The Keystone to Great Lighting

[Statyk]

One way I avoid the performance drop from having a lot of shadowcasters clustered together is avoiding placing lights in spots that would require it to cast so many shadows! For example, that screenshot with the candle on the 2 small tables and the 2 couches next to it? I would just remove one of the couches and move the other slightly farther away, as well as adjusting the small square table appropriately.

or just set one light facing 90 degrees to one couch, another 90 degrees to the other, and another 45 to the table and leave the rest to a pointlight. =P This way they don't touch/cross each other.