Lighting the Home

Lighting in the home serves a dual purpose - it is both functional and decorative. While it is always a must to plan for your lighting needs before constrcution or renovation begins, it is almost always impossible to anticipate all your lighting needs. You may have to make modifications as you change the layout of the furnitures in a room.

You must have heard or read interior designers or architects talk about a few lighting terms over and over again. Here are some of the more commonly used terms:

General illumination refers to overall illumination. This basically involves raising the light level of the room to a point where shadows are at its minimum.

Localized lighting refers to lighting for a specific area, such as reading, writing, etc.

Decorative lighting refers to a lighting fixture that adds to a rooms decorative scheme as well as providing general illumination.

Accent lighting refers to the use of achieving a dramatic effect by means of light without drawing attention to the light fixture itself. It is used to highlight a planter, painting, sculpture or any other display object.

Wall lighting also interchangeable with valance lighting, refers to a fixture attached to a wall or over a window providing general illumination or accent lighting.

Lighting fixtures can do much to enhance the appearance of any room, Which type of light you use depends on the area, function and the mood and color you wish to achieve.