Different Types of Lightings Used in Modern Homes

Last updated on February 26, 2017

A large number of options are available in the market when it comes to providing light in a home. Some kinds of fixtures are commonly associated with a specific layer of lighting, including:

Ambient: Ambient lighting is also known as general lighting. It is used to provide an overall illumination for a room. Independent of any particular lighting that may be required in targeted areas of a room, ambient light creates an unvarying light level throughout a space. Best suitable for most home settings, ambient lighting is available in various forms such as ceiling-mounted or lower-level fixtures that direct light downwards, wall sconces or floor-lamp that wash the walls with light, cove, soffit and valance lighting that bounces light off ceilings and walls.

Task: Task lighting is also known as directional lighting. As the name suggests, task lighting is targeted to a specific area of a room to perform a particular task. Some of the common areas of a home that require task lighting including living room seating areas, kitchen counters and under cabinets, home office desk, etc. Some of the most common examples of task lighting fixtures are appliance lights, desk lamps, ceiling pendant fixtures, etc. You can consider buying inexpensive pull down beautiful pendant lighting, portable lamps, desk lamps or clip-ons. Also, make certain that the bulbs used in task lighting fixtures are brighter (so as to prevent eyestrain) than the others in the room.

Accent: Accent lighting is also known as highlighting. This kind of lighting is used to draw attention to specific object such as, an art of work, plants, sculpture, pieces of furniture, book cases, collections, general architecture, etc. Accent lighting is a great way of adding some style and drama to your home. It is often used outdoors to draw attention to beautiful trees, plants or water feature, or to focus a particular area of the landscape. When installed properly, accent lighting creates a very sophisticated atmosphere. Some of the most commonly used accent lighting at home include wall lights, recessed lighting or spot lighting, landscape lighting, etc.

When planning to install the layers of lighting in your home, it always make sense to consider installing the ambient lighting first and then consider task lighting and accent lighting.