Updated November 2026
Lighting used to be an afterthought. Most rooms got one ceiling light, or a grid of cool white downlights, and that was that. Now the light fitting is often the first thing a designer chooses, and the bulb inside it matters as much as the fitting itself. The shifts that took hold through 2026 are set to carry through 2027. Most of them come back to the same thing: warmer, softer light, used in layers, from fittings worth looking at.
What are the biggest lighting trends for 2027?
The five biggest lighting trends for 2027 are warmer light (2700K for living spaces and 2200K for evenings), layered lighting in place of a single ceiling light, sculptural fittings and decorative globes that act as a room's centrepiece, warm brass finishes instead of chrome, and soft, glare-free light. The common thread is comfort. Rooms are being lit to feel calm and welcoming in the evening, and brightness comes second.
| Trend | What it looks like | How to get the look |
|---|---|---|
| Warmer light | Golden, relaxed light in every room | 2700K for main lights, 2200K for evenings |
| Layered lighting | Three or more light sources per room | Pendants, wall lights and accent lights on separate dimmers |
| The bulb as a feature | Oversized, amber, crowned or organic globes | Decorative globes in simple pendants |
| Sculptural fittings | Clusters, staggered drops, linear bars | Multi-drop pendants and statement chandeliers |
| Warm metals | Brass and gold tones instead of chrome | Brass sconces and pendants |
| Soft, glare-free light | You see the glow, not the bulb | Porcelain, frosted or crown globes |
| Light that changes | Bright by day, golden by night | Dim-to-warm spotlights and dimmers |
| Natural materials | Stone, timber, ceramic, linen | Warm globes that bring out texture |
1. Warmer light, everywhere
The move away from cool white is the most consistent trend in every room of the house. Warm white at 2700K has become the default for living spaces, and extra warm light around 2200K is increasingly chosen for bedrooms, dining rooms and anywhere used mostly in the evening. Warm light flatters skin, timber and stone, and it reads as relaxed rather than clinical.
Cool white still has a place in task-heavy spaces such as laundries, utility rooms and garages, but it's no longer the starting point. Our guide to warm white vs cool white explains where each one works best.
2. Layered lighting replaces the single ceiling light
One central light, however good, leaves a room flat. Designers now plan most rooms in layers: ambient light to fill the space, task light where you read, cook or work, and accent light to pick out a wall, a piece of art or a shelf. Three or more sources per room is a common starting point, each on its own switch or dimmer, so the room can change with the time of day.
In practice, that might be a pendant over the table, wall lights either side of a sofa or bed, and a dimmed spotlight washing a feature wall. Our bedroom lighting ideas and kitchen lighting design guides show how this works room by room.
3. The bulb becomes the feature
Exposed bulbs started as an industrial look. Now they're closer to jewellery. Decorative globes are chosen for how they look switched off as much as on: oversized amber glass, gold or mirrored crowns, porcelain finishes and organic, hand-blown shapes.
The Grand 180 is a good example: a 180mm amber globe that glows a deep golden 2200K and turns a simple pendant into a sculpture. Crown globes such as the G125 Gold Crown add a decorative gold accent, and the mirrored cap redirects light into the fitting, cutting direct glare.
4. Sculptural statement fittings
Alongside the bulb, the fitting itself is being treated as art. Clusters of pendants at staggered heights, linear bars carrying oversized globes, and groups of lights that fill a stairwell or high ceiling are taking over from the single matching pendant.
The Ennead Grand Designer Edition clusters nine 180mm amber globes into a floating group of warm light. The Meridian Linear Grand Designer Edition suspends three hand-blown organic globes from a linear bar, ideal over a long dining table. For a smaller space, The Triad gives you three pendants from one ceiling rose, grouped tightly or draped across the room.
5. Warm metals take over from chrome
Next to brass, polished chrome and cool silver are starting to look dated. Warm finishes have taken over: brass, gold tones and aged metals that catch the light and add warmth even when the lights are off. Brass pairs naturally with warm white light, timber and stone, which is why it keeps appearing in kitchens and bedrooms alike.
The Node wall sconce and The Monad Single Drop both come in brass. The Node Brass and Porcelain set pairs the brass sconce with a soft white porcelain globe for an even, glare-free wash.
6. Soft, diffused, glare-free light
Nobody wants to look straight into a bright, bare bulb, and more fittings are now designed around that. The trend is towards light you notice by its effect rather than its source: porcelain and frosted glass, mirrored crowns, fabric and paper shades, and light bounced off walls and ceilings. It's easier on the eyes and makes a room feel calmer.
If you love the look of exposed bulbs, a lower-output decorative globe, a crown globe or a porcelain finish gives you the style without the glare.
7. Light that changes through the day
Interest in how light affects sleep and wellbeing has moved into mainstream interior design. Tunable and dim-to-warm lighting lets a room shift from bright and crisp during the day to low and golden at night, much like natural light.
Sunset Dim GU10 and Sunset Dim MR16 spotlights bring this to existing downlights: 2700K at full brightness, warming to an 1800K candlelight glow as you dim. The difference is measurable. In independent spectral testing of our range, 4000K cool white measured 4.4% blue light, while a Sunset Dim spotlight fully dimmed measured just 0.6 to 0.7%. Our guides to what blue light is and circadian lighting for sleep explain why that matters in the evening.
8. Natural, tactile materials
Stone, alabaster, timber, ceramic, linen and rattan keep turning up in lighting design, chosen for their texture and the soft way they hold light. These materials look their best under warm light, so pairing them with 2200K to 2700K globes, or with amber and porcelain glass, brings out their colour rather than flattening it.
Lighting trends by room
Kitchen: clusters of pendants or a linear bar over the island, warm white light around 2700K to 3000K, and task lighting kept separate from the ambient layer. See our kitchen lighting design guide.
Dining room: one statement fitting hung low over the table, extra warm light and a dimmer. A linear bar suits a long table; a cluster suits a round one.
Living room: fewer downlights, more wall lights and lamps at different heights, so the room can be lit low and warm in the evening.
Bedroom: wall lights or low pendants either side of the bed, 2200K for evenings, and dim-to-warm spotlights for the main light. Our bedroom lighting ideas go into detail.
Ceilings: a single statement pendant or cluster, supported by a few dimmable warm downlights or spotlights, rather than a grid of cool white ones.
Outdoors: warm, low-glare light instead of bright floodlights, with warm white festoon lights for entertaining areas. Our festoon lighting buying guide covers the options.
Which lighting trends are on the way out?
A few looks are fading fast:
- A grid of cool white downlights as the only light in a room
- A single bright ceiling light with nothing to soften it
- Polished chrome fittings
- Bare, high-output bulbs that glare at eye level
None of these needs a renovation to fix. Warmer bulbs, a dimmer and one or two extra light sources fix most of them.
Frequently asked questions
What lighting is in style right now?
Warm, layered and sculptural lighting. That means warm white or extra warm bulbs, several light sources per room instead of one, and statement pendants or decorative globes that double as a design feature.
What ceiling lights are in fashion?
Statement pendants, multi-drop clusters and linear bars are the most fashionable ceiling lights, usually supported by a few warm, dimmable downlights. Large grids of cool white downlights are losing ground.
Is brass lighting still in style?
Yes. Brass and other warm metals have replaced chrome as the go-to finish, and they suit the move towards warmer light and natural materials. Brushed and aged finishes feel more current than high-polish brass.
Are Edison and filament bulbs still in style?
They are, but the look has moved on from the industrial squirrel-cage bulb. Oversized, amber, crowned and organic-shaped globes are the current take, often at a warmer 2200K.
What colour temperature is trending for homes?
Warm white at 2700K for main lighting, and extra warm at around 2200K for evening and relaxed spaces. Cool white above 4000K is now mostly kept to task areas such as laundries, utility rooms and garages.
Are pendant lights going out of style?
No. The single matching pendant is being replaced by clusters, staggered drops and linear bars, but pendants remain central to how kitchens, dining rooms and stairwells are lit.