving, or LED strips in bespoke joinery.
Bedrooms
A well-lit bedroom needs a mix of practicality and comfort.
- Ambient: Ceiling pendants or recessed lighting.
- Task: Bedside reading lamps or integrated LED headboard lighting.
- Accent: Soft glow lighting behind coving or inside wardrobes.
Bathrooms
Bathrooms need functional lighting for getting ready and softer lighting for a spa-like feel.
- Ambient: Ceiling spotlights with warm LED bulbs.
- Task: Backlit mirrors or vanity lighting.
- Accent: Waterproof LED strips in niches or under floating vanities.
Lighting that works for your home and wellbeing
Lighting isn’t just functional – it has a profound impact on how a space feels and how we experience it. The right lighting can completely transform a room, making it feel warm and inviting, or cool and energising.
But beyond aesthetics, lighting also affects our well-being and productivity.
Different lighting levels and colour temperatures influence our circadian rhythms, which regulate our sleep-wake cycle. Bright, cooler-toned lighting is ideal for spaces where focus and concentration are needed, such as home offices and kitchens. Warmer, softer lighting helps create a relaxed, calming atmosphere, making it a better choice for bedrooms and living rooms.
A well-designed lighting scheme isn’t just about visibility – it’s about balance, flexibility, and how a space supports your daily life. By layering ambient, task, and accent lighting, using dimmable circuits for adaptability, and selecting the right colour temperatures for each area, you can ensure that your home not only looks beautiful but also works for you on a practical level.
If you’re planning a renovation and want to get your lighting right from the start, get in touch – we’d love to help design a scheme that works for you.