Ideas in Lighting

Ambient Lighting

• Most overhead lamps and chandeliers are considered ambient lighting. Ambient lights are meant to let you and your guests move around your home when there is little natural light. One example of ambient lighting would be an overhead lamp in the hallway. But, just because ambient lighting is practical, does not mean it has to be boring. An unusual chandelier over the dining table, for example, adds a stunning showpiece to your home. Add a dimmer switch to some of your ambient lighting to create more control and flexibility when it comes to your brighter light sources.

Task Lighting

• Task lighting helps you perform a particular type of work, such as reading at a desk under a desk lamp. You may place reading lamps near comfortable chairs or at the bedside table. Other types of task lighting are used for cooking, hobbies or working in the garage. Make sure you don't get much glare from your task lighting, as the light source should make things easier to see without eyestrain. One example of tasteful task lighting is a lamp over your kitchen island. "Often highly decorative, these fixtures offer a convenient boost of light over your kitchen island or table," the article, "Tactful Task Lighting" on the "Lights Online" website, advises.

Accent Lighting

• The right kind of accent lighting highlights art on a wall, a precious object on a shelf, or a china collection in the kitchen. You can accent a large plant to create mood and ambiance. Most accent lighting does not provide a major light source, rather it is meant to highlight a small area and draw your eyes to that spot.

Decorative Lighting

• Decorative lights, such as candle holders, are design elements in themselves. Decorative lamps and fixtures may not provide much light, but rather serve as a burst of color and style in a drab corner. Candles in candle holders can dress up a dinner table or add soft light to a bubble bath.