Lighting Your Home to Set the Right Mood

When it comes to interior design, lighting plays an intricate part. Light is the element that sets the entire mood of the room creating a range of emotions for you and your guests.

Artist and Craftsman, Louis Comfort Tiffany grasped this idea when handcrafting his precious Tiffany lamps. Comfort had a fascination with light and his revelatory work in stained glass led him to find new ways to combine electric lighting into his well-known designs.

In 1885, while working on the Lyceum Theatre in New York, Tiffany managed to use electric lighting and his creative designs for a one-of-a-kind lighting experience. In 1899, he introduced his nature-inspired, elaborate Tiffany lamps that have set the mood in homes for many years.

Using Tiffany style lighting, you can create a number of different moods in your home. Tiffany's dragonfly designs offer an playful feel for any room of your house. His early works lend a more masculine attitude to a room.

Other Tiffany lamps project classic, grace and beauty characterized by floral patterns.

Let your mind free and consider how each room in your home will be used. This will help you to determine what type of lighting you should purchase while still fitting into your budget.

There are four basic types of lighting to consider, and they each serve a purpose.

Ambient lighting provides light for the whole room. When choosing ambient lighting, you may want to think about installing a dimmer for flexibility. Ambient lighting includes: recessed downlights, cove lighting, valance lighting sconces, track lighting, chandeliers and portable fixtures.

Task lighting is well named. It assists you in completing the task at hand such as cooking, school work and grooming. The best task lighting should be glare free, and effective without cause eye strain. Task lighting includes: valance lighting, pendant lights and portable fixtures such as desk lamps.

Accent lighting serves the purposes of illuminating an object like wall art, a sculpture or an architectural element of a room. It is brighter than ambient light. Wall washers, sconces and track lighting are examples of accent lighting.

Natural lighting comes through windows and skylights depending on the time, season or weather. It varies in intensity and brightness.

Lighting makes you feel safe and comfortable in your home. When modifying the lighting in your home, it's best to develop a plan detailing the purpose, the atmosphere and how you want to bring light to decorative and architectural elements.

The style of lighting such can add new dimensions to any room. Consider the purpose and role of the room carefully and combine the four lighting elements to suit the needs of the room and those who inhabit it. Are you searching for a light, airy feel? Emphasize natural light, and add plenty of accent lights. A study or library in the house might require. subtler lighting with a few task and accent lights.
The right light is critical to any room design.