Lighting Tips for Every Room - Studio McGee

Lighting Tips for Every Room

11/26 Design Tips

Lighting Tips for Every Room

How we approach lighting design in every space

Lighting can make or break a space…

but “good” lighting in a home isn’t just about natural light coming in through the windows; it’s also about creating feeling through layered fixtures that bring ambiance and function. Lighting is one of the first things we consider when designing a home, and in our opinion, it’s just as important as other hard finishes like paint and flooring.

Whether you’re starting from scratch or looking to give your lighting a refresh, finding inspiration is always the best place to start. In this post, we’re sharing our favorite tips on approaching lighting design in every part of the home.

Lighting in the entryway

When it comes to choosing lighting pieces that work together in a home, it’s all about finding a cohesive element that ties each room and selection together. The entryway is often the start of your “lighting story” and where you set the scene for your lighting throughout the home. We love incorporating a statement lamp on a console table to add personality and welcome you with a warm low light.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our McGee & Co. 2021 Spring Collection

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our McGee & Co. 2021 Summer Catalogue

From our Home on The Ranch

When choosing a lamp for your console table, consider bringing in an interesting material element like marble, plaster, or even glass, that you want to incorporate in your lighting selections throughout your home

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our AZ Homestead Project

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our McGee & Co. 2021 Winter Catalogue

Statement-making table lamps

Set the scene for your lighting with a textural entryway table lamp.

Shop more table lamp favorites

Decker Table Lamp

Decker Table Lamp

Toulon Table Lamp

Toulon Table Lamp

Terri Cube Accent Lamp

Terri Cube Accent Lamp

Iver Table Lamp

Iver Table Lamp

Melanie Large Table Lamp

Melanie Large Table Lamp

Hans Table Lamp

Hans Table Lamp

Lighting in the great room

We like to have multiple lighting levels in the great room to create a cozy ambiance and mood for settling in, kicking our feet up, and enjoying good conversation. While we often start with the overhead light to draw the eye up to the ceiling, sconces, table lamps, and floor lamps bring the space to life, allowing for lighting adjustments based on the time of day occasion.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our McGee & Co. 2021 Spring Collection

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Northridge Remodel

From our PC Contemporary Project

Layer in a floor lamp to your great room to add an element of shape, bring in a new level of heigh for dimension, and ensure all of your guests look their best with that warm lamp glow.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our SM Ranch House

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Mountainside Retreat Project

Fool-proof floor lamps

Add an element of shape and height with a structural floor lamp

Explore more floor lamps

Kiowa Floor Lamp

Kiowa Floor Lamp

Terrace Floor Lamp

Terrace Floor Lamp

La Rue Floor Lamp

La Rue Floor Lamp

Idi Floor Lamp

Kamile Floor Lamp

Kamile Floor Lamp

Essex Floor Lamp

Essex Floor Lamp

Lighting in the kitchen

Lighting in the kitchen is all about merging form and function, and it’s amazing how much of a difference can be made by switching out your lighting in the kitchen. Over-island pendants are often one of the most eye-catching features of the kitchen, and whether you want them to blend into your kitchen design or stand out and make a statement, the possibilities are endless.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Pine Brook Home

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Beckham Project

From our AZ Homestead Project

Not sure where to start in choosing cohesive kitchen lighting? Match your cabinet hardware to one of the materials on your pendants!

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Rye New York Project

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From The Crestview House

Kitchen perfect pendants

Instantly refresh your kitchen with elevated pendants.

More pendants we love

Billie Concrete Pendant

Billie Concrete Pendant

Aldridge Pendant

Aldridge Pendant

Perfect Pleat Hanging Shade

Perfect Pleat Hanging Shade

Riverside Large Round Lantern

Riverside Large Round Lantern

Limoges Clear Pendant

Limoges Clear Pendant

Glaze Linear Pendant

Glaze Linear Pendant

Lighting in the dining room

As one of the main focal points of the dining room, lighting can completely change the style and feel of your favorite gathering space.
We love incorporating a chandelier directly above the dining table in both divided and open-concept spaces to introduce a new purpose for the area and add a material element.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Northridge Remodel

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From The Sunset House

From The McGee Home

While we like to mix up styles, shapes, and forms of lighting throughout a home, choosing a cohesive element between your dining and kitchen lighting like material or shape can help bring the look together.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From The Sunset House

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Open & Airy Netflix Remodel

Chandeliers for every occasion

Bring a focal point to your dining room with a designer-detailed chandelier.

Chandelier lighting favorites

Piaf Chandelier

Piaf Chandelier

Bastian Chandelier

Bastian Chandelier

Torch Chandelier

Torch Chandelier

Sawyer Chandelier

Sawyer Chandelier

Bowery Chandelier

Bowery Chandelier

Clarion Chandelier

Clarion Chandelier

Lighting in the bedroom

Lighting in the bedroom is all about creating a mood, and we love layering overhead lighting with sconces and floor and table lamps. When choosing your bedroom lighting, start with your overhead chandelier or pendant, and then select an element, be it material or style, to coordinate your secondary lighting choices.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Rye New York Project

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Northridge Remodel

From our McGee & Co. 2021 Summer Catalogue shot at The McGee Home

We love incorporating sconces above the nightstands as an alternative to the table-side lamp to create a retreat-like atmosphere.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our PC Contemporary Project

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our Home on The Ranch

Bedside worthy sconces

Bring an ambient mood to your bedroom space with unique sconce lighting.

Our most-loved sconces

Fend Wall Light

Fend Wall Light

Robbie Sconce

Rebell Coolie Picture Light

Rebell Coolie Picture Light

Clarion Articulating Sconce

Clarion Articulating Sconce

Bookclub Swing Arm Sconce

Bookclub Swing Arm Sconce

Paulo Bracket Light

Paulo Bracket Light

Lighting in the bathroom

While lighting can be disregarded in the bathroom, it’s crucial in softening and elevating one of the spaces where we spend the most time. Sconces can be a great way to bring contrast to your finishes with a new shape or material, while over-bath pendants bring a luxurious feeling to everyday rituals.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From The Crestview House

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our SM Ranch House

From our McGee & Co. 2020 Winter Catalogue

Looking to mix it up? Round shapes in lighting can help soften the hard lines that bathroom features and finishes often bring through cabinetry and appliances.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From our SM Ranch House

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From The McGee Home

Designer favorite bath lighting

Bring a luxurious feeling to everyday rituals with elevated bath lighting

More bath lighting we love

Calliope Bath Light

Calliope Bath Light

Robert Single Vanity Light

Robert Single Vanity Light

French Cuff Sconce

French Cuff Sconce

Danica Single Wall Sconce

Danica Single Wall Sconce

Dresser Glass Rod Light

Dresser Glass Rod Light

Bryant Sconce

Outdoor lighting

Outdoor lighting might be slightly different than the lighting throughout the interior of your home, but because it introduces the lighting story for the rest of the space, it should still feel resonant with what’s happening inside.

Lighting Tips for Every Room

From The McGee Home

Outdoor lighting inspired by timeless lighting pieces like lanterns and candelabras can go a long way in adding an element of character and charm to your exterior!

Outdoor lighting we love

Build the character of your exterior with timeless outdoor lighting.

Explore more outdoor lighting

Darlana Outdoor 3/4 Lantern

Darlana Outdoor 3/4 Lantern

Freeport Outdoor Pendant

Freeport Outdoor Pendant

Chauncey Sconce

Chauncey Sconce

Parrish Outdoor Sconce

Parrish Outdoor Sconce

Darlana Outdoor Bracket Lantern

Darlana Outdoor Bracket Lantern

Fresno Outdoor Long Wall Sconce

Fresno Outdoor Long Wall Sconce

1 Comments

Studio McGee

Kate says:

January 14, 2022 at 5:19 pm

Thank you for all the great tips – about to replace lighting in a new house, but want to make sure it is cohesive + flows from room to room. This article is perfect with tips + tricks!

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