4 Types of Layered Lighting Every Space Needs

Layered lighting is absolutely essential to bringing a sense of warmth and completeness to any space. Here are the four types every space should include.

Layered lighting is such an important design element if you’re trying to create a home that feels cozy, cohesive, and complete. When it comes to lighting, most people get a little hung up on necessity, and tend to think that anything more than one lighting source per room is overkill. The thing with lighting, though, is that it’s something that you don’t necessarily notice intellectually, but rather, it’s something that you just feel when you walk into a space. So you may not notice that the rooms you remember as being spaces that just felt good actually had a lot of different lighting sources. If you don’t believe me, try these lighting ideas out in your own home and see what a difference they make almost instantly. There are many options that work well even if you don’t have the ability to add new hardwired fixtures, so don’t let that deter you from improving your home’s lighting.

Where to Shop for Layered Lighting

Pictured Above: Curtains (CREEKLINEHOUSE for 24% off) | Similar Light Fixture | Similar Wallpaper

If you feel a little overwhelmed by all the different options available for chandeliers, pendant lights, table lamps, and sconces, that’s completely understandable. Prices for light fixtures can vary greatly and you can start to feel like you need to spend thousands of dollars for “quality” pieces. While it can be fun to add one or two special, high-end fixtures to your home, you can often find very similar lights for a fraction of the price if you look around. The difference in price often comes down to metal finishes or shade detailing, not function, so don’t be afraid to take advantage of a good deal if you find a light you love at a great price.

In my home, I have a mix of beautiful, high-end light fixtures, extremely budget friendly finds from places like Amazon and Wayfair, and even some secondhand fixtures and lamps that I’ve found at thrift stores and antique markets.

You can visit my Wayfair storefront here to find some of the lights I have in my home, and my LTK shop is full of lots of great, inexpensive finds that still give a high-end look.

Essential Lighting Type Number One: Overhead Lighting

Pictured above: Light Fixture | Rug | Stool | Baskets | Tote Bags

Some people will say that you should never, ever, ever use the “big lights,” but I do believe they have a use. When we first moved into our 120-year-old farmhouse, the lighting was very inadequate in a lot of ways, and it made getting things done on dark winter nights very difficult. We didn’t have the option to just turn on the overhead lights if we needed to see something because those lights just didn’t exist in a lot of rooms. I’ve definitely learned to appreciate having the option of overhead lighting in all our spaces for when I need it. We’ve added chandeliers, pot lights, and flush mount fixtures to a number of rooms that previously only had an outlet or two for lamps, and it has just made life so much easier. We’ve added dimmer switches wherever we can, so we can adjust the light levels as needed throughout the day, and it’s just so nice.

So while we may not like to use the overhead lights all the time, it’s great to have them there, and I do think that they’re absolutely essential.

Pictured Above: Light Fixture | Affordable Quilt | Curtains (CREEKLINEHOUSE for 24% off) | Olive Tree

Essential Lighting Type Number Two: Lamps

Pictured Above: Horse Print | Lamp

Lamps are often the main source of decorative lighting in most homes and they’re the first thing people reach for when they want to add coziness to a space. I love a good lamp for the personality and charm it can bring to a space. I buy many of my lamps new, but I do think that a vintage or thrifted lamp thrown in here and there can add so much depth and character to your home. Cordless lamps are becoming more and more common, and they make it really easy to add lamps just about anywhere in a room, even if a plug isn’t available nearby.

The thing that most people get wrong when adding lamps to their spaces is that they don’t add nearly enough. You may think one or two lamps is enough for a space, but I guarantee that if you take a look at some of your favorite rooms more closely, you’ll notice that they actually have four or maybe even five lamps. And they don’t all have to match. Logically, it sounds like having that many mismatched lamps in a space would look like a silly, cluttered mess, but in reality, it’s decorating magic. It doesn’t make sense, but lamps of different shapes and sizes all around a room just works.

Essential Lighting Type Number Three: Wall Sconces

Pictured Above: Bookshelf Lights | LED Sconces | Fabric Used for Shades

Wall lighting is wonderful because it serves as both a source of light that takes up no floor space and a piece of wall art as well. Sconces can be used over windows and bookshelves, in pairs flanking mirrors or art, or just as singles to light a neglected corner. Once again, like lamps, don’t shy away from using multiple sconce types in one space. We have sconces over our bookshelves in the living room and on the wall at eye level to frame out a beautiful painting. If you have a space that you think is in need of a sconce, but don’t have the ability or desire to hardwire them in, battery operated LED sconces are the way to go.

New LED sconce models come in beautiful designs and give off enough light to look just like real hardwired sconces. This set of two wall sconces is incredibly affordable and has a beautiful traditional look.

Here’s how I made my pleated lampshades: DIY Pleated Lampshade Tutorial

Essential Lighting Type Number Four: Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is anything that doesn’t fall into the previous three categories. These are usually things that have a bit of a glow or a sparkle to them, but that don’t necessarily provide the main functional lighting for a room. And yet, they contribute so much to how the space feels. Accent lighting can be something as simple as a candle, a tiny lamp on a bookshelf, some twinkle lights, or even a lit neon sign on a wall if you’re a fan of fun, retro style. This category also includes under-cabinet lighting or built-in lit shelves. You may notice that your home feels so much more complete during the holidays when you have accent lighting in the form of a Christmas tree, lit garlands, or candles in the window. When the Christmas decor comes down, we often just go without accent lighting and that can be a big contributor to making our homes feel so bare at that time of year.

If this sounds like a lot of lighting to you, I encourage you to try some of these ideas out and see if you can prove me wrong. You may be surprised at just how much better your space feels with a little (or a lot) of extra lighting.

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