Lighting for sloped ceilings and tight spaces

Photo from The Modern House; Designer Sacha Barna 

Not all houses are perfect boxes. Georgian houses or new build properties tend to have higher ceilings and open spaces.  Actually, most houses and their walls have quirks, tilts and wonks but we like this and call it personality. Finding lighting solutions are hard for these home owners and lighting schemes are often compromised and spotlights and table lamps are used instead.  

Sloped ceilings

Loft conversions have become more popular as people look to find ways of staying put and adding value to their house.  They are a great way of adding an extra bathroom or bedroom but can be tricky spaces when it comes to lighting them.  When you have a loft conversion or character cottage you might have sloped ceilings but it doesn't mean there isn't a lighting solution out there, it just takes some thinking. Choose a light with a cable over a fixed drop rod, like the ring ceiling lights. The cable will mean that the light centres itself and doesn't hang at a slant. Check out the ring ceiling light or metal diner pendants for this.  Also notice that lighting on a cable can be shortened right up to the point it enters the ceiling cup.  This means that if you don’t have high ceilings in your loft space ceiling lights are still an option. If you are lucky enough to live in a Tudor cottage or Victorian terrace then read on to find out what lighting suits it best.

Photo of the charcoal pendant ceiling lights and opal disk wall lights by @home_at_68

Photo of the charcoal ring ceiling lights by @alicemaughaninteriors

Photo of the charcoal metal diner pendant by @projectprincecharles

Small spaces

If you have lower ceilings because you live in a Victorian terrace or arts and crafts cottage then flush lights are your option.   Their forms are shallow and they fix straight to the ceiling, meaning you don’t lose important centimetres from the ceiling cup.  Flush lights used to be quite traditional but nowadays there are more modern options out there.  Flush lights also don’t have to be small - you can still have drama. The Mesh flush and 3lt Flush have wide forms but shallow depths which are perfect for shorter spaces.

 Brass Mesh Flush Ceiling Light

No ceiling lights

If your ceilings are so low that you would have to duck underneath a ceiling fitting then avoid this altogether.  Cottages are perfect examples of this, you don’t want to duck the beam and walk straight into the ceiling light.  Wall lights are often misunderstood but they can create the same feeling and light the whole room. Pick uplighters like the round diffused wall light as the light will bounce off of the ceiling and fall into the room.  Alternatively, the houseof you wall light with a clear or translucent shade would be a brighter light which is great for tasks or dining rooms.  The houseof you wall lights also come with a plug so you can attach them with no need for rewiring!

Photo of the houseof you wall light by @mo.and.the.jungle.shelf

Supporting lighting 

At houseof we like to think about our lighting in layers.  If you are tight on ceiling or wall space, use table and floor lamps as accent pieces.  Cleverly placed floor lamps can omit the same light level as ceiling lights, such as the opal disk floor lamp.  Table lamps can be used on sideboards and tables to light areas the ceiling lights have missed.  A successful lighting scheme will incorporate a couple of different options and give you choice and flexibility throughout the day.  

Photo of the marble column table lamp by @two.peas.in.the.country

Photo of the curve floor lamp by @our1905casa