Diwali 2025: 4 special lighting hacks to create cosy festive interiors

Brighten up your home this Diwali with the help of 4 smart lighting hacks. From exercising balance to layering, know all the tricks here.

Diwali 2025: As homeowners enthusiastically prepare their houses for the festival of light, from dusting every shelf to repainting walls, one aspect cohesively and irrevocably reflects the festive cheer: lighting. How you choose to illuminate your home refreshes the mood. It is only fitting that the lighting check boxes are dutifully ticked off for the festival of light.

Diwali 2025: Find out how to illuminate your home with smart lighting hacks. (Picture credit: Pixabay)

When it comes to Diwali, lighting often begins and ends with fairy lights and diyas, but there's so much more to explore. Creating a well-rounded, well-lit space requires strategy while also retaining the warmth and intimacy of festive fervour at the very heart of the lighting arrangement.

To achieve a cohesive lighting strategy, Anupriyam Arora, Design Lead, MagickHome, shared with HT Lifestyle 4 key hacks for this Diwali season. According to him, lighting transcends the purpose of utility as it is also about emotion. Emphasising the value of proper light arrangement on Diwali, he said, “If walls are the bones of a home, then lighting is its heartbeat.” This also highlights that festive decor's revamp isn't only confined to painting walls, as your illumination techniques also require your diligent attention.

Here are the 4 lighting hacks Anupriyam suggested:

1. Layer lights

Layer lighting in your room to create an effect of 'layers.'(Picture credit: Image generated by Gemini)

• Start with layers. A common mistake is relying on a single overhead light.
• Instead, think in terms of ambient, task, and accent lighting.
• Ambient lighting creates the overall glow, task lighting helps you focus in areas like the kitchen or study, and accent lighting adds drama by spotlighting art, textures, or architectural details.
• Together, these layers make a space versatile and dynamic.

2. Avoid overlighting

Don't go overboard; find a balance. Avoid overlighting!(Picture credit: Image generated by Gemini)

• A critical point that is often overlooked is overlighting.
• Too many fixtures or overly bright lights can create harsh shadows, glare, and visual clutter, which can actually make a space feel smaller or uncomfortable.
• Effective lighting is always about balance - enough to illuminate and highlight, but carefully controlled to maintain warmth, depth, and mood.

3. Add statement lights

Add statement chandeliers to your interiors. (Picture credit: Image generated by Gemini)

• A statement chandelier can be the jewel of a dining room, while pendant lights bring intimacy to a breakfast nook.
• Wall sconces or floor lamps can add warmth and depth without major renovation.

4. Amplify natural light wherever possible

Leverage natural light with the help of mirror placements. (Picture credit: Image generated by Gemini)

• Natural light is the most underrated design element.
• Play with sheer curtains, mirrors, and reflective surfaces to amplify daylight - it instantly makes rooms feel bigger and more welcoming.