Light plays a huge factor in a room’s overall feel and energy.  Different lighting can change the entire atmosphere.  It is essential to tailor your light fixtures to enhance your space rather than diminish your room’s worth.  There are three primary purposes for lighting in a room: general, ambient, and task.  Balancing all three in a room can be challenging, but it can tremendously improve your design.

First, you will want to decide what your room’s general lighting option will be.  This is your deliberate attempt to illuminate your space. Overhead lighting is, generally, a great place to start.  This lighting option should be the room’s focal point of illumination and should fill the whole room.  You can go with different overhead lighting options or incorporate something elegant like a chandelier.  A chandelier will be a bold, statement lighting option that gives the room most of the energy.

Next, you will want to incorporate ambient lighting.  This can be spotlights projected on to pictures and dimming spotlights along a rail. They will help set the room’s feel and help drive the eye towards the focal point in the room.  Ambient lighting is essential to help amplify the room’s aesthetic and design style.

Lastly, make sure to include the use of task lighting.  This is lighting you may have above a workstation or a desk.  You may also want to have light beside your bed as night lights or even a lamp on the side table of your couch.  Task lighting is vital to help amplify the room’s light in particular areas.

Understanding different illuminating options is pivotal to picking the right lights.  Too little of lighting can make a room feel dark and small. Windows and natural lighting are great at opening up a space, but sometimes your room does not give you those amenities. Adding the right lights to your home is essential to creating a lively, energetic atmosphere.  Your lighting options should complement your design style of the room and accentuate the room’s ambiance.  Picking the right light choices can be challenging, but with a better understanding of options and styles, you should be well equipped for the task ahead of you.