Spring is everyone’s favorite time to start anew. As the seasons shift, you’ll change your wardrobe, switch from flannel to linen sheets, and even select spring-inspired food for your refrigerator. So why not update your living room décor, too? You don’t have to make drastic changes. Simply adding or refreshing your living room lighting can bring a new sense of life to your home.

It’s also easy to do. With these living room lighting tips and inspiration, you’ll breeze through the update in a single weekend. Go ahead, spring into action!

Why Your Living Room Lighting Needs a Refresh

It’s where you spend most of your time.

Between the sectional sofa, plush area rug, and high-definition television, there are lots of reasons to hang out in your living room. In fact, this is probably where you spend most of your time when you’re at home. Having the right lighting guarantees you get the most out of this space, all day and all night.

It’s where people gather to relax.

Your living room isn’t nearly as peaceful as your master suite, but it is a place of refuge. You go there to enjoy downtime with your loved ones, which is why it’s so important everyone feels welcomed and at ease. While that sectional sofa helps your cause, lighting actually has a more significant impact on a room’s ambiance. Smart living room lighting will strike the right balance between brightness and color temperature.

It has the most design potential.

Living rooms tend to be the largest rooms in the house, which means they have the greatest need for lighting. With so many components in one space, your living room lighting will become a very influential design feature. If this space is filled with generic lighting options, your home’s overall aesthetic will be far from its potential.

3 Living Room Lighting Tips for Spring

By now, you’re probably itching for an update. Ideally, your living room lighting scheme includes overhead ambient lighting, small accent fixtures, and strategically placed task lighting. But to make it feel extra-spring-y, you’ll want to follow these living room lighting tips below. These ideas will ensure your space is as functional as it is stylish.

Choose Complementary Styles

Spring is a time to savor nature. As you add colorful throw pillows and live bouquets to your interior, look for lighting that complements these fresh textures. Wood, brass, and crystal are common lighting materials that pair well with the season.

• Wood is a clear winner, thanks to its natural roots. You’ll often see it mixed with other materials, though. To keep the look light and airy, choose wood fixtures with clear glass, white metal or ceramic accents.

• Brass may not be as obvious as a choice for spring, but this shiny yellow metal is a reminder of sunny days. Brass lighting will instantly add warmth to your home. Plus, you can use it as a rich neutral, allowing fresh greenery and other pops of color to stand out around the room.

• Crystal is a common décor element in the spring, largely because of the Easter holiday. That’s when you see crystal stemware lining the dinner table and solid glass eggs adorning the coffee table. It’s no surprise, then, that crystal chandeliers are a popular pick when it comes to a living room lighting upgrade.

Calypso Chandelier by Crystorama

You don’t have to look far for a fresh spring rain. The Calypso’s elegant glass beads cascade down like water droplets. Even when the bulbs are turned off, this chandelier’s smooth, reflective surface sprinkles sunlight all around your living room. Hang this stunning crystal fixture where you can see it, and then cozy up on the couch with a good book.

Emilie Wall Sconce by Frederick Ramond

Wood comes in all tones and textures. To achieve a lighter, brighter look, you’ll want the white-washed Emilie wall sconce. It has an everlasting chicness that will make your living room feel grounded and welcoming all year-round. Mount a pair of these open-air sconces on a wall above your comfy couch or next to the sliding glass door that leads to the great outdoors.

Valby Ceiling Fan by Casablanca Fan Company

If your living room is already buzzing with color and pattern, keep your lighting simple. The Valby ceiling fan is made with four maple wood blades and a fresh white glass core, which offers an earthy neutral tone. The subtle design works as a backdrop, so the rest of your décor can take center stage. Use this LED fixture to light your mid-century modern or contemporary living space.

Add a Pop of Color

Like those dyed eggs you see at Easter, colorful light fixtures will put a smile on your face. Of course, you have to be strategic when picking out colorful décor accessories. A designer will tell you only about 10% of the color in your room should come from an accent piece. You’ll also want to choose your hue wisely. Spring is full of vibrant colors, but that doesn’t mean you have to choose something ultra-bright. Any shade of blue, pink or green will cheer you up. Sometimes, even just a pop of shiny brass can spark interest.

E.F. Chapman Orson Table Lamp by Visual Comfort and Co.

A mix between robin’s egg and Caribbean sea, Oslo Blue is exactly the right shade for spring. The Orson table lamp will put a smile on your face every time you walk in the living room – and not just because of its colorful base. You’ll be moved by how this one classic piece complements your overall design. For best results, pair this lamp with simple neutrals and a clean table.

Wells Chandelier by Hinkley Lighting

When pastels aren’t the best fit for your living room, there’s always the Wells chandelier. This fixture stands out because of its shiny, gold-tone ring. Even the 15-light candelabra takes a backseat to the brass. In fact, those matte black candlesticks actually amplify the warm effect by throwing light against the brass finish. Take advantage of its soothing glow by hanging the Wells chandelier right in the center or your living space.

Highlight the Season’s Best

The purpose of accent lighting is to spotlight special features in your home. With spring here, it’s a good chance to highlight table bouquets, a fresh-cut wreath over the hearth or other festive wall hangings you may have sprinkled around. When thinking about how to plan your accent lighting, your first step should be to assess where you need it. Determine exactly what in your living room deserves to be shown off, and that will lead you to the right fixture. Floor lamps, for example, are great at illuminating an entire corner of the room. Interior wall sconces, on the other hand, are better suited for more targeted lighting – the kind you need to highlight a painting.

Feiss Kenney LED Wall Sconce by Generation Lighting

Looking for ways to bring the outside in? Not only does the Feiss Kenney wall sconce provide warm, LED accent lighting, but its round, overlapping motif offers an organic undertone – no flowers needed. Use this dramatically tall fixture to frame a window, a portrait or your living room media center.

Tripod Floor Lamp by Visual Comfort and Co.

The Tripod’s twisted wood legs lend a sense of movement and life that spring represents. The natural paper shade further accentuates the fixture’s lived-in vibe, which goes to show this floor lamp could be an artful accessory all on its own. Of course, you can also use it to accent your favorite wing-backed chair or beautiful brick fireplace. You can’t go wrong either way.

Spring for New Lighting

Bunnies are hopping, flowers are blooming and the sun is beaming. All the signs are telling you spring is in the air, and you couldn’t be more delighted. This particular seasonal shift – from winter to spring – is so uplifting you wish you could bottle these feelings and hold onto them all year long. Luckily, you can…and it’s fairly simple to do. With these living room lighting tips, you can bring the joy and hope of spring to your home décor. While new light fixtures can’t replace time spent outside, they will upgrade your home and elevate your mood.