How to Light a Room with Low Ceilings

Lighting a room with low ceilings may seem like an impossible task,  but with some simple tricks and tips we can ensure that you transform the space into feeling airy and bright. 

Whether you’re lighting a living room, bedroom, study, loft or basement, the right lighting can ensure the space feels inviting and bigger than it actually is. 

Strategically placing the lighting in a room with low ceilings can help to lift a room that has ceilings that are less than 2.4m high. 

What type of lighting is best for low ceilings?

Thankfully, it’s not just a one-size fits all for low ceilings, you’ll still need to consider the space you’re lighting and how it will be used. 

Typically, there’s just one thing you want to avoid, large, low-hanging pendant lights or chandeliers. But, let’s be honest that’s pretty obvious that those types of lights aren’t going to work in a low ceiling room. 

So, how is best to light a low-ceiling room? The best trick to use is spread the light across the room and avoid areas that are dark or highly contrasted. To do this, you’ll want to use a variety of lighting sources that are placed at different heights and levels. By doing this, you’ll help to draw attention away from the ceiling and trick the eye into thinking it’s a wider, bigger space. 

Lighting types to consider for your low ceiling room 

Here are the best lighting options to consider for your room with a low ceiling. These lighting types will all work to positively affect the space, creating a brighter and airier room for you to enjoy. 

Recessed lighting 

Ideal for a room that doesn’t have a lot of headspace, a recessed light will be fitted within the ceiling or wall ensuring little to no headspace is taken up. So it’s ideal for those who are really tight on space, but still want plenty of illumination. Spread the light around the wall, by fitting across the ceiling and provide ample ambient light in the space. 

Flush mount fixtures 

Flush mount fixtures are ceiling lights that sit pretty flush to the ceiling, offering excellent ambient lighting in a room, as well as a design feature from the fixture too. Easily installed and can be chosen to suit a particular style of decor for a room. 

Floor lamps 

Install a floor lamp to provide adequate task lighting for things like reading, or use it to simply disperse light in a dark area of a low ceiling room. The great thing about floor lamps is that unique and stylish designs can offer a stylish lighting solution for a room. Just try not to choose a design that is too big for the room, as it can exasperate the feeling of enclosure in a low ceiling room. 

Wall lights 

Add a dramatic flair to a room with the installation of wall lights in a low ceiling room. Perfect for ambient lighting, wall lights create a warming and welcoming glow in any room. By installing a wall light, you’re also positioning the light upwards, which can have the effect of making a low ceiling look a little higher too. 

Table lamps

To really help layer lighting in a low ceiling room, you can use table lamps positioned around the room. By doing this you’re creating a look of a wider room, which can trick the eye into thinking the ceiling is higher than it really is.

Is my ceiling too low for a pendant light? 

Whilst you’ll want to avoid having a huge hanging pendant light in a low ceiling room, there’s no reason you should avoid them altogether. Think about kitchen islands or dining tables, it’s a big trend to have pendant lights hanging centrally over them to create a focal point in the room. 

You’ll simply just need to consider the size of the pendant, the length of the drop and where exactly to position the light. Positioning them over furniture or units where they won’t get in the way is vital, and buy a pendant light that has an adjustable cable so you can create exactly the length that is needed for the space.