Lighting is one element that can often be overlooked when designing an interior, yet it’s one of the most integral areas to get right!
After spending a few years working in-house with a lighting brand and learning about lighting design, there are so many interesting elements to lighting our homes that can make both our interiors, and us feel better within them.
So, what’s going to be big in 2025 when it comes to lighting? Along with my own observations in the interior world, I caught up with some of the experts in design and lighting to find out what lighting trends we can expect to see in 2025.
2025’s Biggest Lighting Trends, As Told By The Experts
In a few words, we’re going bigger and bolder with our lighting in 2025. Led by paint color trends, richer, bolder colors are making their way into our lighting choices, with a big emphasis on flexibility and creating layered lighting schemes.
The rise in the rechargeable is perhaps one of the biggest areas in lighting which opens up so many more lighting options for a lot of homeowners, without the need for costly electrical work.
Sustainability and the use of natural materials in lighting helps us to feel connected to the natural world, and that works perfectly with the popular design trend, earthy interiors which is going to be even more popular in 2025.
1.The Rise of The Rechargeable
Layered lighting schemes are the best way to tackle a lighting plan for a room. This involves incorporating a few different lighting sources, such as an overhead light, table lamps, floor lamps and wall lights. Even if you’re in the midst of a renovation, it can be all too easy to forget to include plug sockets and a space for wall lights. The result being costly electrical work further down the line.
Rechargeable table lamps started to filter into our homes in 2024, and they’ve been very well received. You don’t have to worry about whether there’s a plug socket nearby, and they add instant ambience to any surface, be it on a tray on a pouffe or a cosy reading nook.
For me, Pooky have been the pioneers with rechargeable lighting, releasing a whole host of styles this year, along with rechargeable wall lights.
This is the perfect answer to the dilemma of a room needing more light but not having the wiring in place. They come with a rechargeable lighting puck and are the easiest fixtures to install too. In 2025, we will be seeing a lot more mainstream options on the market, some can be a little pricey, but when you weigh up the electrical work you would have to do to make it possible, it’s definitely worth the initial investment.
My top tip: turn any lamp into a rechargeable lamp by cutting the wire (only do this when unplugged!) and replacing the bulb with an LED magic bulb. It can be a more cost effective way to make a lamp rechargeable, and it works!
2. Oversized Lighting
We’re going big in 2025!
Scaling up with your lighting is a secret trick to making a smaller room look bigger. If you have a small room, it’s easy to be pigeon holed into the mindset that you can only add small things to the space, but it actually has the reverse effect. A small light ends up making a rom feel even more inferior.
Another example of where we are seeing oversized lighting more, and where it needs it, is over a kitchen island. If you look up anything online to do with lighting a kitchen island, you’ll see that the recommendation is that you should always stick to pendant lights in odds, or a three. This has always been the design advice, but it feels like a dated approach. Plus, if you pick lights that are too small, it will attract attention for the wrong reason.
Challenge the norm, and instead scale up in a big way this year, and add two pendant lights instead of three. It hugely elevates the design, and it looks intentional in the kitchen.
My top tip: if you’re ordering online, always check the measurements and check them in your space first. If picking lights for a kitchen island, work out the spacing between lights with masking tape so you have an approx ideal width of lights to look for.
3. Natural Materials
Earthy inspired interiors have become a signature look for many in 2024. There’s something that feels so good to be around an earthy color scheme, and it’s a way of keeping us connected to the natural world around us.
Claire Garner, Director at Claire Garner Interiors shared with us that rustic elements, such as raw metals, reclaimed wood, and vintage finds also help to introduce character and history to the room. Claire recommends mixing these materials with modern, sleek finishes to create a balanced, eclectic look.
“Natural textiles, such as rattan, linen, and jute, further elevate the room’s authenticity and rustic charm. Claire also encourages incorporating elements of nature”.
Using these materials in our lighting is a great way to ground a scheme, often becoming the focal point of the room. The below light from Pooky is a perfect example of how to mix natural finishes for a beautiful contrast.
My top tip: rattan is one of my favorite natural materials in lighting. It’s a great alternative to glass, as the material still allows light to pass through it so it’s a perfect choice for darker hallways and north facing rooms.
4. Curved Shapes
Curvature is in, and it’s a lovely way to set the tone for what to expect in the rest of your space. Curved lamp shades bring a beautiful softness to a room, perfect for pairing with other curved shapes, or more angular lines for a gorgeous juxtaposition.
Victoria Foster, Interior Stylist at ScS said, “Soft, rounded furniture like curved sofas will bring a welcoming, organic aesthetic to living spaces. Perfect for open-plan layouts, these shapes enhance the sense of flow”.
Like sofas, pendant lighting and floor lamps are a gorgeous way to introduce some softness in a meaningful way. The floor lamp below ticks all the boxes in this living room, boasting a rounded lampshade and a beautifully curved body too.
My top tip: swapping out old lamp shades is a cost effective way to get onboard with this trend.
5. Layered Lighting Schemes
Rechargeable lighting is becoming more mainstream which means creating a layered lighting scheme in an interior is getting slightly easier to achieve.
Anyone can create a layered lighting scheme, and it remains the best way to create a lighting scheme that works, and feels ambient when required.
The key to a layered lighting scheme is to pair different lighting sources in a room, this can include pendant lighting, wall lights, table and floor lamps, and even kinetic lighting, such as candles.
I personally like to have a mix of all of the above in each type of room, regardless of what the room is used for. Transitional spaces are definitely worth paying more attention to so it can be well lit when required, and provide more ambient lighting as the night draws in. Rechargeable table lamps, wall lights and candles are a great way to stylishly carry you through to the evening.
My top tip: think about what areas of your room are naturally darkest, this is where you need to add some of your layered lighting choices to. Dark corners, above artwork, and tables are common places that are screaming out for an ambient glow.
6. Brass Finishes
Brass brings a beautiful natural warmth into an interior, and brass finishes on lighting, hardware and beyond continue to be a popular choice in interiors in 2025.
Molly Chandler, Kitchen Designer at Willis & Stone added, “Brass features are very on trend for 2025 and add a touch of luxury to all styles of kitchens, from modern-industrial to farmhouse”.
“This timeless and versatile material complements both neutrals and bold colours and its golden tones create a cosy, inviting atmosphere”.
If you want a cohesive pull throughout a space, pair with other brass accents in the room, such as hardware and door handles. Alternatively, mix metals to elevate any room scheme. Whilst an ‘interior taboo’ in years gone by, mixing metals is welcomed now, it adds interest and extra playfulness into a room.
My top tip: white plastic ceiling roses tend not to add much to an interior scheme, but simply swapping them out for brass ceiling roses is an affordable way to elevate your current lighting choices.
7. Richer, Warmer Shades
We’re seeking warmer, richer colors that can uplift us in an interior, and in the words of Elle Decor, “we’re not seeking permission to use color in our interiors anymore”.
The 2025 color of the year releases are often a precursor for what we can expect to see in our interiors too, with Benjamin Moore releasing Cinnamon Slate, a heathery plum based brown and the Pantone color of the year being Mocha Mousse, a rich, indulgent brown.
From our pendant lighting to our lamp shades, they provide the perfect place to inject a little bit of color without overpowering a room. Bold blues, browns, purples, reds and greens are just a few shades that will have your lighting feeling on-trend in your interior in 2025.
My top tip: not sure what color to choose? Draw inspiration from your current rooms color scheme, if you have an obvious accent color draw from that. Red is always a good idea in my eyes for a lamp shade, it plays into the ‘unexpected red theory’ and will pull any interior scheme together.
8. A Vintage Twist
If you’ve ever wondered what the secret ingredient is to finish off a room, a touch of something vintage is usually one of the best ways to do it.
You don’t need to have a traditional interior to add a vintage twist. Vintage elements are one of the best ways to breathe some character and charm into a room, irrespective of the age of the property.
Vintage light fittings are some of my favorites to source, especially pendant lighting and chandeliers. Original pieces can sometimes be more affordable, and they carry both a story and charm with them that can’t be replicated with standard off-the shelf lighting.
My top tip: Facebook Marketplace is one of the best places to find vintage light fixtures at affordable prices.
9. Dainty Glass Lighting
Glass pendant lighting is always a good idea! If you suffer from a cold north facing room or a narrow hallway, glass lighting is something I always recommend. It’s one of the only types of materials that will continue to reflect and retract light even when it’s switched off. Plus, It allows for natural light to pass through it seamlessly.
Daintier glass lighting fixtures are in, boasting curves and intricate details like this flora glass pendant light from Soho Lighting shown below. Pair with a beautiful brass ceiling rose for an on-trend look for 2025.
The beauty of glass is that it really does work with a whole manner of interior schemes from earthy inspired rooms to traditional drawing rooms.
My top tip: stick to clear glass for pure uninhibited light that will wash swathes of beautiful light across your room when switched on.
Are you a fan of this year’s lighting trends? If you’re looking for any more recommendations, please leave me a comment below and I’ll come back with my advice!
