The World of Lighting

Lighting Selections
Lighting for living spaces such as living rooms, dens and bedrooms can actually be more difficult to design than lighting for task areas such as kitchens and home offices. The lighting must be flexible for the many and varied activities in these rooms. These elements are usually at the perimeter of the room, on or adjacent to the wall. Accent lighting is best accomplished with spotlights (low voltage halogen is a good energy-efficient choice), or wall washing (large lamp fluorescent strips are good for even lighting of large areas). Track or recessed lighting are good choices for spotlighting individual pieces of artwork or points of great interest. Bookshelves, very large wall art (quilts, murals, etc.) or collections (groups of small objects with equal import) are best lit with wall washers. These can take the form of recessed cans or track, but a better choice may be to use architectural fixtures. A luminous soffit or a valance can be built to hold fluorescent strips to provide uniform wall lighting. Don't forget to light 'floating' furniture like coffee tables, as these provide a nice focal point for seating areas. Site also features information on ceiling fans, seasonal affective disorder and track lighting.

Lighting Fixtures and Design Articles
A wealth of articles including lighting for living spaces, demystifying track lighting, ceiling fan installation and selection, seasonal affective disorder, touch the light, outdoor deck and patio lighting, bedroom lighting, kitchen lighting, landscape lighting, ceiling fans, residential lighting design, green lights and design, clubhouse lighting and design, lamp technology, hospitality lighting design, under cabinetry and cove lighting, track lighting cable and rail, light nouveau, lighting dimmers and controls, lighting office spaces, recessed lighting, and lighting design.

Effective Ways to Use Home Lighting in Interior Decorating
According to this site, "Home lighting is arguably the most important element in home interior decorating." In order to fully achieve the utmost out of your home lighting it is vital, according to this site, that you understand the four basic types of home lighting. There's ambient or general lighting. This includes recessed lighting and track lighting, and certain wall sconces. The author recommends that dimmers be used with track lighting to give the homeowner control over the lighting environment. Then there is task lighting, lighting which allows you to perform a specific task. Task lighting should be bright but glare free. It should illuminate without straining the eyes. Next is accent lighting. This type of lighting is used to accent paintings or sculptures or other works of art. Accent lighting should be about three times as bright as the ambient lighting. Finally there's natural lighting. Natural lighting comes in through windows and skylights and varies in brightness and intensity with the time of day and with the season. The proper combination of all four types of lighting makes for the perfect living environment.