The Most Common Indoor Lighting Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

What if a better light switch could change the atmosphere of your house without a renovation?


One of the most underappreciated interior design elements is lighting, which has the capacity to drastically alter the atmosphere of a room. The way your lighting is designed can create a cozy evening atmosphere, the ideal focus for a home office, or a feeling of intimacy during a meal. But all too frequently, poorly thought out or hastily chosen lighting causes exquisitely furnished rooms to look unfinished. Avoiding these typical indoor lighting errors can transform your house from a functional space to one that is genuinely atmospheric, whether you're remodeling a single room or an entire apartment.

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Mistake 1: Using Just One Light Source

Particularly in living rooms, bedrooms, and open-plan spaces, using a single ceiling light to light an entire room results in flat, uneven lighting and undesired shadows.

How to stay away from it:

Use layered lighting techniques that incorporate:

  • General illumination using ambient lighting
  • Task lighting for concentrated tasks like cooking or reading
  • Accent lighting to draw attention to architectural details, textures, or artwork

This could entail placing a dimmable floor lamp next to the sofa, a central ceiling fixture, and warm LED strips beneath cabinets or shelves in a living room.


Mistake 2: Selecting the Incorrect Color Temperature

The color temperature of lighting has a significant impact on its emotional impact. While excessively warm lighting can make rooms appear dreary or yellowed, cool tones can give spaces a clinical feel.


How to stay away from it:

Adapt the color temperature to the room's purpose:


  • Warm white (2700K–3000K) for dining rooms, living rooms, and bedrooms—comfortable, comfortable, and calming
  • Clean, energizing, and crisp 4000K to 5000K (neutral to cool white) for utility spaces, home offices, and kitchens
  • Dim-to-warm bulbs can be used with many of our fixtures, enabling mood changes throughout the day.

Mistake 3: Overlighting or Underlighting the Room


While too much brightness produces a sterile, uncomfortable atmosphere, too little lighting can make tasks challenging and strain the eyes.


How to stay away from it:

Determine how many lumens are needed based on the size and purpose of the room.


  • To regulate intensity throughout the day, use dimmable lighting.
  • To accommodate various moods and purposes, incorporate a combination of fixed and flexible lighting, such as wall sconces or directional spotlights.
  • To achieve the ideal balance, combine ambient ceiling fixtures with high-output task lights in kitchens or study areas.

Mistake 4: Poor Fixture Placement


When placed incorrectly, even the most exquisite light loses its impact. Common hazards include glare from misaligned lamps, shadows on dining tables, and dimly lit mirrors.


How to stay away from it:

  • Placement should be planned early in the design process rather than as an afterthought.
  • For the best atmosphere, place pendant lights 70–85 cm above dining tables.
  • To prevent shadows, place eye-level side lights or sconces on either side of bathroom mirrors.
  • Consider task zones, circulation routes, and the areas of a room where your eyes naturally focus.

When precise placement is crucial, our movable wall lights and ceiling tracks provide flexibility.


Mistake 5: Ignoring Natural Light


Daylight should not be replaced by artificial light. Inefficient lighting choices and mismatched tones can result from ignoring the amount of sunlight a room receives and when it enters.


How to stay away from it:

Take note of how the room's natural light changes in the morning, midday, and evening.


  • To reflect or diffuse sunlight, use light-enhancing materials such as brushed metal and matte opal glass.
  • Dimmers or motion sensors can be used to adjust artificial lighting to natural brightness in well-lit areas.
  • Natural light can be subtly echoed without being overpowered by a strategically placed wall light or translucent pendant.


An essential component of how a room feels, functions, and greets guests, indoor lighting is more than just a design afterthought. The lighting choices made during the design process frequently make the difference between a beautifully styled space and one that feels genuinely lived in.

At Loriano, we consider light to be a kind of artistry. Every fixture in our collection has been selected for its capacity to combine technical sophistication with aesthetic restraint, assisting you in creating intentional spaces.



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