I’ve found that the last thing most homeowners consider in their design plan is lighting. Left to the last minute, they run to a local home improvement store and make quick selections. One of my clients told me: “Those sconces were supposed to be temporary 23 years ago!”

Even seasoned decorators can feel stymied by all the decisions and choices when it comes to home lighting design. Great design begins with FUNCTION followed by FORM. Make sure your home lighting meets your needs for safety and comfort. Changes to sight with family members is important to address and may require different bulb wattages or the addition of new fixtures to make sure there are no gray areas, especially wherever walking elevation changes take place.

Where to Begin
Tour your home to assess lighting priorities. You may need sufficient light for studying and reading or you may require lighting that illuminates accessories. Look for tight corners or long hallways that might benefit from a simple lighting accessory as well as rooms that demand brighter light that comes from a source other than the overhead fixture. Dark corners are wonderfully transformed with a small pedestal table and lamp, a piece of lighted artwork, or a canister uplight on the floor to flood the wall with warmth. Choose lighting from all three decor categories: ambient, task and accent.

Ambient lighting sets a mood and fills a room with either bright light or a mellow glow (table lamps, recessed ceiling and hanging fixtures on dimmers). Task lighting provides a bright beam of light in a concentrated space (desk lamps, under cabinet lights, pendants over countertops, bath mirror lighting). Accent lighting serves to add form more than function to your space (artwork lighting, canister uplights, string or rope lighting in cabinet toe kicks).

Self-expression
Incorporate lighting that establishes or extends your decor theme. Table lamps, sconces, pendants and chandeliers can be functional accessories (relate them to fashion and think of scarves, jewelry, handbags—those “statement pieces”) in a room.
A contemporary, minimalist environment benefits from sleek and simple fixtures with steel, fine wood or chrome finishes. A period-specific decor may feature antiques or reproductions reflective of the era. An eclectic home may include a combination of modern and transitional fixtures. An eco-design may feature low-energy and solar-powered lights.

Variety Adds Interest
Vary the fixtures in different spaces. Recessed lighting works well in a modern and contemporary room that requires ambient lighting. Chandeliers add architectural interest and accent lighting. Try one over the dining room table or, for a decadent look, over your bed. Pendant lights hang lower into the room and often feature eye-catching colors or materials for shades, so try them in the living room or over the dining room table. Decorating with table lamps and wall sconces shines a pathway from the entryway to the living room or illuminates a hallway. Decorative lighting that you mount in shelves or cabinets can spotlight a collection or add mood or color at night.

Easy, Affordable Decorating
Table lamps, buffet lamps, accent lighting and plug-in wall sconces are the easiest way to transform a room quickly. For a small amount of expense and effort, your room will receive a new look and you’ll have the enjoyment of looking at pieces you’ve carefully selected.

One last note, I created more bedside table surface by installing swing-arm, plug-in wall sconces. And, the dimmable feature makes them especially functional.

Cheryl von Tress is the owner of Cheryl von Tress Design Group and Hospitality Centrale (located in Jacksonville Barn Company). www.cvtdesigngroup.com and 541.951.9462.