Studies highlight the benefits of natural light in the home, yet it’s simply impossible to enjoy these perks when darkness falls.
That’s why mankind has come up with various ways to increase the safety, convenience, and functionality of their interiors when the sun goes down.
Candles are fantastic for creating a relaxed or romantic mood, but they won’t do when it comes to enhancing your home’s safety and functionality. You need electric lights to fulfill these roles.
These are the four types of lighting every well-dressed home needs.
General Types of Lighting
General lighting helps us to see where we’re going and what we’re doing after dark. It lights up the entire room and can play a role in the overall atmosphere of each interior space. That’s why it’s also referred to as ambient lighting.
The most common types of general lighting options are overhead lights like fluorescents and other types of light suspended from the ceiling, like box lights, and chandeliers.
Most rooms need a source of general lighting, but it’s particularly important on stairways, at entry points, and down hallways. You can choose lightbulbs of varying intensity depending on how much light you need in each space.
Sunlight’s the predominant source of ambient light during daylight hours, but we need general lighting to see at night.
Accent Lighting
Like ambient lighting, accent lighting for homes can play a major role in setting the mood. It’s usually used to highlight certain features of a room, such as a focal point.
Wall lights, like sconces, are among the best lighting fixtures for attractive accent lighting. Recessed lights, track lighting, and torchère lamps also work well to create visual interest in your living spaces.
It takes a few adjustments in the angle of your accent lighting to create the perfect effect, but the results make all the effort worthwhile.
Task Lighting
Task lighting highlights a particular area of your home so you can perform a specific task in that area. Standing lamps and desk lamps for reading are the best-known types of task lighting.
You also need task lighting in your kitchen so that you can prepare food without risking your fingers and measure out ingredients precisely. Undercounter lighting and pendant lights work well for these purposes.
Architectural Lighting
Architectural lighting is a type of accent lighting used to focus attention on aspects of your building. As such, it’s commonly used on building exteriors to show off attractive design features at night.
This type of home lighting is also common for showcasing water features like fountains.
Alternative types of outdoor lighting include those that enhance security, general lighting light floodlights, and functional lights like deck lights.
Choose the Best Lighting For Your Home
Using the right types of lighting inside your home increases its comfort and appeal. In this way, it can also affect the value of your house if you decide to sell it.
So, it makes sense to invest in the best when you upgrade your home lighting systems.
Need more inspiration? Browse our blog for interior design and lighting tips to suit your home.
