Lighting is often an overlooked element that contributes a great deal to the style and mood of a room. Some designers feel it’s an even more important than color, as it controls the way colours appear. The effort you put into selecting the correct lighting will pay off in terms of both flair and function. A good lighting scheme is a combination of ambient, accent, and task lighting.
Make a room plan before buying or installing lighting. Start by considering all the ways in which the room will be used: reading, relaxing, studying, playing games, watching TV, bathing, cooking, etc. Then consider what types of lighting will best meet those needs. A multilayered plan, combining the following three types of lighting, will provide options for meeting practical needs and creating different atmospheres.
Ambient lighting is the general, overall light in the room, including whatever comes in from windows, doors, skylights, etc. Ambient lighting also has to replace natural light at night and on grey days. Ambient lighting casts strong, even light throughout a space. Typically, this is accomplished through ceiling fixtures, often one large central overhead light. This can be practical but is rarely flattering or especially pleasing aesthetically. With a little more thought, you can provide ambient lighting that is flexible and attractive, through the creative use of pendants, chandeliers, recessed lighting, track lighting, and table and floor lamps.
Accent lighting is designed to highlight special features or areas. It’s usually highly focused, designed to emphasize art, architectural details, or vignettes. Really artistic accent lighting can sometimes take on the quality of an architectural element in itself, adding great style and drama to a room. Examples of accent lighting include: small lights affixed inside cabinets with glass doors or along bookshelves, to highlight the contents; uplights placed on the floor behind a large plant to create dramatic silhouettes and shadows; and track lights arranged to show off the contours and texture of a sculpture.
Task lighting is designed to provide illumination for specific tasks, such as sewing, cooking, hobbies, reading, personal grooming, etc. It’s meant to protect you from such risks as eye strain, or cutting yourself slicing a bagel while standing in your own shadow. Task lighting can be a form of energy efficiency; it may not be necessary to light a whole room if you have appropriate task lighting where needed. Almost every room needs some kind of task lighting, whether it’s to sew on a button in the laundry room or apply makeup in the bathroom. Wall-mounted, swing-arm reading lamps at bedside are a great example of stylish fixtures that provide task lighting. Kitchens and bathrooms particularly demand good task lighting. In the kitchen, under-cabinet lights can provide sufficient light for prep activities, but other fixtures, such as pendants or recessed (pot) lights, may be required to light an island or the stove area. In the bathroom, the harsh light from most overhead fixtures would make even a beauty look beastly. Install sconces on either side of the mirror for soft lighting that won’t send you screaming back to bed.
Some final tips: Don’t forget dimmers: they allow you to refine your lighting schemes even more, and save energy, too. And remember that non-electric lighting sources—candles and fireplaces—add feelings of warmth, softness, festivity, romance, and elegance, so include them in your plan.
