When you think of it, few things are more important than lighting a room. What good is your $10,000 rug if you can’t see the colors? Professional lighting designers exist for a reason. It’s not easy to properly balance light in a room while trying to maintain the ideal design with fixtures. I should know….as I photographer, I can light a room in my sleep, but I’ve never bothered to do it properly.

A few fairly simple ways to get the most out of light sources:

Natural Light. This paranoid NYer keeps the shades drawn all the time because she feels people are peeking in. I don’t care if I’m on the 23rd floor or in the woods. People are watching. There are shades and curtains that allow light to enter while maintaining privacy. To be honest, I can’t tell you which works best as we’re constantly renovating and the window dressing du jour in Brooklyn is contractor bags. (Great for privacy, by the way) Good window treatment article.

Balance. Overhead lighting is usually one light in the middle of the room, unless you have recessed or track lights. Adding lamps and sconces to darker areas will help set the balance. Accent lighting on artwork and task lights for work spaces are often overlooked when people light rooms.

Ambiance. During the day while I’m working, I want my room well lit. In the evening, when I relax, I need a softer light. Dimmers are a wonderful thing. Cloth or paper shades diffuse light, giving a softer tone. Lights that point up not only deflect negative energy (Feng Shui) but don’t create dark shadows.

Bulbs. There are so many choices in compact fluorescents now! When they first came out, they were all one size. You couldn’t use them with dimmers or 3 way switches. Now you have options. Make sure you are buying the correct bulbs if your lights are on dimmers. If you have bare bulb fixtures, CF bulbs do come in different shapes. Daylight bulbs are also available, with a cooler tone. I purchased boxes of CF bulbs on Ebay. Ikea is also a good source for bulbs of different shapes and sizes.

Relaxation Expert
HGTV
American Lighting Association
International Association of Lighting Designers