Fundamentals Of Lighting At Home

Lighting plays an important role in the interior design of your home.

Lighting can be functional as well as aesthetic, and striking the right balance between these two qualities is what any interior designer seeks to achieve.

With thoughtfully laid out lighting, you can create a magical mood, transform a room from drab to exciting, and highlight specific aspects of your spaces.  But with poor lighting planning, even the most beautifully decorated spaces can look boring, flat and lifeless. 

What are the three lighting types?

A home lighting plan must look at three layers of lighting: ambient, task and accent.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting is the first and most basic layer of lighting in any residential space, and refers to the general illumination in the room. This can be in the form of natural light from the windows in the daytime, or ceiling or wall lights of different types. Ambient light forms the base lighting, and it is only when the other two layers of light are added that you get the elements of drama and mood in your interior.

Some of the lights that can fall under this category include:

• Chandeliers
• Wall sconces
• Pendant lights
• False ceiling lights
• Ceiling mounted lights