Tim Hewetson

Good lighting makes your home feel warm, comfortable and welcoming.  A variety of lighting options are available to suit your needs and your personality.

Consider function. Do you need light to work or read, watch TV or use a computer, highlight a specific area, or provide general illumination?  What mood – warmth, airiness, drama, romance – do you want to create for your room?

Add ambient lighting. Ceiling fixtures, table and floor lamps provide general illumination.  Add dimmers to control the intensity of light while reducing your energy consumption and promoting longer bulb life.

Add task lighting. Directional fluorescents, table and floor lamps provide concentrated light onto work surfaces such as kitchen countertops, desktops and reading spaces.

Add accent lighting. Adjustable spotlights or pendant lights can be used to enhance a specific decorative or architectural feature such as a sculpture, a prized collection, or a fireplace.

Try variety. Combine ambient, task and accent lighting to create texture. Perfectly even light is cold, so experiment with different heights and intensities to see how they work together.

• To reduce eye strain, softly illuminate the wall behind your television set or computer monitor to transition the contrast between the bright screen and a darker room.
• Avoid lighting from ceiling fixtures located directly above the bathroom vanity as they cast shadows.  Opt first for a lighting source flanking both sides of the vanity mirror length, or a light source directly above the mirror.
• Accent lighting on a wall hanging can soften a room particularly when the fixture is positioned at the bottom of the picture and illumination is directed upward.
• If you have a long dining table, hang several fixtures in a row above it instead of just one. It’s striking and contemporary – and everyone at the table will be able to see each other.