REVEALED: The clever lighting secret that will instantly transform your living room as dark evenings creep in

With darker evenings creeping in and temperatures getting more nippy, this is the time of year when we’re reminded of the joys of a cosy home. Whether you are snuggling up on the sofa to watch TV, or gathering at the kitchen table for a hearty meal, it’s amazing how much the lighting of the room can make a difference to your sense of comfort.

One person who knows all about it is Leah Howatson, an expert at chic homeware brand Castlery. She says ‘One of the nicest things about longer or darker evenings is switching on a few lamps and settling in. You don’t need to rethink your whole room to make it feel cosier or to see it in a different light. Sometimes it’s just a light beside your favourite chair that makes you want to sit down and stay a while.’

Here are Howatson’s top tips for tweaking your lighting this season…

The rule of three

While Howatson says there’s ‘no magic number of lights for a living room’, she explains that she would always 'start with three sources dotted around the space and see how it feels.’

Variety is key: ‘Think a floor lamp beside the sofa, a table lamp on a sideboard, and thoughtfully placed pendants on the ceiling. You don’t have to have them all on at once. Having light at different heights gives you options, whether you’re reading, having friends over or winding down with a film,’ she says.

Function over fashion

It can be tempting to look at interiors magazines or Pinterest and try to recreate the most impressive-looking lighting displays from there. However, says Howatson, ‘homes should always be designed for how you actually live’, which extends even to your choice of lamps.

‘If there’s a particular nook where you tend to read, put a soft diffused lamp close enough to light the page,’ she says. ‘If you work from home, a cool-toned desk lamp can make your workspace feel brighter as the afternoon light fades. When the work day is over, switching that off and turning on a softer lamp elsewhere can be a physical cue to decompress and signals your brain that you’re done for the day.’

Lightbulb moment

The colour temperature of a bulb can have a bigger effect on the mood of a room than people often expect, explains Howatson. ‘In autumn, warm white bulbs give that cosy glow you associate with an open fire,’ she says.

‘For calmer areas such as bedrooms, try a lower-lumen bulb to help you wind down, even if you don’t have dimmer switches. Linen shades or frosted glass bulbs help diffuse the light for a softer feel, while a coloured ceramic lamp can create an intentional glow.’

Castlery recently launched the Anika lamp in collaboration with Tan France (below) – ‘the orange and tan colourways are a favourite of mine for making a room feel inviting on an autumn evening,’ says Howatson.

Glow-setter 

For the tech savvy, smart bulbs are worth considering, too, says Howatson. ‘You can save your favourite settings and set the ambiance with a single command, whether that’s a warm, dimmed glow for a cosy night in or a splash of blue or purple for a vibrant party.’

Lighten up

As well as the practical element, lighting is a fantastic way to bring character to a home, as you can experiment with shape and material.

‘A sculptural lamp can be a focal point, especially in a fairly simple room,’ says Howatson. ‘If you’re unsure how it will fit in, pick a material or colour you already have in your home. That could be a marble lamp in the living room as a nod to your marble countertops, or a raffia shade to echo a woven basket.

‘There is an art to mixing metals, but if you are unsure, simply repeat the finishes in other elements for a cohesive feel,’ she adds. ‘These can be simple touches like hooks, hardware or picture frames. Not everything needs to match; a couple of familiar details can help it feel at home.’

Small wins

In a larger room, it can be fairly easy to see how various lighting sources fit in – but if you have a tiny living room or box bedroom, it can feel tricky to achieve this layered look.

‘In a smaller living room, optimising every bit of space is essential,’ says Howatson. ‘Look for a slim floor lamp that tucks beside the sofa, or a compact table lamp that leaves room for your cup of tea. Check the size of the shade as well as the base, as that’s often what takes up the space.

‘The rule I would come back to is to light the room for the way you live in it. A comfortable seat, somewhere to put your drink and a warm pool of light can be all you need to make a corner feel like your place to switch off.’