Every living room should have a variety of lighting types, including ambient and task lighting.
Ambient lighting is what illuminates the room as a whole. It’s not the brightest type of lighting but it does cover the most area. Ceiling lights are the most common source of ambient light in a living room.
Task lighting is a targeted light source that is usually only turned on at certain times. It’s typically brighter than ambient lighting but covers a much smaller area. Table and floor lamps are both examples of task lighting in a living room.