Do you want to make your home or apartment look and feel twice its size?
The answer lies in lighting.
The right mix of natural and artificial light can completely transform a space.
That is what most people don’t realize or ignore.
By not placing the light strategically in a home, people end up losing all its advantages.
It makes small spaces look darker and even more small.
This article will show you exactly how strategic placement of lights can open up your space.
What you’re about to discover:
- Three Lighting Essentials for Opening up a Space
- The Benefits of Natural Lighting
- Recommended Artificial Lighting Placements
- Common Artificial Lighting Mistakes
Three Lighting Essentials for Opening up a Space
Lighting makes or breaks a small room.
Think about it:
A well lit space looks open, airy, and inviting versus a poorly lit space that feels cave-like and cramped.
The difference is all in strategic placement of lighting.
Small spaces in particular need even more attention paid to the quality of lighting than a larger room does.
You have less square footage to create visual interest and depth.
And the good news is…
With advances in smart home technology, lighting is now more accessible than ever before. Smart lighting sales now represent 15-20% of all smart home appliances, showing that people are finally starting to understand the importance of high-quality illumination.
When you get your lighting right, the light opens up your space and creates the illusion of more square footage.
When it’s not right, it makes the walls feel like they’re closing in around you.
The Benefits of Natural Lighting
Natural lighting is your best friend in a small space.
The first thing you want to do is clear anything that blocks your windows.
Heavy curtains, bulky furniture, or too many plants on the windowsill can all cut your natural light flow in half.
Instead, what you should do is:
Replace those thick curtains with sheer panels or light-filtering blinds.
This allows maximum daylight while still giving you privacy when you need it.
Another tip is to position mirrors across from your windows at a 45-degree angle.
This one simple trick can bounce the natural light around the room and instantly make it feel like your space is more open.
Cleaning your windows regularly is also important. Dirty windows can reduce your natural light by as much as 40%.
Simply giving them a quick wipe down can make a world of difference.
Painting your walls in light, reflective colors is also important.
Whites, creams, and light grays are best because they bounce light around better than darker colors, which will absorb more of the daylight you have.
But what about rooms without windows, or that have large rooms without windows at all, such as bathrooms and bedrooms?
Artificial lighting becomes even more important in those spaces.
Recommended Artificial Lighting Placements
One of the biggest mistakes people make with artificial lighting is only using a single overhead light fixture.
The problem with overhead lighting:
It creates harsh shadows that make the space feel flat.
Instead, you need to start layering your light to create depth and dimension.
The key is using a mix of three types of lighting in your home: ambient, task, and accent.
When you explore modern lighting collections that are specifically designed for compact areas, look for multi-purpose lighting that serves two or three functions without taking up floor space.
Here’s the breakdown…
Ambient Lighting
This is your main light source and the base level of illumination.
Ceiling fixtures are best, but make sure they count.
Flush-mount or semi-flush fixtures are the best for small spaces because they don’t hang down and take up visual space.
Recessed lighting is another good option because it disappears into the ceiling.
For higher ceilinged rooms, pendant lights can make the space look taller by drawing the eye upward.
Task Lighting
Task lighting is illumination that is focused on specific areas where people need to see.
A reading nook for example will need floor or table lamps. Kitchen counters benefit from under-cabinet lights.
Desk areas will have adjustable lamps that you can position exactly where you need them.
Task lighting in small spaces has the added bonus of creating zones within your room, making it feel more functional and purposeful.
Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is where you can get creative and add depth to your space.
Wall sconces free up floor and table space while adding visual interest at eye level.
LED strip lights under shelves or behind furniture creates a floating effect that opens up your space.
LED lighting in fact was the most dominant lighting category in the decorative lighting market in 2024 because it’s both energy efficient and versatile.
Picture lights above artwork or shelving units also add dimension without cluttering a room.
These are all small touches that make the room feel curated and not cramped.
Layering Your Lighting
The secret to making small spaces feel like they cost a fortune?
Don’t ever use only one source of light.
Professional designers practice what they call “lampscaping” – or treating your lighting as important as the choice of wall color in a room.
Lampscaping has taken off in 2025 and for good reason.
The first step is to start with ambient lighting to set your base level of illumination.
Then add in task lighting where you work, read, or cook in the kitchen.
Finish off with some accent lighting that creates focal points and visual interest.
The trick is to have multiple pools of light at different heights, creating depth in the space.
This means you can’t see all the walls in a room at once, so your brain is tricked into thinking it’s larger.
Common Artificial Lighting Mistakes to Avoid
Here are the most common lighting mistakes people make in small spaces and how to avoid them…
Buying lighting that is too big in scale for the room. Fixtures that are oversized for a space, like an over-the-top chandelier, overwhelm the rest of the room. Pick fixtures that are in proportion to your space.
Not using dimmer switches. Dimmers are life changers in small spaces. They allow you to control your lighting based on the time of day and the mood you’re going for. Dimmers also make the smallest space look more sophisticated.
Not choosing the right color temperature for the light. Warm white light bulbs (2700-3000K) create cozy, intimate spaces. Cool white light bulbs (4000-5000K) have an energizing effect. Too much of the wrong type and your space will feel off.
Blocking the path of light with furniture. Don’t put tall bookcases or cabinets between your light sources and the area you want to illuminate. Walkways should be well lit as well.
Relying only on overhead lighting. This is worth saying again, because it can’t be stressed enough.
Overhead lighting by itself creates a flat, uninviting space that feels empty and unfinished.
Layer up your light sources instead.
Over 70% of consumers in fact now demand personalized lighting experiences in their homes and workspaces.
Consumers are increasingly looking for customizable, layered lighting that can be adjusted to their needs at different times of the day.
Wrapping Things Up
Proper lighting is the single most important thing you can do to make a small space feel bigger.
It all starts by maximizing your natural light through clean windows, mirrors, and using light, reflective wall colors.
Then it’s time to layer in artificial lighting using a combination of ambient, task, and accent lighting sources.
Key takeaways:
- Never use only a single overhead fixture
- Position mirrors to bounce light around
- Pick properly scaled fixtures
- Install dimmer switches
- Layer multiple light sources at different heights
The good news is that lighting improvements are one of the least expensive ways to update a home and the benefits are seen immediately.
Stop living in a dark, cramped cave.
With the right lighting strategy, even the smallest space can feel open, inviting, and twice its size.
