Unless you enjoy fumbling around in a windowless walk-in closet and risking bodily harm each time you walk into a pitch-black room (those kids and their Legos!), lighting is a necessity for every home. Indeed, light improves visibility in darkness, but it we depend on it in our homes for other reasons too. A well-lit space can improve one’s mood, creating a warm and welcoming ambience, whereas poor lighting can create an illusion of a cramped space and can make friends and family avoid certain areas. Light also helps us accomplish household chores and tasks, even during daytime hours, such as cooking, cleaning and working from home.
Whether you’re illuminating your bedroom or your office, incorporating three types of lighting into your home can help you create the ideal space in every room. “A room should always have multi layers of lighting,” suggests interior designer Diane Durocher, owner of her eponymous firm in Ramsey. We’ve teamed up with Durocher to put together the following guide and tips for setting up the right light in your home.
Ambient Lighting
Ambient or general lighting is a necessary part of any good lighting plan because it provides an overall glow to a room and makes it bright enough for you to see and move around comfortably and safely. Interior designers create ambient lighting in their homes using a number of fixtures. Chandeliers and decorative fixtures—often referred to as the “jewelry of the room,” says Durocher—are perfect for entryways and dining rooms, while track lighting and other ceiling-mounted lights can be installed in living rooms, bedrooms and media rooms. Many floor and table lamps can also be used for ambient lighting.
“There are a number of manufacturers that are my go-to for ambient,” Durocher says, “such as ABC Lighting, Fine Art Lamps, Circa Lighting, Currey and Company, Hudson Valley Lighting and Crystorama.”
Accent Lighting
Accent lights create a focal point, and they build upon the ambient lighting of a room by adding dimension. They can be used to draw attention to a piece of artwork, for instance, or to highlight an interior design element such as wall texture. Wall mounted fixtures like picture lights and sconces are ideal ways to create a spotlight for artwork, framed photos and other displayed items (consider using LED bulbs because they give off little heat). But keep in mind that these fixtures shouldn’t be the predominant source of light in larger spaces like a living room. “We find that if a room is not well lit, it is seldomly used,” Durocher says. “Recessed lighting on dimmer switches is important for controlling the amount of light needed, making a living room livable any time of day. Sconces, table lamps and chandeliers can still be used to add to the room’s ambience and personality.”
Durocher looks to brands like Chelsea House and Uttermost when selecting accents for her clients, though she often consults with electricians when choosing recessed and general lighting.
Task Lighting
If you’ve been working from home, you probably recognized the value of a good desk lamp, a type of task light. This type of lighting comes in handy when you have, you guessed it, a task or work to do. It can come from different sources, allowing you the option to adjust brightness to suit your needs. Effective task lighting reduces glare and should be bright enough to prevent eye strain, making it ideal for activities like reading, cooking, crafts and studying.
Working at a computer all day? A desk or other portable lamp can provide ample task lighting. Those who spend plenty of time in the kitchen can benefit from task lights as well. “Kitchens are all about functionality,” Durocher says. “Installing under-cabinet task lighting is essential for cooking, chopping, mixing, etc. Fixtures, such as pendants over an island, create necessary light while adding personality and interest to the room.”
