Too much or too little lighting just does not look good. It can ruin the atmosphere when it isn't right. A uniformly lit room often looks boring and too much direct light makes it feel like all work and no play. And yet finding the sweet spot between too bright and too dim isn't easy. Your best bet is often a mix of different light sources.

Pleasant and unobtrusive lighting usually comes as a mixture of three different light sources, professionals say. Next time you're sitting in your living room, ask yourself if you've got these three kinds of lights.

First up, the base. The first is basic lighting, which immerses the entire room in a low, but sufficient level of brightness. This is usually done with ceiling lights.

Then comes the spots. Additional spots of light can then be added to create zones of light to illuminate certain places in the room more intensely and precisely. These can be either normal lamps or spotlights, which will provide bright, high-contrast light. These can be used to light up a kitchen work surface or a reading corner, according to the lighting experts from Germany's ZVEH industry association.

The final step is all about creating that mood. Probably the most crucial one for a good atmosphere is the mood lighting. All you want to do here is set subtle accents, which will help you create some atmosphere. Of course, this isn't important in all areas of your home, like the bathroom. The ZVEH's lighting experts advise paying the most attention to spaces like the living room.

Needless to say, these lights come to the fore when it's dark, which is why it can help to rethink your living room's mood-lighting at times when the days aren't as long as nights or especially when we are stuck in our homes all day, every day.

Lamps with low light aren't your only choice here and decorative floor lamps with dimmers can be a flexible option that spans the lighting range from warm and cozy to where-did-I-put-my-glasses? Lights that emit warm tones such as soft yellows or oranges, such as incandescent lights, can also help warm up the space and give it a comfy vibe.