Everyone has struggled with choosing the right lighting for their home. It’s often the most fought over decision among new homeowners. It is definitely an important item to choose correctly. The wrong fixture won’t bring enough light into the room. Or the opposite can happen where there is so much light in the room that it begins to feel more like a doctor’s office rather than a home.

What lighting is best for my space?

Normally, there are three basic lighting types to choose from. Determining which better fits your needs and deciding on the right fixture will be so much easier.

Ambient. Another term for this is general lighting. It is the source that brings the most light into any room. It is what will determine the highest level of brightness to any room. It is normally the ceiling fans, chandeliers and recess lighting. Every room in your home should have ambient lighting and with Gatco’s classic design gives your room old world charm and elegance.

Task. You’ll find task lights on your writing desk. It is a lamp to help you while you’re writing a letter to family. It’s the floor lamp set beside your reading nook. Even a nightlight left in the hallway is considered a task light.

Accent. This is a more decorative option. Hudson Valley accent lighting is used to highlight a certain decor in your room whether it be a beautiful painting, or a lovely corner of your room. It provides character to any home. Mirrors are for more than a bathroom, if you have a small room and want it to look larger you add a mirror, if you also want to add light you add a Ronbow Albert Wood Frame LED Mirror.

What lighting is bad for your space?

Oyster. While this was once something in style, it is definitely overused and an eye sore today. It also does not provide much help when it comes to lighting a room.

Color. This seems pretty obvious yet many try to sneak this in believing they are adding a unique ambiance to their home. It is never a good idea to add any lighting of color to any room. Even if it’s an accent lighting option, this decorating idea was done away with a long time, and rightfully so.

Pendant. In some recent designs, decorators have been able to make pendant lighting work. However, it is severely discouraged if you don’t have high ceilings or long hallways. It’s simply an option that can get in the way and clutter your walls. And with a smaller living space, you have to be careful with your use of wall real estate.

Wrong size. Contrary to belief, size matters. A larger room will need the appropriate amount of lighting. Be sure that the ambient lighting is sufficient for the square footage of the room so that corners do not disappear into a gradient.