The Best Lighting Options for Each Room

Choosing lighting for each room in your home can seem intimidating. Between LED, track lights, can lights, table lamps, floor lamps, chandeliers, and more, the list of options goes on and on. However, some rules of thumb can make it easier to understand what type of lighting should go in each room. No matter the size of a space,lighting can make a huge difference in mood, style, and usability, and quality lighting can add both style and function to your home. If you’re looking for the best lighting for the different rooms in your house, take a look at what we recommend!

Types of Lighting

Three types of lighting can be used in any room. It’s good practice to have at least two of these lighting types in any room.

1. The first type of lighting is ambient, or general, lighting. This is used to light the whole space and is needed in every room, typically as overhead lighting. When lighting a room, this is the first step. Chandeliers, ceiling fans, pendants, track lighting, and other overhead fixtures all fall in this category. If you’re building a new home, your contractor will evaluate each space to determine the appropriate amount of ambient light for each room.

2. The second type of light is task lighting. Task lighting gives off bright, direct light to help you see clearly when accomplishing a specific task such as reading, studying, applying makeup, and cooking. This category includes desk lamps, under-cabinet lighting, and vanity lighting. Task lighting often can swivel, rotate, or extend to provide extra flexibility.

3. Last is accent lighting. This type of lighting is used to brighten up darker corners of a room, provide a stylistic element, or spotlight certain parts of the room, such as paintings or other decor elements.

Ideal Lighting by Room

• Entryway – The entryway or foyer to your home is where visitors get their first impression, so you want plenty of ambient lighting to ensure the area is bright and welcoming, maybe even with a chandelier or similarly dramatic fixture. A table lamp on a side table can provide additional accent light.
• Kitchen – Lots of tasks happen in the kitchen, so in addition to ambient light, you may want to hang several pendant lights over the counter or island to facilitate easy food prep or completion of homework.
• Bathroom – In bathrooms, vanity lights are a popular option for bright light to apply makeup, shave, and do other personal hygiene tasks. A ceiling fan may be a good option to combine ambient light with ventilation.
• Bedroom – Bedrooms benefit from soft ambient light as well as task lighting on a nightstand or near the bed for reading or other before-bed activities. Some individuals may enjoy having a dimmer capability to adjust the brightness and mood of the space.
• Living Room – The living room is one of the coziest places in your home, so it’s a great area to experiment with a variety of lighting styles. In addition to ambient light, accent lighting such as track lighting or wall sconces can draw the eye to a fireplace mantel or centerpiece.

Electrical Lighting Services Near You

No matter which room you’re choosing to add lighting to, make sure it’s a good fit for the space. With a combination of the three main types of lighting, you’ll have bright and beautiful rooms throughout your house. For electrical lighting services, contact F.H. Furr.

F.H. Furr has been providing Delmarva residents with plumbing, heating, air conditioning, and electrical services since 1936. With more than 75 years in business, we’ve built and maintained a strong reputation for providing service that is honest, efficient, and high quality. Our team of professional technicians is highly trained and able to provide 24/7 emergency services for all your HVAC, plumbing, and electrical needs. Contact us today to learn more.