Courtesy of Kichler® Lighting
Selecting lighting for your home is more than the placement of lighting fixtures in various rooms so you can see in the dark. The way in which you light your home can have a significant effect on the total look and feel of each room. By using different lighting techniques, you can create a very dramatic look, create a soft, cozy feeling in a room, highlight artwork, or provide ample lighting for a work area. When planning the lighting for a room in your house, begin by considering the activities that take place there and the look you are trying to achieve. Then, use a combination of these three categories of lighting to build a blueprint of the lighting you'll need. The three classifications of lighting types are Task, Accent, and General.
Task Lighting Task Lighting is used to help illuminate areas where you spend a lot of time doing an activity. Task lighting could be used under the cabinet in the kitchen for cooking, in a den or study for reading, or above a pool table for entertainment. Pendant fixtures,
portable lamps and under cabinet lights can provide bright, non-glaring illumination for task lighting, while adding beauty to your home. Tiffany lamps and fixtures are good examples that provide ample light for a task, but also serve as decorative accessories. Accent Lighting Accent Lighting is used to emphasize a certain subject or characteristic in a room. Perhaps you have a fireplace mantel, artwork, or a family photograph that you'd like to highlight. Pendants and wall sconces can be used to create these dramatic effects of key visual points in a room. General Lighting General Lighting sets the mood of a room and provides basic illumination over a broad area, while adding a decorative touch. This aspect of lighting is important to your overall lighting plan and will be used in combination with both Task and Accent lighting. Chandeliers, flush mounts, or other ceiling fixtures can provide general lighting and become the focal point of your room. LightingUniverse.com carries the largest selection of Kichler® Lighting products on the internet! Click here to view all Kichler® products!Article and images Copyright 2002 Kichler® Lighting. Used with permission. All rights reserved. |
