Lighting to Highlight Your Home's Décor

Attractive, well-lit rooms most often combine the four types of lighting:

• Ambient or general lighting provides a safe and comfortable level of light.
  
  
• Task lighting supplies the intense directed light needed for detailed work.
  
  
• Accent lighting spotlights interesting features in your home's decor.
  
  
• Natural lighting includes sunlight, candlelight and firelight. The quality of natural light changes depending on the time of day, weather, season and location of the room it is in.
  
  
  • A north facing room receives less direct sunlight than a south facing room.
    
    
  • A west facing room receives strong, warm light in the evening, casting an orange tint.
    
    
  • An east facing room receives strong bright, light in the morning, casting a white glow.

If your current lighting scheme employs only ambient or task lighting, you are missing a tremendous opportunity to add interest and vitality to your décor. Adding accent lighting will change your ordinary room into a distinctive one.

Lighting fixtures themselves don't just have to blend into the background. More than ever before, they have become fashion pieces:

• Polished brass finishes, while they remain a popular favorite, aren't the only choices anymore.
  
  
• There is a range of finishes available–pewter, fossil stone, French beige and rustic brown–just to name a few.
  
  
• Tiffany glass is enjoying renewed popularity.
  
  
• If you just need something to update your favorite lamp, there are a variety of shades and decorative finials available.
  
  

• The rail system is bendable to fit any space.

  The cable system is changeable and can be arranged to suit your needs.

  The pendant system can hang from any ceiling.

  Low-voltage lighting systems are available that are powered by an electronic transformer. The transformer mounts to an existing electrical box and converts your house voltage of 120 to 12 volts. By reducing the amount of voltage, the system is safe to touch.
  
  Three different systems are available:
  
  
  • Rail system: The rail system is bendable. You can curve it and form it to fit any space. It is flexible enough to fit into any nook, hallway, alcove, gallery or kitchen.
    
    
  • Cable system: The cable system is changeable and can be arranged in a traditional or contemporary manner. The lights can be moved around on the cable to suit your needs.
    
    
  • Pendant system: The pendant system hangs from any ceiling. Use it over the dining room table for soft lighting or in your living room for added beauty. A ceiling canopy houses a 50-watt electronic transformer that mounts to a standard electrical box. Pendant lights can be used individually or in a group.

Here are some tips to remember as you plan the lighting throughout your home:

• When deciding on the lighting for a room, consider these questions: What kind of mood should the lighting create? What different activities take place in the room? What decorative elements do you want to attract attention?
  
  
• In general, to create an inviting atmosphere use three to five light sources in every room.
  
  
• To simplify your decorating decisions, there are lighting collections available with the same finish and style for pendants, chandeliers, wall-mounted sconces, as well as floor and table lamps. Using fixtures from the same collection within a single room creates a unified look.
  
  
• To make rooms interesting, vary the height of the light sources in the room. The differing heights add depth and interest by creating separate areas of light and shade.
  
  
• In most rooms you should allow for varying intensities of light. Add dimmer switches or use three-way bulbs in lamps for flexibility. Also alternate switching patterns between general lighting, task lights, lamps and accent lighting. For example, while you are preparing food for a dinner party, you'll need task lighting instead of accent lighting, but when the guests arrive, you'll want to be able to switch off the task lights and turn on the accent lights.
  
  
• Remember, because dark colors absorb light, you'll need to use more lighting in rooms decorated with dark colors than rooms with light colors.

Before upgrading the lighting in any room, evaluate your home's existing electrical circuitry. Be sure it can handle the fixtures you plan to add. You may need to upgrade the circuitry in your house to avoid tripping breakers. If you want to add more lighting to several rooms, try to estimate the additional wattage for the entire home at one time to ensure that upgrades to your electrical circuitry will be adequate and to avoid the extra cost of multiple trips from an electrician.

Use a combination of lights in the living room.

Wall washers are mounted equal distance from the wall and each other.

• For ambient lighting in the living room, use a combination of overhead fixtures, table lamps, floor lamps and wall-mounted fixtures. Or you can provide indirect fluorescent lighting from ceiling level soffits.
  
  
• If you need to increase the level of ambient light in the room, use translucent, instead of opaque, shades on table lamps.
  
  
• Consider purchasing three-way lamps and bulbs for floor and table lamps. You'll want a brighter light for reading the paper than for relaxing with friends.
  
  
• To make your living room seem more spacious, light an entire wall with wall-washers. Wall-washers are recessed fixtures that are mounted on the ceiling an equal distance away from the wall and each other.
  
  
• Highlight walls with interesting textures like stone, brick, detailed mouldings or wainscoting. Use recessed halogen downlights or directionals, mounted close to the wall, for this effect.
  
  
• Artwork and large houseplants deserve special attention. Use small picture lights or directional recessed lights to accent artwork. Use floor cans to provide uplighting through plants or recessed cans to downlight the plants.
  
  
• When positioning accent lights, be certain that the lights don't shine into eyes of people seated on the sofa.
  
  
• Showcase accessories, books and collectibles stored in bookcases or entertainment centers with small fluorescent or halogen strip lights.
  
  
• Another way to make the room seem larger is to carry the atmosphere into the outdoors by lighting gardens or shrubbery visible from windows in the room.

A chandelier sets the tone of a dining room.

To help illuminate the tabletop, install four recessed lights in the ceiling above the outside edges of the table.

• The chandelier can help set the tone of the dining room. For instance, if you want to create a formal dining room, try a crystal or polished brass chandelier; however, to lend a more casual atmosphere to the room, choose a chandelier with a rustic, antique or washed finish to complement the colors in your room.
  
  
• To determine what size chandelier you should purchase, measure the width of your dining room table, and subtract 12". This measurement should be approximately equal to the diameter of your chandelier. Mount the chandelier so that it hangs 30" above the center of the table. If your ceiling is higher than 8', mount the chandelier an additional 3" higher for each foot.
  
  
• Choosing a chandelier with a downlight will increase light on the table and provide accent lighting for your centerpiece.
  
  
• To help illuminate the tabletop, install four recessed lights in the ceiling above the outside edges of the table. Using halogen bulbs in these fixtures will make your crystal, silverware and china sparkle.
  
  
• With some styles of chandeliers, you can increase light on the table by mounting small shades on the individual bulbs. The shades force more light down to the table and reduce glare.
  
  
• Showcase your china and crystal. Use small halogen or fluorescent strip lights to illuminate china cabinets from within.
  
  
• Accent buffets with lamps, wall sconces or recessed lights. Buffet lamps are designed especially for use here. They are typically tall candlestick lamps—31"-36" high. However, depending on the size of your buffet and the height of your ceiling, you may find that other accent or table lamps will work better with your décor.

Light up an island with a pendant light.

• A hanging fixture over the table provides decorative interest for the room and good general light.
  
  
• To light up an island, you can use fluorescent lighting fixtures or recessed lights above the island. For more visual interest, however, try using a pendant or a combination of two or three smaller pendants.
  
  
• Use directional recessed lights to highlight artwork in the kitchen or collectibles displayed above the cabinets. If you have a glassed-in or open area of display shelves in your cabinets, light these with small halogen or fluorescent strip lights.
  
  
• For soft, indirect light, mount fluorescent strip lights, hidden on top of the cabinets.
  
  
• Toe kick lighting at the bottom of cabinets is becoming popular. It not only gives a rosy glow to the room, but also lights a quick midnight trip to the kitchen for water without turning on bright lights.
  
  
• Use halogen or fluorescent undercabinet lights to illuminate the countertops where you prepare food.
  
  
• Whether you are washing dirty dishes or slicing vegetables, the sink needs to be lit effectively. Since recessed lights direct light down, they are a good choice over the sink.
  
  
• Recessed lights mounted just in front of the cabinets serve several purposes. They produce a soft ambient light, they send extra light into the cabinets to help eliminate searching through dark cabinets and they provide added light on the countertops.

A seating area in the bedroom can be lit with an off-center pendant.

• For ambient light in the bedroom, use ceiling mounted fixtures or fluorescent bulbs hidden behind soffits or valances.
  
  
• If there is a seating area in the bedroom, use an off-center pendant or a combination of floor and table lamps to light this area.
  
  
• To provide different levels of light in the bedroom, have the lamps in the room controlled by a light switch—a switch that is separate from the ceiling-mounted fixture.
  
  
• Wall-mounted fixtures on either side of a dresser add decorative interest.
  
  
• Three-way lamps and bulbs are a good choice for the bedroom. You'll want a brighter light for reading in bed than for relaxing.
  
  
• Light for reading in bed can be provided in a number of ways. Table lamps are an obvious choice, but if table space is limited or nonexistent, try using wall-mounted fixtures or track lights on the ceiling. Swing-arm lamps are particularly handy for reading in bed. Whatever type of fixture you decide on, make sure that each lamp can be controlled separately so that one person can sleep while the other reads.
  
  
• To add a feeling of romance to the bedroom, use pink bulbs for a soft, warm light.

• Track lighting, since it is flexible, may be a good choice for a child's room. As the child grows, the lights can be readjusted. First, they may focus around a play center, but eventually they can light a desk and computer center.
  
  
• Choose shatter-resistant bulbs for table lamps in children's rooms.
  
  
• Children love night lights. Choose a decorative fixture geared to your child's interests or hobbies.

Light around the mirror is especially helpful when applying makeup.

• If using vanity strips with globe bulbs, choose frosted bulbs instead of clear ones to help minimize shadows.
  
  
• Light around the mirror should come from three places to avoid shadows. There should be light from above, which can be provided by a ceiling fixture, and light on either side of the mirror from wall-mounted fixtures. Position side lights to shed equal light on both sides of the face, or 3 to 4 feet apart on the wall.
  
  
• If you are lighting with recessed lights, angle the lighting to bounce light off the walls and ceiling to help reduce glare and shadow.
  
  
• In a small bathroom or half-bath, light around the mirror may provide enough light for the entire space. In larger bathrooms, use additional recessed lights or decorative fixtures. Remember lights over the bathtub or shower must be UL-rated for use in that area.
  
  
• When applying makeup, it is especially important to have lights that reproduce colors accurately. Halogen bulbs, closely followed by incandescents, are the most flattering to skin tones.

• The home office needs a good general light source. For energy efficiency, try a color-improved warm fluorescent in a ceiling fixture. Warm fluorescents reduce the bluish cast of the light produced by fluorescent bulbs.
  
  
• Light the wall behind the computer to reduce eyestrain. Place light sources beside or above (not in front of) the terminal. To avoid glare, position the computer screen away from windows or ceiling fixtures.
  
  
• A desk lamp with adjustable arms and a three-way bulb may prove practical because you can position the light where you need it and you can adjust the level of the light to suit the particular task. Place the lamp to your left if you are right-handed and to your right if you are left-handed.
  
  
• If your home office includes a comfortable chair for reading, use a floor lamp with a three-way bulb to provide an appropriate level of light.

In addition to a ceiling-mounted chandelier or pendant, use wall sconces or wall-mounted fixtures to add interest. Position them around eye level. A 40 to 60 watt incandescent lamp will create sufficient light in these fixtures.

• For safety, remember to light both the top and bottom of the stairs. Use three-way switches so you can control the light from either place.
  
  
• If it will be difficult to change the bulb in overhead fixtures, use wall-mounted fixtures on the stairway walls.
  
  
• If you can see into the fixture when you walk down the stairs, choose a fixture with frosted glass to prevent glare.

• If artwork is hanging in the hall, use small track, recessed or picture lights with halogen lamps to showcase the pictures. With the appropriate lights, your hallway will look as interesting as an art gallery.
  
  
• For safety, you'll need a lighting fixture for every 8' to 10' of hallway.
  
  
• If the hallway never gets natural light, you may be concerned about energy-efficiency. Using fluorescent fixtures mounted behind valances may be the best solution in this situation.

Fluorescent bulbs cost more, but they are extremely energy-efficient and long-lasting.

When you're looking for light bulbs, the number of choices can be staggering. Here is more information to help you decide which bulbs and lighting systems you need.

• While fluorescent bulbs cost more up front, they are extremely energy-efficient and long-lasting, so they more than make up for their initial cost in energy savings down the road. They burn cooler than any other bulb, and some compact fluorescent bulbs are dimmable with the appropriate ballast powering the bulb. For use inside the home, look for ones with improved color quality.
  
  
• Halogen bulbs burn brighter and render colors better than any other bulbs. They produce more light and last twenty-five percent to three hundred percent longer than incandescent bulbs of the same wattage. Watt for watt, halogen bulbs burn cooler than incandescent bulbs.
  
  
• Incandescent bulbs are good general-purpose bulbs. They are inexpensive and widely available.
  
  
• There are specialty bulbs available that may enhance the look of your fixtures and lighting scheme. Crystal décor bulbs give an elegant fixture added sparkle. Flame tip bulbs replicate candlelight more closely, and colored bulbs can create special effects.
  
  
• Remember, for safety, never use a higher wattage bulb than is recommended in the fixture.