Accent Lighting: How it Works with Task and Ambient Lighting

The biggest mistake we usually see with Accent lighting is when it’s conflicting with general or task lighting in the room. If you have multiple lighting sources in your space be sure to know each of its purposes to place them appropriately. As a case in point,  you’re not going to light a bedroom the same way you would light a living room. 

When lighting a living room you’ll want several sources of general lighting like a hanging fixture and a company of recessed lights are also essential for reading or watching TV.

Don’t forget your light’s color temperature. Light color temperature literally refers to the color that the bulb is giving off when it’s on soft white bulbs give a cozy yellowish light (Warm White) with a gentle feel that’s best suited for bedrooms, living rooms and dining rooms. This type of lighting is preferred by most designers.

Daylight color temperature (Cool White) gives off a bright light similar to midday with a cloudless sky. This bright light can be great for bathrooms or kitchens.

Although, not everyone likes the bluish light it produces as it tends to be a bit harsh. Remember not to mix both colors throughout the home.

When it comes to lighting a space, consistency is serenity. When designing a room’s scale in proportion of your light fixture, ensure the items in the room fit the size of your space. The goal is to always exit and complement when it comes to scale and lighting.

As mentioned above, the biggest mistake we usually see is the wrong size fixture hanging in a room. When deciding on a hanging light fixture in your space, size and scale are key.

Here’s an easy formula anyone can use to determine the minimum size your light fixture should be: (1) measure the length and width of the room add those two numbers and then (2) convert the total into inches so if your room is 12 feet by 10 feet the ceiling fixture should be at least 22 inches wide.

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