Everything you need to know about choosing light fixtures
- Seven families of light fixtures are found in the home: classic floor lamp, arc floor lamp, uplighter floor lamp, tripod floor lamp, pendant light, portable or handheld lamp, and wall light.
- The arc floor lamp directs a strong light above an armchair or sofa armrest: it is the ultimate reading lamp.
- The uplighter floor lamp sends light toward the ceiling for a soft atmosphere, but requires an additional light source for reading.
- A pendant light is hung 30 cm below a standard ceiling and leaves at least 70 cm of clearance above a table.
- An outdoor light fixture is subject to the NF C 15-100 standard, must bear the CE and/or NF marking, and its protection rating (IP) indicates its resistance to liquids and dust.
When it comes to interior design, one important point must never be overlooked: the fundamental role of light and the essential contribution of light fixtures to the atmosphere and decoration of our homes. True mood creators, they set the tone for the entire room. Sometimes soft in the bedroom, sometimes warm in the living room, convivial in the kitchen.... But how do you choose them according to your needs and those of your room? Before examining which light fixture to choose for each room, here is a brief overview of the different light fixture models available on the market.
What are the different types of light fixtures?
Seven types of light fixtures share our homes: pendant lights, tripod lamps, classic floor lamps, arc floor lamps, table lamps, portable lamps (night lights or garden lamps), and wall lights. Each serves a specific purpose, from targeted reading light to ambient lighting diffused from the ceiling.
| Type of light fixture | Main use |
|---|---|
| Classic floor lamp | General lighting, straight stand and usually fabric shade, customizable |
| Arc floor lamp | Reading, crossword puzzles, sudoku or knitting, above an armchair or sofa armrest |
| Uplighter floor lamp | Soft atmosphere, light reflected by the ceiling |
| Tripod floor lamp | Decorating a corner of the home, English nautical style |
| Pendant light | Dining room, bedroom, kitchen, XXL version for living spaces |
| Handheld or portable lamp | Accent lamp in the living room or bedroom, outdoors if applicable standards are met |
| Wall light | Wall-mounted indirect lighting, spotlighting a specific point as accent lighting |
Pendant lights, tripod lamps, classic floor lamps, arc floor lamps, table lamps and portable lamps (night lights or garden lamps)... So many allies for your décor, bringing style, warmth and a truly inviting atmosphere to your room! And, of course, an essential source of light! Let us take a quick look at the different types of light fixtures and lighting found in our homes:
The classic floor lamp and its variations
The classic floor lamp has a straight stand and a lampshade, generally made of fabric, which can be customized. It has two main variations: the arc floor lamp and the uplighter floor lamp.
Within the family of classic floor lamps, generally featuring a straight stand and a lampshade, there are several related designs and variations.
The arc floor lamp
As its name suggests, the arc floor lamp forms a semicircular arc with its central stand. Very popular with avid readers and crossword enthusiasts, it directs a strong light just above the armrest of an armchair or sofa for more comfortable reading, crossword puzzles, sudoku or even knitting.
The uplighter floor lamp
The uplighter floor lamp diffuses its light not to the sides or downward, but upward toward the ceiling. The light is reflected off the ceiling and gently diffused throughout the room. It is perfect for creating a soft atmosphere. For avid readers, however, you may need to consider an additional light source if you choose this as your main lighting.
The tripod floor lamp
Directly inspired by English nautical style, tripod floor lamps perfectly combine charm and decoration. They come in several materials and, above all, several sizes. They are ideal for adorning a corner of your home.
The pendant light
Who wouldn't dream of adding a trendy, designer touch to their interior? With these pendant lamps, you can light your dining room or bedroom in style. They are also recommended for illuminating a kitchen. And there is no reason not to embrace the trend for XXL pendant lights, which give our living spaces incredible elegance!
The table lamp and accent lamp
A bedside lamp is a lamp located near the bed and generally placed on a bedside table, at head height, in a bedroom. It can be mounted on the wall like a wall light or placed on a nightstand. It gently illuminates the person sitting down for evening reading.
Increasingly decorative, accent lamps or table lamps can be found on a console table in an entrance hall, on a storage unit such as a chest of drawers, or even on a shelf, depending on its size!
The portable or handheld lamp
The handheld lamp stands out for its lighting capabilities, but often also for its original, highly designer structure. Ideal as an accent lamp in your living room or bedroom, and why not outdoors if it complies with current standards.
Wall lights and spotlights
A wall light, as its name suggests, is a lighting fixture attached to your wall. We love it for creating indirect lighting because, directed upward or toward a point we particularly want to highlight, it can provide a welcome spotlight as accent lighting.
Which light fixture should you choose for each room?
Each room calls for a dominant type of light fixture: floor lamps and accent lamps in the living room, a pendant light or chandelier in the dining room, pendant and ceiling lights in the kitchen, soft and subdued lighting in the bedroom, and pendant and table lamps in the entrance hall. Outdoors, the choice begins with the applicable standards.
A pendant light? A table lamp? A floor lamp? Discover all our advice to see more clearly when choosing light fixtures and learn which type is best suited to a particular room.
Which light fixture should you choose for the living room?
In the living room, be sure to use several light fixtures to accommodate everyone's different activities (reading, entertaining, relaxing...) and create a warm ambient light. Choose a light that is bright enough to illuminate the entire room. Floor lamps, tripod floor lamps, arc floor lamps and indirect-light floor lamps are especially useful here, with accent lamps if needed. You can easily complement your living room with a soft yet sufficiently bright light for relaxing, reading or watching your favorite series.
Which light fixture should you choose for the dining room?
The dining room is a cheerful, warm and festive place that should receive as much light as possible. A pendant light or chandelier is an excellent choice for illuminating and bathing your dining table in light. Consider a dimmer if you need to soften the lighting.
Which light fixture should you choose for the kitchen?
For cooking and sharing good times with the family, your kitchen lighting should preferably come from a pendant light and/or ceiling light. With certain pendant designs combining a row of spotlights, or with a row of aligned pendants, you can opt for highly precise localized lighting to illuminate the different areas of your kitchen, which is also particularly useful above a kitchen island.
Of course, consider the decorative aspect of this light fixture, but don't neglect maintenance either: grease and water vapor can easily soil pendant lights. Choose a pendant that can be cleaned simply and easily with a little white vinegar and baking soda, which you will always have in your kitchen!
Which light fixture should you choose for the bedroom?
In this room devoted primarily to rest and relaxation, opt for soft, subdued lighting. You can choose pendant and ceiling lights, while making sure the brightness is not too strong. A dimmer is worth considering here, as is the right bulb, with a warmer yellow rather than white color. Complete this general lighting with a table lamp on the bedside table or a reading lamp.
Which light fixture should you choose for an entrance hall?
In an entrance hall, your décor's first impression is at stake. Choose warm, functional lighting for tying your shoelaces in the morning and taking one last look in the entrance mirror before leaving. A pendant light is once again a good choice, complemented by a few accent lights such as a lovely designer lamp placed on an entrance console table.
Which light fixture should you choose for outdoors and the garden?
Before choosing your garden or outdoor light fixture, it is important to know that outdoor lighting is subject to specific standards such as NF C 15-100. CE and/or NF markings must also appear on the products. You can also check the IP rating (Ingress Protection), which indicates the fixture's resistance to liquid and solid bodies such as dust. A garden light should therefore not be purchased casually!
Once these standards have been met, you can consider the lighting coverage offered, that is, the extent of the area illuminated by the fixture. The required coverage will not be the same everywhere you install your outdoor light. Make sure you have good lighting around the dining table, kitchen or entrance.
How do you choose a light fixture according to its purpose?
Four uses can be distinguished: general lighting, which creates uniform illumination; ambient lighting, which adds warmth; task lighting for reading or working; and accent lighting, which highlights a specific area. A successful room generally combines several of these uses.
For general lighting
Choose light fixtures with direct, general lighting to create uniform illumination throughout the room. The classic floor lamp, pendant light and ceiling light serve this purpose. In rooms with generous proportions, layering pendant lights provides more light and a truly warm atmosphere.
To create a warm atmosphere
The uplighter floor lamp sends light toward the ceiling, which reflects and gently diffuses it: this is the perfect lighting for a soft atmosphere. A dimmer can soften a pendant light, while a bulb with a warmer yellow rather than white color softens the light in a bedroom.
For reading or working
The arc floor lamp is the benchmark: its semicircular arc directs a strong light just above an armchair or sofa armrest. A table lamp or reading lamp near the bed serves the same purpose for evening reading. For a desk, consider providing sufficiently strong lighting, especially if you often work from home. And if you choose indirect lighting as your main source, plan for an additional light source.
To create accent lighting
The handheld lamp, table lamp and wall light serve this purpose. A wall light, directed upward or toward a specific point, provides a welcome spotlight. Keep this simple rule in mind: an unlit corner disappears from view, while an illuminated space immediately comes alive. Lighting should therefore be considered from the moment of purchase. Is this fixture intended to highlight something, or to leave in shadow what you do not want to show?
How do you choose the right size of light fixture?
Two height guidelines determine how to install a pendant light: it should be hung 30 cm below a standard ceiling and leave at least 70 cm of clearance above a table. The size of the room then determines the proportions of the fixture, and the deliberate contrast between the two can become a decorative statement.
Light fixtures and pendant lights should be hung 30 cm below a standard ceiling. The pendant height can also be measured from the floor, meaning from beneath the light. The idea is always to leave at least 70 cm above your table for ideal lighting.
For large spaces and rooms with generous proportions, XXL pendant lights give living areas incredible elegance, while layering several pendants provides both light and warmth. Tripod floor lamps come in several sizes, allowing you to adapt the model to the corner you want to decorate.
Finally, playing with dimensions creates an element of surprise: a large pendant light in a small entrance hall creates exactly the desired effect, provided you embrace the statement.
How do you choose the light produced by your fixture?
Three settings determine the quality of light: its intensity, its color and the device used to adjust it. A kitchen needs a fixture that provides adequate illumination, while a bedroom requires less powerful, softer lighting. A bulb with a warmer yellow rather than white color warms up the room, and a dimmer can soften overly bright lighting.
Intensity is decided on a room-by-room basis. The living room needs light bright enough to illuminate the entire space, supplemented by softer sources for relaxing or reading. The kitchen requires strong lighting, including localized light above the worktop or island. The bedroom calls for the opposite: brightness that is not too intense.
The color of the light is determined by the bulb. A warmer yellow rather than white shade suits rooms intended for rest and warm atmospheres. Whiter light is appropriate wherever precise visibility is needed, such as in the kitchen or at a workstation.
Finally, a dimmer is the most flexible solution: it allows you to switch from mealtime lighting to subdued light using the same fixture, in the dining room or bedroom.
How do you choose a light fixture to match your décor?
Two approaches are available to you: harmony, by choosing light fixtures that extend your decorative style, or deliberate contrast, by using the fixture as a break from the overall style. In both cases, a light fixture remains a fully fledged decorative object, even when switched off.
Choose lamps and light fixtures that harmonize with your décor if you want to maintain a very soft and cohesive look.
Conversely, if you want to add an original twist and break with your décor's conventions, the light fixture can also be your ally: why not a vintage pendant light above a very contemporary table, or an industrial lamp in a very Scandi interior? It is up to you to play with styles and atmospheres using a simple light fixture cleverly placed in the right spot.
Finally, why choose a light fixture solely for its function? Take care to choose fixtures that are beautiful and that you love, because even if they are switched off for part of the day, they are an integral part of your décor.
How do you combine several light fixtures in the same room?
A well-lit room layers three levels: direct, general lighting that creates uniform illumination; accent lighting for specific uses; and indirect or ambient lighting for warmth. This is the principle applied in the living room, where light sources are multiplied according to everyone's activities.
Choose light fixtures with direct, general lighting for uniform illumination, but also accent or indirect lighting to meet more specific needs. In the living room, this layering accommodates reading, entertaining and relaxing without changing rooms.
Placement matters just as much as quantity: hang a chandelier or pendant light in a corner of the room rather than in the center, and consider repetition. Rattan pendant lights in different sizes, placed at different heights above a dining table, or chandelier-style pendants with part of the cord left hanging, completely change the way a space is perceived.
FAQ: choosing the right light fixture
Which light fixture should you choose for reading in an armchair?
The arc floor lamp. Its central stand forms a semicircular arc that directs a strong light just above an armchair or sofa armrest. Very popular with avid readers and crossword enthusiasts, it is equally suitable for reading, crossword puzzles, sudoku or knitting.
At what height should a pendant light be hung?
30 cm below a standard ceiling. The height can also be measured from the floor: leave at least 70 cm above your table for ideal lighting.
How do you create a soft atmosphere in a room?
An uplighter floor lamp diffuses light upward toward the ceiling. It is reflected and then gently diffused throughout the room. This is the perfect lighting for a soft atmosphere, supplemented by an additional light source if you read frequently.
Which light fixture should you choose for a kitchen or dining room?
A pendant light is recommended for illuminating a kitchen and is also suitable for the dining room and bedroom. XXL pendant lights bring a distinctive elegance to living spaces. In a kitchen, choose a model that is easy to clean: grease and water vapor can easily soil pendant lights.
Which light fixture should you choose for a bedroom?
Soft, subdued lighting. Pendant and ceiling lights are suitable as long as the brightness is not too strong: consider a dimmer and a bulb with a warmer yellow rather than white color. Complete this general lighting with a table lamp on the bedside table or a reading lamp.
Can a portable lamp be used outdoors?
Yes, provided it complies with the standards applicable to outdoor light fixtures: the NF C 15-100 standard, CE and/or NF marking, and a suitable protection rating (IP), which indicates the fixture's resistance to liquid and solid bodies such as dust.
How many light fixtures are needed in a room?
As many as there are uses. Plan for direct, general lighting to create uniform illumination throughout the room, then add accent and indirect lighting for reading, working or creating ambiance. In a living room, this layering accommodates reading, entertaining and relaxing.
Whatever your desires and needs when it comes to light fixtures, Maison Pavane offers a selection of designer and on-trend light fixtures for a bright and welcoming interior.
