I would not put a fixture in your ceiling. Lighting can make or break a living room, so here's what I'd do.

I'd add sconces to the fireplace wall as you describe, but about a foot lower than you show them. You want the light to reflect off the wall and ceiling, but also to light the space at eye level for a medium sized person.

I'd hang a big mirror over the mantel, to amplify the light and reflect the light from your window. I'd cap and cover the receptacles you aren't using for sconces, as you suggested.

Then I would put good table lamps - one on each side of the sofa, and one for each of your chairs, which I assume will be in front of the outer parts of your window. You could also use floor lamps by the chairs.

I'd also add either wall-mounted lamps with cord covers on either side of the television, to keep that from being a dark corner.

Alternatively, you could use something like these from Crate and Barrel in our den, if you have speakers you can set them on. (They don't look nearly this bright in real life.)

Thanks for the advice, but why not add a ceiling light? All other rooms in the house have a ceiling mount light. Also it's a 1940 house with some style. We were thinking of using something like this. See link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Semi Flush Light

I would put in recessed cans or pot lights...I would put 3 in front of the big window so one would highlight each panel of drapes and one in the center of the window....14-18" away from the wall. I would then do the sconces on the fireplace and consider a recessed light with a trim kit to focus the light over the mantel to highlight artwork you might put there. Then I old put at least 2 recessed cans on the other wall that touches the fireplace to highlight whatever art you might want on that wall. Maybe a recessed can on the far wall.

Use lamps in the rest of the room to make it work. No central ceiling fixture. They are not attractive, provide no support to your decorating scheme, and throw a harsh light.

I should have added that we are way over budget with the entire remodel which includes kitchen and bathroom. So we can't go adding a bunch of recessed lights for $150 a pop. I would like to keep it simple. My electric bill is quoted at U$12k already because of the rewire.

Also wanted to avoid the recessed lights because we are trying to keep the 1940 style of the house.

Please save yourself some money on the electric work and do not put in an overhead fixture. Do your first option to have sconces on either side of the fireplace, but lower them as bronwynsmom (a designer) suggested.

Get some nice lamps and put them on tables around the room, and it will be much more attractive and warm looking. The fixture you show is one that I might picture in a kitchen or over a dining nook, but not in your living room.

This is from the link below on living room ideas -
Lighting

"Nothing kills a room's style like bad lighting. Don't depend on overhead lighting to be the main light source in your living room. Overhead lights cast a lot of shadows and can be harsh and cold. Instead, make sure you have plenty of lamps, they have a softer light that will make the room feel warm. A lamp at each end of your sofa and a floor lamp by your chair will encourage folks to curl up with a good book. With the proper amount of lamps you can avoid using the harsh overhead light altogether."

Here is a link that might be useful: Living Room Decorating Ideas

Thanks my3dogs. So the main lights would be just the 2 sconces flanking the fireplace? The thing with lamps is having to go around the room turning each of them on. Or I need to know exactly where they are going to be in advance and ask electrician to put a switch that controls each lamp outlet. Plus I would probably have to put more outlets I imagine cause I don't want all of them being controlled by switch. For example, I don't want someone to accidentally turn off the TV or Wi-Fi.

All the outlets in some areas of my house are operated by a light switch (no overhead lights in bedrooms or living room), but are only wired to the top plug. So I can plug in the things that need to remain on, that I don't want affected by the switch, into the lower plug, but all the lamps are plugged into the upper plug so when I flip the switch is on, they turn on. It's a great system.

Hmmm, I have lamps in each room of my house, but I can honestly say that I have never wanted them all on in my living room at once. I tend to use them where I need them, like I don't want every lamp in my LR on if I'm on the couch reading a book. The lamps on either end of my couch are controlled by a wall switch.

Olychick has a great idea, though! Older houses like ours (mine is a 1937 cape) never have enough outlets. I have added several over the years, as I use the rooms and know where I needed another.

Deleting duplicate post that arrived hours after the above.

This post was edited by my3dogs on Sun, May 19, 13 at 18:23

I so agree with the lamps advice - I wish I had I olychick's system (glorious!) but my old house has less than optimal wiring - I just put timers on my lamps so no flipping on and off (I change them 2x a year for day light savings/winter) - super easy and pleasant lighting.

Thanks. I will talk to the electrician about the outlets. So yes for the sconces flanking the fireplace or are they not needed at all? is it weird not having other sconces?

Yes to the sconces flanking the fireplace. This is almost always a good location for permanent lighting. We have single sconces on each side of our fireplace and double ones flanking the very large window on the opposite wall. They all turn on together from a switch at the entry to the room. They each have individual controls in case I would want to turn one or two off, but I never have.

Since you know where your sofa is going to be, outlets on either side of it would probably be a good idea, either for table or floor lamps as well.