Unless you’re the Queen of England, with designated parlors and sitting rooms for every kind of occasion, chances are your living room serves as the backdrop for all sorts of activities that keep your home life buzzing, from Sunday binges of Game of Thrones and weekly family game nights to quiet evening reading sessions and holiday-morning gift exchanges. Sure, you’ve made certain that your furnishings are flexible enough to accommodate each and every one of those functions, but one oft-overlooked element is just as crucial to pulling off every party and Netflix and chill with effortless style: lighting. If you thought you could just sprinkle in a few table lamps and call it a day, you’d be wrong. Here are designer-approved strategies to help you set the mood in your living room for optimum, well, living.