"It Destroys Everything That Makes Lighting Feel Magical" — Lighting Designer Maxwell Barlow Shares the Mistakes That Kill the Buzz in Entertaining Spaces

What sets a great dinner party apart? Is it the wine? The conversation? Perhaps. But more likely, it's the lighting. It may not be the first thing you notice; in fact, it shouldn't be. A beautifully lit space seems almost incidental. Getting it right is a subtle yet transformative art that forms a backdrop for every beautiful event. Lighting creates atmosphere; it's what makes your guests feel welcome and relaxed, inviting them to sink in and enjoy themselves. And no one knows how to light a room really well better than expert lighting designer Maxwell Barlow.

After five years at Barlow & Barlow, the design firm he founded with his sister, Maxwell started his own practice, dedicated solely to the art of lighting. Having started his career at award-winning lighting specialists John Cullen Lighting, Maxwell has long understood the power of a good lighting scheme. And while his designs cover a range of settings, it's entertaining spaces where he really shines (pun intended).

His secret is understanding the relationship between lighting and atmosphere. After all, it's the atmosphere that truly defines an event. It's that ineffable quality that the best hosts seem to have an intrinsic understanding of. "Atmosphere is a feeling; it's intangible, much like light itself," explains Maxwell. "Because lighting defines how we experience a space, it has more influence over its atmosphere than anything else in the room. For me, an atmospheric room is one that makes you feel comfortable, is interesting, and makes you want to stay a little longer."

"Designing spaces for entertaining is the part of my job I enjoy most," Maxwell shares. It's a challenge that exists alongside the everyday task of planning your home's lighting scheme. While there's typically a split focus between form and function, when it comes to entertaining, the balance shifts towards the aesthetic side, with a heightened emphasis on building atmosphere and warmth in your space.

"It's a chance to transform a room that's light, spacious and airy by day into somewhere warm, cozy, and intimate in the evening," Maxwell explains. It's about how lighting makes people feel, and developing a design with your guests' experience in mind: "The aim is to make people feel comfortable around each other, and the best way to do that is with warmth and lower light levels."

There's a logic behind this approach, too. Just think about it — do you ever see bright, sterile overhead lights in a good restaurant? No, it's all about soft, dim, candlelit warmth. As Maxwell explains, "Nobody looks or feels good in an operating theatre, so switch off the overhead lights."

Instead, the designer suggests leaning on overhead lighting alternatives to set the scene. "Let shaded lamps do the heavy lifting, then add accent lighting: within joinery, uplighting architectural features, or tucked behind a piece of furniture," he says. It may sound like a lot, but when it comes together, a layered lighting approach will always make your space feel more inviting. "You're aiming for small pools of light, with shadow and darker areas in between," he says.

This soft approach is the same one Maxwell uses in his own home. Having purchased an old stone house, the designer had to find ways to adapt the lighting that was already there. "It's what my father would call a 'Heath Robinson' approach, and involves me rushing around switching lots of things on," he jokes.

Working with the home's unique period features, the lighting accentuates the natural beauty of the property. "The house has very deep windows, all slightly wonky and all different sizes, so I've made small linear uplights from leftover samples in my office," he shares. "They sit in the windows, backlighting objects and pictures, including a pond yacht." This trick helps build atmosphere before guests even set foot in the home. "When guests approach at night, the windows glow warmly, which makes the house feel so inviting."

Inside, these lights help turn the windows into little display cases, illuminating the silhouettes within. From there, it's all about the soft, layered accents. "In the room itself, I have warm lamps on, some joinery lighting, and two picture lights focused on the art," says Maxwell. "That contrast between focused light and the soft ambient glow of the lamps is what really adds to the atmosphere and is worth remembering for all lighting schemes."

The Biggest Lighting Mistakes That Kill the Atmosphere

As a certified lighting expert, Maxwell has a keen eye for spotting any lighting faux pas when out and about, though there's one particular lighting mistake that he says will instantly ruin the atmosphere of any room: cold color temperature.

"I don't want to see anything above 2,700K, and if we're entertaining I'm aiming for 2,200–2,400K," he says. No matter how beautiful your living room design is, a bright, cold overhead light will instantly make your space feel harsh and unappealing. "Glare is the devil's work and destroys everything that makes lighting feel magical," says Maxwell. "And for God's sake, don't put spotlights over people's heads — it's both unflattering and unnerving."

Understanding bulbs and how color temperature works will go a long way when designing your hosting spaces, but, in short, Maxwell says, "Nothing above 2,700K, no exposed bulbs unless they're dimmed to almost nothing, and no downlights over anyone's head."

It's also worth considering how your lighting scheme will shift and adjust throughout the course of the evening. What feels right at 7pm will likely feel overly bright by 9pm, so ensuring your lights are dimmable will make a surprisingly impactful difference.

Surprising Lighting Tips Only The Best Hosts Know

If you've ever entered a beautiful event or luxurious design hotel and wondered how exactly they've made the space feel so elegant and inviting, it's likely down to one of these lighting tricks.

According to Maxwell, the place most people are going wrong is relying too heavily on overhead lighting and not paying attention to the other light sources you could be using. As he explains, "Most people's lighting comes from the ceiling, from downlights and pendants."

One of the key aspects people overlook is the importance of uplighting. "An uplight adds another layer and is easy to place: hide one behind a piece of furniture, or use a pair to wash light up a fire surround. I've just designed a low-glare plug-in uplight for exactly this reason. It really adds to the atmosphere of a room."

This is not to say, however, that overhead lighting is always a complete no-go; it's just about how you do it, and, according to Maxwell, it often comes down to the fitting. "The type of ceiling light or pendant is often the problem, and the worst offender is a badly used glass lantern. They look great by day, and they look great with candles in them, as they were originally designed to."

The problems start when you swap these softer, warm light sources for modern LED lights. "LED bulbs have many benefits, but looking directly at one isn't one of them," says Maxwell. "Put a standard 4W LED candle bulb in a glass lantern, and you'll destroy your retinas, and with them whatever atmosphere you were hoping to achieve." Instead, he says, "Use a very low-output candle bulb at 2,200K or lower instead, and keep it dimmed."

And though a pendant light over your dining room table seems like the classic choice, it's actually one Maxwell suggests avoiding. "When I'm dining, I want candlelight — it's low, warm, and flattering at face height. I think there is something primeval about candlelight. We're drawn to it. A pendant works much better over a kitchen island in my mind."

Now that you've got the lighting down, you're well on your way to perfecting the art of hosting.

And for more expert ideas and stylish inspiration, subscribe to our newsletter.