Sewing room lighting
 

We moved to our house a year ago and I am thrilled that one bedroom is my designated sewing room.
The lighting in the room is one domed round light in the middle of the ceiling. What is ideal sewing lighting? Well placed can lighting with LED bulbs? If it weren't for my small Ikea LED work light that focuses on my needle area, I'm not sure I could sew with enough light - day or night. Any experience or suggestions? Many thanks!

My sewing room also has one light in the middle of the ceiling. Adding more lights in the ceilings wasn't an option for me. I picked up a couple of combination floor lamp with an adjustable reading lamp like this https://www.walmart.com/ip/Mainstays...?selected=true. I can aim the reading lamp where I need light. They aren't heirloom quality but they have served their purpose for the last several years.

We recently moved and my new quilt room has a similar issue. First, my husband got "daylight" LED bulbs with a higher equivalent wattage (75 vs 60 watt); that has made a huge difference. I also have a desk lamp by my sewing machine and a track light that is focused on the "plane" of my mid-arm frame.

I use a pole lamp with 5 LED Bulbs. On the right of my machine. Now I need a light on the left as it is hard to oil the race and insert the bobbin. I would like to have a light that hangs on the wall out of the way. I am going to see what I can find at the store.

Same issue in my Happy Place... one light fixture/ceiling fan combo in the middle of the room.

We planned to replace the ceiling fan/light fixture anyway, but held out till we found one made by Hunter that was made for LED bulbs that dimmable. Then picked up the daylight LED bulb and oh my - let there be light!!!

I don’t use the dimmer at full brightness very often but its there when i need it. You do need to have a dimmer switch already installed (which i had) and you also need to get the LED daylight bulbs that specify “dimmable” as not all are.

I do also have a floor stand Ott light at my cutting table because its in a darker corner of the room and have an smaller Ott light on my sewing table just in case.

All of my machines are set up in an “island” configuration at the center of the room and i always have the light i need and more!

I’ve had to add several lamps at various places around the room where ai need task lighting. Cutting, ironing, sewing, and two more .

After close to 20 years in my sewing room... light behind the door, relied on lamps for sewing cutting and pressing... my dear SIL moved a fluorescent grow light (daylight bulbs) from the cellar - which we hadn't used in years - to my sewing room hanging it from hooks in the ceiling. Oh my! I could do surgery in there. Got to enjoy it for only a few weeks, fell cause my knee gave way and can't use my upstairs sewing room.... Good light makes quilting a breeze!

I have a floor ott light and it has about a 4 inch diameter magnifier on it and when I first got the lamp!!!! I have my machine facing a south window in Arizona and paid no attention were the magnifier was facing and burnt my leather chair. I could have burnt the house down. I do have light by my machine. Hope you get some good bulbs or and lamps.

I recently replaced an old ceiling fan/light fixture in my guest bedroom (aka my sewing room extension) with the light in the link below. At the same time, replaced the hall, laundry room, and closet lights with the same fixture. Absolutely amazing how bright it is in all those rooms now.
In my sewing room, there is a ceiling fan with LED bulbs, a floor model Ott lite next to the machine, another floor Ott lite next to the cutting table, 2 good size windows, and my machine has really good lighting as well. On a sunny day, I can actually see the black thread stitches in black fabric!!

https://www.lowes.com/pd/Lithonia-Li...TAR/1000410177

I too have the one dome light in the middle of the room. I have daylight bulbs in it which help, but have added a hanging light above my ironing station and LED track lighting above the cutting table. I also use a drafting light that I bought at a yard sale for $1 and bought an Ott light bulb for it. I love the ability to position the drafting light in multiple areas and positions around my sewing machine. And on my midarm sewing machine, it came with an Ott light on it already, clipped on the frame of the carriage that is positionable. Good lighting makes quilting that much more enjoyable, to me it's like the icing on the cake. On the few times I've been in my studio for the day and have had these lights on at once, I feel like Chevy Chase in the Christmas Vacation movie. LOL.