Flip the switch and shine a little light on your space! Choosing the best light styles and fixtures throughout your home can be challenging. It’s an aspect that can make or break the ambiance of a room. When done correctly, lighting can create balance and consistency, tying all elements of the space together and solidifying your overall design style. Each room in your house should have a specific mood and function.

Here’s how to determine the purpose of your lighting in each space.

Ambient Lighting
One of the most common types of lighting, ambient light is the general illumination of a space. It is a comfortable amount of light, providing a soft glow that blankets your home just enough to function without causing a glare. This enables you to safely see and navigate a room. Create ambient light by making the room’s lighting as natural and flat as possible.

A combination of different fixtures layers comfortable light to create ambient lighting in your space. Track lights are great in a den or living room. Chandeliers and pendants work well with taller ceilings, specifically in the foyer and over the tub in your bathroom. Wall sconces are versatile enough to work almost anywhere, especially in hallways and on patios.

Task Lighting
Task lighting is a more concentrated light. It is direct and typically required to successfully complete tasks like cooking, writing, crafting and studying. It is generally brighter light targeting a specific area using pendants, track lighting or table lamps with shades. It helps naturally stimulate your brain and increases alertness and concentration. The best task lighting ensures enough light to illuminate the task, but not too much to create a glare.

Use lamps on your floor, desk, coffee table or bedside table. Under-cabinet lights work well in your kitchen, and vanity lighting is great surrounding mirrors in the bathroom. Pendants are great perfect they can hang directly above work spaces. Track lights are similar, but they generally cover a larger space. These fixtures provide great sources of task lighting above kitchen islands and in homework areas. 

Accent Lighting
This is additional lighting intended to enhance a space or draw the eye to its focal point. Accent lighting is a great way to add style and interest to your interior design. This often involves additional light for art, plants, bookcase displays, unique room features and other pieces you want illuminated. According to American Lighting Association, accent lighting should be three times brighter at its focal point than the general lighting around it.

Wall lights are available in a variety of sizes, allowing you to highlight large or small pieces of artwork. Recessed and spot lights are often used for wall washing, such as illuminated a beautiful brick texture. Landscape lights are ideal for showing off the outside of your home, lighting up pathways and adding drama.

Visit our showroom to see each of these lighting styles at work and to learn more about how to incorporate them into your home. You can click here to fill out a complimentary design consultation form. We’ll shed a little light on your dream space!