In most homes lighting doesn’t take top priority. In fact, people commonly under-spend when it comes to lighting. A little lighting can have a very dramatic effect on a room or a space.

Lighting helps you perform tasks more easily, makes you feel safer and more comfortable, and allows you to enjoy your home to its full potential. Lighting adds beauty and drama to a room. It can make a small room look open and airy, and a large room appear cozy and inviting. It can create a stimulating atmosphere for a night of entertaining, or a quiet feeling of relaxation after a long, tiring day. In so many ways, lighting can make a difference. And, it does so inexpensively compared to other home decorating or remodelling options.

As with all aspects of decor and design, lighting should be planned to complement your lifestyle.

Shine Some Light on Home Decorating

General Lighting, Task Lighting, Accent Lighting are you a little confused when trying to decide what type of lighting should go where? The following break down of the three most common categories will shed some helpful light on the subject.

General lighting
General lighting is used to cast a comfortable level of brightness throughout a room. It is best achieved with a mix of sources, such as a central ceiling-mounted fixture and recessed spotlights around the perimeter.

Task lighting
Task lighting focuses on a specific spot in a room, such as reading, food preparation or study, and makes working much more comfortable. This type of lighting is best achieved with a mix of sources, such as ceiling- or wall-mounted fixtures.

Because of their high light output and small size, compact fluorescent bulbs and halogen track lights work well for task lighting.

Accent Lighting
Accent lighting is designed to spotlight a room's best features. It can be used to highlight a painting or to bring out the texture of a wall. Effects are best achieved with track lights, recessed lights, and wall-mounted fixtures - any beam that's stronger than the general lighting. Incorporate a dimmer to create a multitude of moods.

Choosing a bulb
Many sizes and styles of bulbs can be found at a good electrical supply house, but most fall into one of three categories:

Incandescent - Casts a warm, pleasant light and shows fabrics and paints in their true colours but can make the room uncomfortably warm if too many are used.

Fluorescent - Compact versions that fit standard fixtures cost more than incandescents to buy but use only one-third the electricity. For kitchens, specify warm white (not cool white) tubes for best colour rendition.

Tungsten-halogen - This low-voltage incandescent bulb provides an intense beam that's ideal for spotlighting objects. They last longer and use less electricity than standard incandescents but cost more up front and produce lots of heat.