Say not to overhead lighting! It really is not flattering or appealing. If you need more light add another lamp or a couple sconces on the wall behind the sofa.

Oops, say *no*

we ( my bf and I ) also have a small space, and no matter what lighting system we got, it never seemed quiet right.

So instead we got an arco lamp and what a difference it made.

(we got one that was used and needed repair. luckily my bf is very handy and fixed it)

Have to agree with the previous posters -- you do not have the high ceilings or proportions that would let you get away with an overhead light (the only exception would be over the dining table).

The Arco lamp is a brilliant alternative, or perhaps Ligne Roset's Bul.

I think it's hard to go wrong with a set of can lights on a dimmer switch. They can be hard to install, but can give you an overall ambient light with specific sconces/floor/pendants for highlights at appropriate spots for optimum viewing. It also keeps you from having to crank the lumens out of a floor lamp so that it's too bright close to the lamp yet still dark in the corners.

You can also get smaller halogen "can" lights now which work well in smaller spaces as full size can lights can be a bit overwhelming. I have 2 smaller bedrooms and a dressing area I am in the process of installing these in now and they work well.

Wow, that is a gorgeous view!!! I'm jealous!

Not sure what the light looks like, but you could probably handle a ceiling light that hangs a couple feet down.

farmhousemoderne, I get where you're coming from, but they may not want to take up valuable floor or surface space in a small condo with another lamp.

this is me jumping on the bandwagon *jump* an arco lamp would be a mighty fine choice. le klint is beautiful but you need more space.

If you're looking for a hanging fixture for visual interest, why not put one over the dining table instead?

It is amusing to me what people call small. This is huge for a NYC room (though of course I realize it is not).
I say go with the pendant. You have enough windows that it would not be on terribly often, and the shade would add some nice texture to the room.

Add more lamps! Table lamps are your friend.

I second what various posters said: overhead lighting is bad, your ceilings may be not high enough, and you have a beautiful view (don't obstruct it with a fixture).

I think your room needs some jewlery. I'd suggest a low-profile crystal chandelier.

Table lamps.

and if your budget does not allow for an arco or second hand arco, cb2 has a very nice floor lamp with the same "arch" to it.

It is a bad idea to put overhead lighting in your living room. In general, overhead lighting has a very unflattering and garish effect on the room. Specific to your space: The ceiling is too low for a pendant, and flush mount fixture would look terrible... (too often they look like giant doorbells stuck to the ceiling). A flush mount fixture would cheapen the look of your terrific space. Like something a contractor stuck in with no thought.

The best solution is to use numerous different light sources, and consider lighting needs and effects. Think ambient versus task lighting. Your existing floor lamp provides ambient lighting now. But it looks like you have no reading light in the room. I'd love to see some contemporary swing-arm wall lamps at either end of your sofa. Something like this would be attractive and practical:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p7470/index.cfm?pkey=call-sconces-wall-lamps

(Just as an example... you don't have to do PB. You could go with any style.)

Also, a pendant would be lovely over your dining table.

It's hard to tell from the pic, are their lights/decorative lights over the kitchen counter? Maybe add a cool counter lamp here near the wall and adjacent to the dining table-

I would consider adjustable track wall washers running along the sofa wall for art, and possibly a small Eileen Gray table to the dining side of the sofa with an accompaning sleek floor lamp and use candles for the dining room table.

I'm with Ferocious Ferret. Our living room is small-ish and has 8' ceilings, and can lights on a dimmer made the room much more usable. Table and floor lamps are great, but if you want to light the room evenly and adequately with them, you end up with a lot of visual and spatial clutter.

We had six can lights put in our living room, which allows us to use every inch (bookshelves along one wall, my workspace in one corner, conversation area in the middle, reading area in another corner) but only cost about $400 to have an electrician install. Admittedly, we are in a house instead of a condo which made installation easier (access to attic), but the expense was more than worth it to get the maximum functionality out of the space.

Thanks for all of your comments! I actually thought about the Arco lamp. Would you recommend putting it on the far side of the couch near the window? Would you use it in addition to the floor lamp I already have? By the way, I have track lighting above the dining room table, which does little to light the living room. Any other comments and suggestions are appreciated.

- Melody

I think the people who hate overhead lighting are crazy! (no offense! ;^) )

I would support a few can lights on dimmer. You can get small ones which I think are 4 inches in diameter. Table lamps make lovely accessories, and are probably where the light you want for conversation or reading will come from. But having more flexibility including the option for a bright room when desired is worthwhile.

Penant fixtures in that kind of space kind of permanently dictate furniture arrangement, since you don't want to walk into them. (But they do have adaptors that allow a pendant fixture to hand from a can, so if you place can lights strategically, you can actually do both things and still be able to rearrange furniture later.)

Personally, my first reaction is to hang some artwork (above the couch and flanking above the television) and then add ceiling mounted (either on a track or embedded) gallery lights. It will add color (the artwork) and light (reflecting off the art) and make the space more interesting. I'm not sure of your views on artwork - if you are trying to keep a more minimal space - but that's just one man's thoughts.

If you don't go for that, I would recommend a thin floor lamp on the left side of the couch for additional lighting. Anywhere from the stark Elise from dwr
http://www.dwr.com/product/lighting/floor/elise-floor-lamp.do?sortby=ourPicks
to the crazy Stranne from IKEA
http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/80095594

Either way, as others have mentioned, no overhead lighting (too harsh), no center pendants (would visually break up the space).

Although off topic, since you have ceiling mounted air vents, perhaps a low profile ceiling fan would be in order to better circulate the warm air during DC winters and save on utility costs.

No to ceiling lights, especially in living rooms! If you feel you must have one, at least put it over the table.

I'm always amazed at the lighting in people's houses. What are they trying to see, anyway, that the light from a lovely table/floor lamp can't allow? And, to add insult to injury, invariably they use about 400 watt bulbs. A person needs sunglasses to sit in some of these rooms.

Right now, from what I see in the picture, you have one lamp. No wonder it's dark in there. A lamp beside the television and/or beside the couch on a great little table would add a lot.

A beautiful lamp is like a work of art - a sculpture. Hardly "visual clutter". Lighting is so important in a room. I advise that you at least try some lamps before you poke holes in the ceiling to install light fixtures.

People dismiss overhead lighting far too often. However, a pendant wouldn't be right for this space.

What you need to do instead is consider how you use the space and build a lighting plan to support that use.

Really you have two zones here, the entertainment/relaxation area and the dining area.

I'd hazard a guess that the "tasks" accomplished in the entertainment/relaxation area are:

- reading
- watching tv
- socializing

Reading has a very specific type of task lighting that works best with it, and it's not overhead illumination. If you read in that area, set up a task light for that use.

Watching TV is an activity that is hurt by overhead lighting for the most part, so you don't need it there either. For TV you want relatively dim light that is out of your sight-line. That means sconces and/or accent lighting that are dimmable.

Socializing in a mixed sit/stand environment is aided by multiple light sources. You can use overhead lighting as part of this, but you would want it to be much more directional (wall washes using compact cans or low voltage) and flush to the ceiling (unless you have really high ceilings, which from the photo I don't think you do).

So for the entertainment area I'd say that unless you are going to spring for an electrician to install a dispersed set of unobtrusive lights used to spotlight artwork and/or provide wall washes you should stick with floor and table lamps, with potentially a light usable for reading close to the couch. Even if you do get lighting installed, you should still get table/floor lamps to get multiple levels of light in the room (then the ceiling lights can do their job as general illumination and spotlighting).

For the dining area you could potentially do a pendant lamp, but it may "anchor" that spot too much for the small space. If you went this route I'd pick a very "light" sort of pendant.

if you get an arco or arco-esq light, don't put it near the window you don't want to obstruct the view.

i agree with the previous statements pertaining to artwork.
also think about adding color ( ie pillow, table top items etc)

Instead of downlights, put in uplights. Downlights make the ceiling look close and bright; uplights make the ceiling look further away.
- up through a plant in a corner
- on each side of the dining room window
- on each side of the media center

I am now considering a small side table with lamp. I would have to put this on the side of the couch near the window (there isn't room between the couch and the ding room table). Which side table would you recommend: platner by Knoll or Eileen Gray? What table lamp would you recommend. I've been searching for table lamps for the others rooms, but I haven't fallen in love with anything. I may have embedded lights installed above the couch when we can afford to get a fabulous piece of art.

Thanks again!

- Melody

well..of course i would say go with the platner. :)

I put in three Calypso ceiling lights from Ikea in my apartment.
http://cebas.ikea.com.au/prod_template4.asp?product_id=17237&se_id=37&page_id=11946300251009&Cat=9&Scat=38
I rarely use overhead lights, preferring lamp light so when I need to see, I like it to be bright. Fits energy saver globes without a problem too.

Man, I hate the idea of blocking any of this view! Is that DC or out of the city? (if I may ask). Would you consider installing sconces instead? If you prefer the table lamp, how about a clear glass or acrylic lamp- it would look good in your room and not take focus from the view.

Max has given you lots of great stuff to think over.

Just some things I would add to what he wrote...

Part of the "texture" and complexity of a beautiful space is successfully layered lighting. That means canned wall-washers on dimmer switches, uplights (brilliant idea!) in corners, scones, tables lamps, and perhaps an arco...

Not sure whether you can have an electrician install pot lights, but you can probably have your flatscreen mounted and wired into the wall above your sideboard, and add a couple of scones (on dimmers) on either end of the sideboard. Add a couple of uplights in the corners, along with some handsome large plants (which would be particularly attractive in the window).

Neither the Eileen Gray nor the Platner table are large enough to accommodate a table lamp --the best place for a table lamp or two is on your sideboard, but only if you cannot have sconces wired in. Some options for wall scones:

http://creationslighting.com/pro1317193.html
http://www.ylighting.com/p4358.html
http://www.ylighting.com/romeobabesoftw.html
http://www.ylighting.com/ie-mds-llamp.html
http://www.ylighting.com/glb-tlr-11210x.html

Given how small the space is, the lighting should be kept as discreet as possible, with only one statement piece, like an arco. It should go in the corner where you currently have a floor lamp, and the floor lamp should go into another room.

Overhead lighting tends to completely wash out any atmosphere in a small room. You might as well be sitting in a waiting room. The only exception is if you put the overhead light on a dimmer and keep it dimmed so low that it is just a glowing orange orb, not an actual source of useable illumination. That can add a nice visual to the room, and you can always crank it all the way up if you lose a contact lens and need more light during the search.

Add table lamps or floor lamps with dimmers.