A Guide to Party Lighting for Small Spaces (Without the Overkill)
Are you planning a house party? Or maybe you’re DJing at an intimate private gig?
Party lighting for small spaces can offer a number of challenges. The biggest challenge of lighting a confined area is achieving sufficient scale. Unlike large venues and events where you can utilise multiple rigs, floodlights, and moving heads in different zones, small spaces require restraint and more consideration.
In this guide, we will help you understand how to use lighting set ups to your greatest advantage regardless of the venue size.
The Challenges of Small Venue Lighting
A few lighting missteps can easily turn an event into an uncomfortable experience.
For example, in a large venue with a high ceiling placing a strobe can be an effective lighting choice. But using a strobe for a home party light or in an overcrowded room for a more intimate event, the effect can be blinding and dizzying.
Apart from the size of the lighting fixture itself, lighting can make a room feel overcrowded and prevent guests and attendees from enjoying themselves comfortably. When you’re approaching small venue lighting choices, there are a number of factors to bear in mind.
1. What is the size and shape of the room?
Start with the room itself: Is it small or awkwardly shaped? How will it reflect or amplify light differently as a result? Look for surfaces such as reflective mirrors or polished floors that can increase the intensity of lighting. And be mindful of the height of the ceiling, as low-hanging lights can cause beams directly into people’s eyes rather than, as intended, across the room.
2. How many people will be attending?
Party lighting for small spaces also depends on the number of guests.
A slightly larger room packed with people can require equally as considered lighting as a small room with far fewer people. Body movement and shadows can affect how the lighting looks and how it is felt, and can determine whether an overhead solution rather than a freestanding lighting set up is best.
3. What are the safety hazards?
Small venues can present a ton of safety risks. Wires running across a narrow area or heavy fixtures at risk of being bumped into can pose a real danger to the wellbeing of attendees.
In smaller venues with significant crowds, these risks are magnified since people generally can’t easily avoid them or are not focused on staying within certain demarcated areas.
4.What atmosphere are you trying to achieve?
The party theme and ambiance you are after are important considerations as well. Small spaces can’t absorb too much light intensity, so if you want a relaxed, cozy vibe opt for more subtle and softer lighting. Even if you are after an energetic, club-style atmosphere, small venue lighting can easily be overdone if you are not careful.
The Basic Principles for Small-Space Lighting
Now that you know what to consider when putting together your small venue or home party light solution, let’s break down some of the principles for most effective lighting.
Remember: The goal of party lighting in all spaces is to create ambiance whilst being functional. Good lighting will fill the room with energy whilst ensuring attendees are comfortable.
Layer your lighting
For small venues in particular, relying on a single source or lighting effect is not the best idea. Instead, try to create layers of lighting to prevent overly harsh contrasts. Think soft ambient light from LED bars, accent lighting to highlight corners, and dynamic effects for energy boosts.
Use height when placing your lights
Using height whenever and where possible is the key to party lighting for small spaces. Mounting small LED lights onto walls and ceilings helps with evenly distributing the lighting but also allows for greater use of the space itself. For rooms with focal areas, such as a dance floor, angle lights towards that area and leave seating zones more gently lit.
Less can often be more
It can be tempting to think that stronger lighting or more lighting makes for a better vibe. But with small venue lighting, subtlety often triumphs over intensity. Opt for lower-intensity colour washes or dimmable lights that are more effective in setting the mood without the adverse effects of glares or visual fatigue.
Multifunctional lighting is your friend
Party lighting for small spaces is easier when you have options. That’s why we recommend choosing multifunctional fixtures, such as compact lighting units with multiple effects, strobe modes and other options. This allows you to switch your lighting effect and impact without cluttering the space with too much equipment.
Should you use Specialist Lighting for your Small Space?
Coloured LEDs
Coloured LEDs are adaptable and flexible for use in small settings. They can wash walls in a warm glow or use changing colours in synchronicity with the music. Nowadays, these systems are easy to control remotely, allowing you to dial up or tone down the light intensity as needed and are therefore a great idea.
Strobe Lighting
Strobe lighting can be effective but for small spaces needs to be used in moderation and carefully. The rapid flashing can irritate and strain one’s vision. In general, we recommend using strobes as a temporary enhancer, not a constant light setup.
Mirror Balls/Disco Balls
The use of lighting mirrors or disco balls will depend largely on your event theme. In small spaces, they can actually help to scatter light wonderfully with nothing more than a single spotlight. Plus, their compact nature and ability to hang from the ceiling ensures they don’t clutter the valuable real estate of the small venue.
Lasers
Lasers can be a highly striking choice visually, but it is also risky in smaller areas given the concentration and intensity of the beams. When used properly in conjunction with a haze machine, they can add a nightclub edge and make the space feel larger – ironically – as long as they are positioned safely and angled away from direct eye contact.
Moving Heads & Effects
A single compact moving head light can effectively create shifts in intensity and direction, giving your gig or event the illusion of a larger lighting setup. However, use these fancy lighting setups sparingly as going beyond one or two heads in a small room can feel crowded and chaotic.
What to avoid with your lighting
Here are quick, simple and effective small venue lighting:
- Avoid excessive fixtures and harsh floodlights
- Don’t mount lights at eye level
- Only use one novelty light or effect
- Opt for wireless or battery-powered lighting to avoid cord clutter
- Test your lighting set up before the event
- Ensure you have quick control and remote access in case you need to adjust on the fly
DJ City: The home of all your small venue and home party light needs
Did you know that DJ City is not just one of Australia’s largest online stockists of DJ and music equipment but also of lighting and other accessories?
From LED wash bars and portable strobes to compact moving heads and themed lights, our team can help you find the perfect small venue lighting solution. Explore our range of party lighting for small spaces, or even large venues as well, today.
