Are wall lights a no? Why are radiators always in the wrong place? And other woes.

[BiggerThanJungle]

I have a fairly big living room, 7.5-8m x 4m ish, which leads into a dining room extension. It's been in a 'temporary' just moved in state with old sofas and carpet etc for a bit too long and I'm now trying to work out how to decorate it. I have several issues. I suppose the biggest one is I don't have a great eye for interior design, which I'm sure worsens the other issues enormously!

It has wall lights and no ceiling lights. I don't hate them, but don't love them either they are a bit dated. Is there such a thing as nice wall lights nowadays? Would you replace them, or find a way to have ceiling lights instead? I'll add a floor lamp and maybe a table lamp somewhere too for options.

I have a lovely big bay window... with a 3m radiator underneath it. Which has caused endless discussions on curtains vs blinds etc. I now thinking some small slat venetian blinds for practicality, and floor length curtains mostly for decoration but which can be closed on those occasions mostly over night when the heating is off but its cold outside. Does that sound normal? Moving/replacing the rad has occurred to me, but this is a big space to heat and they are in the way wherever they are right!?

You know when you look on pinterest or home type pages, the rooms always look so nice, and you want to copy the ideas. But they never have the every day realities to deal with (at least in the shot), like a slightly off-centre chimney breast with an old fire in it, and three doorways in a semi open plan set up, and radiators...

Anyway, I shouldn't moan I'm sorry! Opinions on lights or rads or windows or anything else really would be very welcome.

There are lots of nice wall lights around, I love houseof for modern wall lights. I think they are much more practical than having a central light and have them in my dining room and some of the bedrooms. You can get wall lights that have a cable so don't need to be hardwired in which makes things easier but if you already have wall lights and are just thinking about changing them that's not an issue.

With the bay window I'd have three interlined roman blinds in a beautiful fabric so they feel cosy and luxurious. I'm not keen on stunt curtains though.

Stunt curtains 😆 I do love roman blinds and have some upstairs. It's just this window is pretty much west facing and we end up drawing the current (ugly) curtains for shade/heat purposes in the summer afternoons and thought it would be nice not to have to close it off completely? I'm still pondering on in practicalities vs design.

Ooh, I'll have a good look at that website for lights thank you!

I would do shutters on the windows and then full length curtains for softness but never draw them.

Position a nice armchair or chaise in the bay which you can move at Christmas to accommodate the tree.

I hate overhead lights with a passion and always use just table lamps and floor lamps. Try and group sofas so they are conversational and not pushed against walls. Add layers with rugs, throws, cushions etc.

Have a big footstool with storage that holds tv remotes and other guff.

Thank you 😊 Yes, sofa/chair placement is a consideration, and a bit tricky with 2 doors and the chimney breast all on one side and the room not actually being that wide. It is indeed a bit "waiting room" all lined up at the moment, but hopefully some new furniture and a different configuration of sofas and chairs will counteract that!

Radiators are usually installed under windows as the air is convected into the room thanks to the air being slightly cooler by the windows (much cooler before the advent if double glazing). Also you are less likely to place furniture in front of a window as it makes accessing the window (and curtains) difficult.

Overhead lights are utter horrors, so definitely don't get any if they aren't already there. I don't think you need wall lights, either, if you don't want them. As @Ilovemyshed says, you can light a room much more attractively with table and floor lamps. But perfectly nice wall lights are available. I have wall lights either side of the chimney breast in the living room, but the main illumination comes from a standard lamp and a table lamp.

A diagram or a photo would help people suggest things for room layout?

I think I'd at least consider moving the radiator from the bay, but what I would do is figure out where I wanted to put furniture, and then think about where a resited radiator could go. No sense in all the seating being grouped somewhere and the radiators busily pumping out heat that goes out the window on the other side of the room.

As someone who's just paid an absolute fortune to get a radiator moved to back under the bay window, I'd urge you to think about how you can make the room work with it where it is! Especially if the room isn't particularly wide or convenient for setting out furniture. That was the reason we moved ours - it took up wall space and prevented us from placing furniture where we wanted without all the heat being blocked.

Funny, isn't it, because I have been pondering getting the rad moved to under the bay in my front room! And I've been looking at wall lights for the living room! And also going for stunt curtains in the box room that I'm decorating for my son to come home to during uni breaks. ] mad world!

I read once that room needs 5 points of light to look cozy.

If it is an awkward room, I'd definitely try and get a snug area going, completely agree with doing something different to all the furniture against the walls.

It'll look amazing, whatever you choose, I bet!

Our house was really awkwardly shaped and sized, we’ve knocked walls down to open things up a bit and put walls up to separate other areas back out a bit. It’s been a labour of love but part of it was removing every single radiator from the house and installing underfloor heating throughout. We do have heated towel rails in bathrooms though which are essentially radiators.
They were just taking up too much vital real estate for us. Expensive initial outlay but pretty efficient to run as each room has its own thermostat.
We have fitted shutters instead of curtains/blinds, just looks really clean and uncluttered.
I have no thoughts either positive or negative about wall lights, we have some which I prefer to the overhead but Dh prefers overheads. Far superior for me though is lamps!

Haha, ok I'm taking notes from you all thank you! I don't think I've ever seriously thought moving the radiator was a good idea, more of a rant that they are always there and a bit ugly and in the way. But essential, especially for chilly mortals like me.

I am slightly surprised at the dislike of ceiling lights, I thought they were more popular. I do like the idea of a softer approach though and am not keen on the ceiling idea for this room. I would need to have at least one really good bright lamp though, my eyesight is rubbish in low light if I'm trying to read/do anything!

We need a diagram 😊

I think I'm too embarrassed to show you all a pic of my slightly shabby room, currently accessorised with a bit too much Lego and other kiddie clutter! But thanks for the ideas, lots to think on x

We have ceiling light ghts, with very expensive fittings. They are a thing of beauty. But...... We never have them on. Ever. They even are dimmable, but they are still too much. We have two Heals white onyx wall lights, two table lamps, and a floor lamp. These are all on, every night. Again all dimmable.

Another vote for wall lights, I love them. ( we have even rewired some antique ones so they would run off sockets on either side of the fireplace.) I tend to keep an overhead light to turn on/off on entry but that’s about all it is used for (oh and vacuuming in winter). If you are starting from scratch, you can get ceiling and wall lights in the same suite, or match the style closely. A big room can take a big ceiling light if you like the style.

I would look at blackout blinds which are very good at insulating windows as well. Not a fan of internal shutters, though external are wonderful, if I built a house here I would import the windows and shutters from France.

Yes, have a reading light by the armchair or wherever you will be reading, and softer light elsewhere. We do actually have overhead lights (only because it's a high-ceilinged Victorian house, complete with elaborate cornicing and mouldings, and I think it would look pretty odd to have all these ceiling roses with no lights in them, so the original chandeliers are still there) but we never use them. Having harsh light cast down from overhead is not warm or welcoming.

Does the radiator do an efficient job of heating the room where it currently is? If you're someone who feels the cold, are you warm enough wherever you usually sit in this room as it is currently laid out?

Do a diagram if you don't want to post a photo?

Overhead lights are handy if you really need to brighten the space for some reason but usually I use my floor lamp.

We had these in our last house and I loved them : www.dusklights.co.uk/astro-park-lane-wall-light-in-bronze-p492

As PP mentioned you could have Roman blinds instead. BUT I would suggest that you look at the natural light in your room carefully, and on if you want/need to obscure some of the view (passerbys etc)

we had Roman blinds in previous house, and then did same in new one.
BUT only afterwards did I realise that I was loosing the best light by having the blinds partially down ( loosing top 20cm of window)
and that we needed more privacy.

had I realised that I would have done translucent roller blinds and curtains.

or cafe blinds and thermals Roman blinds, with full length curtains that can be drawn, but aren’t.

We have ceiling lights but never hardly turn them on. however when you need bright central light its there for you

We have lamps everywhere, I dont have any wall lights but lots and lots of lamps, there are 7 in the living room for example.

Radiators I hate under windows because I like long curtains, including stunt curtains and it means a lot of heat is lost behind the curtains

We do, on the other hand, put furniture in front of our rads, I dont notice that we dont get the heat from them, because the heat rises up behind the piece of furniture. Its worth it to me to be honest because I means I dont see an ugly radiator, hate the things.

Why not have tall radiators instead of one in the bay window.then you could have curtains if you wanted.

I love wall lights and lamps far more cosy than an overhead light unless it’s on a dimmer switch.

Ideal lighting for me is lamps, but a main switch at the door.

I don't get the disdain for ceiling lights either! Honestly, I'd recommend keeping your wall lights, adding some portables (table lamps and floor lamps for those cosy nights in) but if you want to set off a room, a wonderful ceiling light is not only a focal point, but a talking point too, even if you rarely use it, look at it as a piece of art to break up the ceiling and add a bit of depth to the room.

https://www.universal-lighting.co.uk/shop/home-lighting/ceiling-lights/modern-ceiling-lights/