What is Ambient Lighting? [A Quick Guide]

Have you ever walked into a room and thought “wow this room has a nice vibe to it”?

Maybe it was a slightly darker room, but it had a nice feeling to it when you walked in. Or maybe it was quite bright and had lots of natural light coming in. Without even realising it, you were probably complimenting the room’s ambient lighting.

But what does ambient lighting mean?

Let’s take a look.

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What is Ambient Lighting?

Ambient lighting refers to the general, overall illumination of a room or an area. It is the primary source of light that provides a comfortable level of brightness, and is often described as ‘setting the mood/atmosphere’ for the space.

Unlike focused or task lighting (which we write about here), which serve a specific purpose – lighting up a small area allowing you to perform a task – ambient lighting aims to create a pleasant and inviting atmosphere throughout a whole space, without necessarily ensuring everything is visible.

Examples of Ambient Lighting

Common examples of ambient lighting include:

1. Ceiling-mounted fixtures: Lights such as chandeliers, pendant lights, or recessed lighting, which provide uniform illumination across the room. If it’s attached to your ceiling and you go to switch it on as soon as you walk into a room, it’s an ambient lighting source.

2. Wall-mounted fixtures: Wall sconces or wall-mounted lamps like our Glass Ball Wall Light that add gentle, indirect lighting to the space.

3. Floor lamps: These can contribute to ambient lighting by casting light upwards, diffusing it throughout the room.

4. Natural light: Sunlight from windows or skylights can act as a source of ambient lighting during the day, and create a beautiful warm glow in a room as the sun slowly sets in the evening time.

Benefits of Ambient Lighting

Creates a welcoming atmosphere: A well-designed ambient lighting scheme can create a warm and inviting atmosphere in your home, turning your room into somewhere you’ll find yourself naturally gravitating to. Ambient lighting done well will make people feel comfortable and relaxed in the space.

Reduces eye strain: A well-balanced ambient lighting setup reduces eye strain and fatigue, especially in rooms where individuals spend a lot of time, such as living rooms and offices.

Most of us will have experienced when there is too little general lighting in a space, and you’re almost having to work twice as hard just to take things in.

Supports other lighting sources: Ambient lighting serves as a foundation for all other types of lighting, such as task lighting and accent lighting.

It provides a base level of illumination that can be complemented by more focused and decorative lights as you wish.

Mood setting: The right ambient lighting can significantly influence the mood and/or vibe of a space. Soft and warm lighting can create a cozy and intimate atmosphere, while bright and cool lighting can evoke a more energetic and lively mood.

Drawbacks of Ambient Lighting

While ambient lighting offers numerous benefits, there are also some drawbacks to consider:

Not suitable for specific tasks: Ambient lighting is not designed for specific tasks and can often fall short in providing adequate illumination for detailed or focused activities.

For tasks like reading, cooking, or working on a project, additional task lighting is usually necessary.

Limited control: Traditional ambient lighting setups might not offer much control over brightness levels and color temperatures.

Newer smart lighting systems can help to address this issue by providing custom brightness options, but you don’t have much control over the position of the light sources themselves unless you physically uninstall and re-wire them somewhere else.

Energy consumption: Ambient lighting is the type of lighting you tend to leave on for most of the day.

If your ambient lighting then is not very energy-efficient (i.e. you’re not using energy efficient light bulbs), it’s going to lead to higher energy consumption and increased electricity bills. Not fun!

The good news though is that you can use LED bulbs for your ambient lighting, which are much more energy efficient and last much longer than traditional incandescent light bulbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ambient lighting and mood lighting the same thing?

Yes, both ambient lighting and mood lighting refer to the general lighting used in a space to create a feeling, mood, or vibe.

Mood lighting as a description tends to be used more when you’re creating a darker, moodier look, but this is still a form of ambient lighting – just one that focuses on a darker theme.

Related Posts

• What is Task Lighting?
• Does Wattage Determine Brightness for Light Bulbs?
• Lighting Color Temperature: Everything You Need to Know

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