3 basic types of lighting you need to know and how to choose the right type

When choosing lighting for your home, it’s important to understand the difference between ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting, and understand the purpose of each type of lighting.

Remember, your home will ideally have a mix of ambient, task, and accent lighting in each room. Paying thoughtful attention to the lighting you choose for your space will have a big impact on the appearance of your home.

“Lighting, when carefully chosen and strategically placed, can transform a space from the ordinary to the extraordinary,” said Barry Goralnick, founder of an eponymous design firm. “Whether it’s setting the mood, emphasizing design elements or ensuring functional convenience, the magic of lighting is truly unparalleled.”

Below, we define each of these lighting types. We’re also sharing valuable insights from interior designers on how to best incorporate ambient, task, and accent lighting into your home.

Ambient light

Ambient light, also known as general light, is what brightens a space. Both recessed and surface-mounted lights are types of ambient lighting, and Linda Hayslett, founder of LH.Designs, is willing to combine both types in one room. This way, you have both lighting and mood options, she says.

Hayslett likes recessed lights to brighten up a room because you can install beautiful fixtures on the ceiling to add interest to the space.

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Where to use ambient lighting

Ambient lighting should be integrated into your main living spaces, including living rooms, bedrooms, hallways, etc.

Task lighting

Task lighting, as the name suggests, helps you focus on specific activities—studying, reading, cooking, etc.

“These types of lights are great for a space because they can add a piece of jewelry, like an earring, to the space while also creating functionality,” says Hayslett. “Wall sconces, pendants, chandeliers, and lamps are great accessories to decorate any room while still serving a purpose.”

Zandy Gammons, founder of Miretta Interiors, likes to be bold with the lighting choices for her work. Gammons explains how task lighting must not only be visually pleasing, but also be able to provide enough light to the work area below.

“We tend to keep those devices oversized and make sure they provide enough light to work,” says Gammons.

However, you’ll want to supplement your task lighting with ambient lighting. “Use lights around the perimeter of a room to aid in overall lighting in the space, but more focused lighting on specific areas is really important,” says Gammons.

Where to use task lighting

You may want to incorporate task lighting in several rooms in your home, including your bedroom, home office, kitchen, etc. The type of fixture you choose will vary depending on the space you have.

For example, wall sconces look great hanging on either side of a bed and can provide great light for reading. Task lamps are ideal for desks, while pendant lights are often hung above kitchen islands.

Accent lighting

Light fixtures help illuminate specific areas or objects in a room, drawing attention to special highlights in your space that deserve to stand out.

Accent lighting is often overlooked, but it’s a key element in creating a cozy look, says Katelyn DeSpain, founder of Makehouse Design Studio.

“It’s about making your space more interesting, whether it’s highlighting a piece of wall art or drawing attention to a structural element of the room,” says DeSpain. .

DeSpain notes that when choosing accent lighting, it’s best to choose fixtures with lower light output. If you have the option of installing a dimmer switch, even better.

Where to use lighting

Incorporate accent lighting into your home by hanging picture lights above a favorite piece of art in the living room or hallway, adding lighting above a basement bar,

Tips for choosing lighting

Determine where you want to make a splash

Gammons says not every light fixture needs to be expensive or flashy. Instead, she recommends choosing a few rooms to really fill with artful fixtures.

“For example, we could choose something more elegant yet simple for the foyer, while adding something a little fun for the office and ornate furniture for the dining room,” she says. All are in harmony with each other.”

Try using fixtures instead of recessed lights.

If possible, stay away from ceiling lights with many bulbs.

“Choose fixtures—whether communal, specialized, or ambient—with sculptural lines to add interest,” says Jeanne Barber, founder of Camden Grace Interiors.