One of the most important elements of a home, store, or other building is the lighting. It can help create the atmosphere and feeling of a place. It can even help make a place more functional for its main purpose. However, when lighting does not work for a space, it can do the exact opposite. This is why it’s so important to choose the right lighting design. Below are some tips that can help you make the right decision.

Understand the Different Types of Lighting

One thing that can help ensure that you do not end up disappointed with the lighting in your home or business is better educating yourself on the lighting options available. There are many options, and they can be broken into categories. Four such categories include:

• Accent lighting
• Ambient lighting
• Decorative lighting
• Task lighting

Accent lighting is used to highlight specific objects or features in a room, such as art or an expensive plant. Ambient lighting is more generalized and is used to light up an entire room. Decorative lighting is used more for its aesthetic features. Lastly, task lighting, as its name implies, is for specific tasks such as reading, cooking, working, and more.

Consider the Focus and Purpose of Your Lighting

Next, you want to consider what your lighting is actually for. This should include both the focus of the lighting and its purpose. The lighting used in a grocery store, for example, may be used both to create a positive atmosphere conducive to spending money as well as to highlight products on store shelves. Overall, lighting design will involve a blend of different styles and fixtures to create the desired effect.

Consider Lighting Needs by Space

In regards to most buildings, such as a home, an apartment complex, an office, or more, there is lighting designed for specific room types. This includes:

• Dining room
• Bathroom
• Bedroom
• Entryway
• Exterior
• Hallway
• Kitchen
• Workspace

Each room will have different needs. For example, safety concerns may be at the forefront regarding a workspace. In fact, if the lighting isn’t adequate, there may be OSHA violations. Alternatively, the lighting used in a home has different requirements and standards. The lighting in a bedroom, for example, should be more subdued than the lighting in an entryway. Exterior lighting, on the other hand, may provide curb appeal, safety for homeowners, or security.

Overall, the lighting design for a room can vary greatly depending on a number of different factors, such as the intended focal points, the purpose of the lighting, and the room in question. If you live near Missoula, MT, call our company, Hometown Electric, to help install the lighting in your home. Our trained staff have years of experience making the lighting dreams of our clients a reality.