How to light a luxury home room by room (2025 guide)

Therefore, at Mariner & Luxury we bring you this guide, which will help you find the perfect lighting for every corner of your homes, as we explain the tricks room by room, so that you can achieve an exquisite finish completely adapted to your lifestyle.

Basics for lighting a luxury home

Layers of light: ambient, task, accent, and decorative

In luxury interior design, lighting is divided into different layers: ambient, task, accent, and decorative. Each of these has a primary function, and combining them is key to creating inviting spaces.

Main features:

• Ambient light . Ideal for living rooms, bedrooms, or spaces where relaxation and comfort are desired. Provides soft, diffused, and uniform lighting.
• Task light . It is commonly used in reading areas, kitchens, or desks. It is distinguished by being a focused and functional light source.
• Accent lighting : Focused, intense lighting directed at specific elements to highlight them. It is ideal for emphasizing works of art or textures.
• Decorative lighting : Prioritizes aesthetics over functionality, creating personalized spaces and highlighting architectural elements.

Quality and color:

To ensure that colors and textures are appreciated in their full splendor, it is essential that the Color Rendering Index (CRI) of the lighting is greater than 90.

Regarding color temperature (measured in Kelvin degrees), it should be noted that:

• Between 2,700K and 3,000K is the ideal lighting for living rooms and bedrooms, as it creates a warm and welcoming atmosphere.
• Between 3,000K and 3,500K is the ideal light for work areas, such as an office, where concentration is needed without losing warmth.
• Between 3,500K and 4,000K, perfect lighting is created for kitchens and bathrooms, where greater clarity is required without sacrificing visual comfort.

Control and scenes:

Intelligent lighting control is essential for luxury homes, as it adds a touch of exclusivity. Thanks to dimmable systems, pre-configured scenes, and sensors, lighting can now be adapted to every environment, every time of day, or every mood.

The lighting in a reception area, for dinner, for reading, or for resting your eyes at night shouldn't always be the same. The lighting must be adapted to each of these moments; therefore, it needs to be precisely programmed, balancing intensity, color, and direction.

Entrance hall and corridors

Objective and atmosphere

The first impression we get of a home is determined by its entrance hall. It should convey elegance and its purpose should be to create a fluid space and a welcoming atmosphere.

Regarding the hallways, they should be understood as a coherent extension of the reception areas, continuing their aesthetics and lighting, to guide without distracting.

Layers and luminaires

Some tips:

• In both hallways and corridors, the best option is to use soft ambient lighting along with accent lighting to highlight the elements we want to emphasize.
• Choosing wall lights with classic or modern designs is a good option, as they tend to add warmth.
• The use of LED strips allows for the creation of larger spaces, as they add dimension without saturating the area.

Measures and levels

The recommended levels should be between 100 and 200 lux; wall lights should be placed at an approximate height of 1.60 or 1.70 m ( optical axis); and it is essential to avoid harsh shadows or direct lighting towards the eyes when entering the home.

Mistakes to avoid

When lighting hallways and corridors, the following should be avoided:

• Excessive or too dim light.
• Select lights that do not match the style of the rest of the home.
• Saturate with too many decorative light points.

Living Room

Objective and zoning

The living room is considered the social heart of a home, as it's usually the most vibrant room, where people tend to spend the most time. For this reason, it should be welcoming for relaxation and everyday life, and at the same time sophisticated and elegant for entertaining.

It is important to have good lighting zoning , as it allows you to distinguish the areas for conversation, reading or art in the living room, without creating visual breaks.

Layers: general + reading + art accent

The layers of light that are usually or should be combined in living rooms are:

• Ambient lighting: For the room in general. Lighting through recessed diffusers or ceiling lights.
• Task light: For reading. Floor or table lamps are usually used, allowing the light to be directed.
• Accent lighting: To highlight textures, colors or architecture, wall washers are widely used.

Key components

The key luxury lighting pieces for the living room are:

• Central lamp or chandelier : it becomes a main element of the room.
• Auxiliary lamps : floor or table lamps to provide flexibility.
• Recessed or linear lighting : with wall washers that highlight specific areas and the architecture.

Measures and levels

The appropriate measurements and levels for the rooms are:

• Ambient light: between 100 lux and 300 lux.
• Task light: for the reading area, the ideal is between 300 lux and 500 lux.
• Chandelier height: to maintain the proportions and the usefulness of the piece, it should ideally have measurements between 210 cm and 230 cm.

Mistakes to avoid

When lighting a luxury living room, the following should be avoided:

• The lack of dimming. Adjusting the light intensity is essential.
• Cold light, as it does not create relaxing environments.
• The use of light fixtures that do not match the rest of the furniture.

Dining room

Objective and focus

The dining room should have a clear focal point: the table. The lighting should be adapted to this key element, adjusting to different occasions. For example, for a conversation, a meal where the food should be highlighted, a more intimate dinner, or a family brunch.

Table lamp: size and height

The size of this lamp should be proportional to the length of the table. The ideal height of this piece of furniture is usually between 75 cm and 90 cm from the tabletop to the bottom of the light fixture.

Levels and scenes

The general lighting in the dining room should be between 150 and 300 lux. For more specific occasions, such as dinner, the light intensity should be adjusted (dimming between 10% and 40%) to create a more inviting and comfortable atmosphere.

Mistakes to avoid

To be avoided:

• A light that is too white or intense, making the scene look cold.
• Off-center luminaires that do not align with the central axis of the table.
• Do not use supplementary indirect lighting.

Master bedroom

Objective and comfort

The lighting in the master bedroom should convey calm and comfort while also offering functionality for activities such as reading, dressing, or relaxing.

Layers: ambiance, headboards, accent

It is recommended to combine different layers of lighting:

• General ambient light, soft and diffused.
• Task light for reading, integrated or suspended in the headboards.
• Accent lighting to highlight the architecture of certain areas with wall lights or recessed LED strips.

Measures and levels

Ambient lighting should be between 100 lux and 200 lux; task lighting should be around 300 lux and 500 lux; and bedside pendant lights should be placed at a height between 70 cm and 90 cm above the tabletop.

Mistakes to avoid

Avoid falling into the trap of:

• Choosing a direct general light over the bed.
• The use of poorly aligned or very low pendants.
• Do not provide control from both sides of the bed.

Office / Home office

Objective and visual comfort

Nowadays, due to the rise of remote work, home offices have become an important space in the home and their lighting is key, as it must combine aesthetics and functionality.

Layers and luminaires

It is recommended to combine:

• Diffused light is generated from the ceiling.
• Task light with adjustable table lamps.
• Accent lighting to highlight shelves or specific areas.

Measures and levels

Suitable lighting for the task should be between 300 lux and 500 lux. In addition, it is important to select luminaires with a low glare rating (UGR < 19).

Mistakes to avoid

You should avoid:

• Insufficient or poorly distributed light.
• Glare on screens.
• Choosing non-dimmable light fixtures.

If, like us, you believe that lighting is key to the design and decoration of a luxury home and you want to put this guide into practice, don't hesitate to contact us .