Illuminate your home in style with these ideas for hanging, mounted, and more types of lighting
Written byMiranda CrowellMay 21, 2015
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Lisa Romerein
1 of 16Lisa Romerein
Make a pattern play
The fastest way to makeover a plain old table lamp: Change its shade. Pair a simple base with a shade that’s already pre-printed with a pattern—or stencil one onto a solid shade. Think about how the scale of the pattern works with other prints in the room.
Thomas J. Story
2 of 16Thomas J. Story
Don't stick with the expected
For the bathroom, you’ll find a greater variety of options by shopping for lighting meant for other rooms in the house. In this bathroom, the homeowners bought caged sconces, which are much more in keeping with their country aesthetic than the usual utilitarian bathroom lighting.
Joe Schmelzer
3 of 16Joe Schmelzer
Light up dark corners
In addition to placing table lamps in the most practical spots—like next to your reading chair—use them to add ambiance to the room. In this living room, the table lamp adds a moody glow against the bold wallpaper and oversized artwork.
Thomas J. Story
4 of 16Thomas J. Story
Go big—even huge
Pendant lights don’t need to just be relegated to over the dining table. Here, an oversized wood-grain pendant light serves as a modern centerpiece for the living room.
Lincoln Barbour
5 of 16Lincoln Barbour
Add shimmer
In this kitchen/dining space, a dramatic chandelier adds a glamorous note amid the industrial kitchen cabinets, the rustic table, and the midcentury modern chairs.
Thomas J. Story
6 of 16Thomas J. Story
Choose colors that pop
Lighting is the perfect vehicle for an accent color—one bold hue that plays off the rest of the room. Here, the bright orange pendants enliven the darker hues of the dining area.
Lincoln Barbour
7 of 16Lincoln Barbour
Aim for timelessness
With their clean lines and vintage schoolhouse style, the light fixtures throughout this kitchen are a perfect bridge between modern and traditional.
Thomas J. Story
8 of 16Thomas J. Story
Climb the walls
In a room where space is at a premium—as in this extra-tiny bedroom—mount the lights on the wall, rather than giving up precious floor space.
Thomas J. Story
9 of 16Thomas J. Story
Light and divide
In this great room, the cluster of glass lights above the kitchen island help set off the space from the living room. But because they’re sophisticated enough to feel at home in a living area, they also bridge the two spaces.
Thomas J. Story
10 of 16Thomas J. Story
Stay on theme
This cabin is all about warm, cozy textures—so why should the lighting be any different? The cluster of gray felt drum shades in organic shapes fit right into the room’s natural aesthetic.
Thomas J. Story
11 of 16Thomas J. Story
Pair ornate with mod
In this living room, a pair of lamps in a very traditional shape look whimsical rather than overwrought, thanks to the bright citron color. The color also ties into the home’s punchy beach house aesthetic.
Thomas J. Story
12 of 16Thomas J. Story
Make a statement
Two large pendants add a dramatic focal point to this kitchen. The white shades and brass hardware pop also balance out the black cabinetry and tiles.
Thomas J. Story
13 of 16Thomas J. Story
Repeat motifs
This frosted-glass ceiling fixture reinforces the master bedroom’s black-and-white color palette, while its geometric shape makes a nod to the pattern in the rug.
Thomas J. Story
14 of 16Thomas J. Story
Play against the backdrop
In this child’s room, the lighting should be as fun as everything else. Here, the graphic blue patterned lampshade and yellow base stand out even more against the bright orange walls.
Thomas J. Story
15 of 16Thomas J. Story
Think in multiples
On their own, globe-shaped pendants are pretty simple. But lined up in a row, the lights make a modern statement, as on this indoor/outdoor patio.
Norm Plate
16 of 16Norm Plate
Twinkle, twinkle
The right lighting keeps an outdoor party going after dark. This patio glows with the help of candles placed in mason jars and hung from the ramada roof (the homeowner supplements with low-voltage lamps).