When it comes to the lighting in your home, it’s something that you likely know you need, but the variety of options from light bulbs to fixtures can be overwhelming. The Light House Gallery is here today to share with you some tips and advice to help you better understand the world of lighting so that you can make educated decisions about your home lighting. Continue reading to learn more, and contact our team of lighting specialists today with any questions!

Fixtures

The lighting fixtures you choose for your home play an important role in not only lighting up the space, but also in the aesthetics and appearance of the room. There are numerous types of lighting fixtures that can be used in a variety of ways to achieve certain looks, while also fulfilling the lighting needs of any specific space. Below are some of the most common types of fixtures placed throughout a home. Shop online or stop into one of our The Light House Gallery showrooms today to browse all of the fixture types we have available.

• Flush Mounts 
• Semi-Flush Mounts
• Track Lighting
• Recessed Lighting
• Chandeliers 
• Pendants
• Sconces
• Vanity Lights
• Lamps

Layering Your Lights

The perfect fixtures can only fulfill their true purpose if layered properly within the space. With three different major lighting types, it’s important to understand each one so that you can choose fixtures that compliment each other and work together to properly light a space. Let’s take a deeper look at each of the three lighting types.

• Ambient Lighting

• • Ambient lighting is also known as the general lighting in the room. These lighting fixtures are responsible for shining light amongst the majority of the space. Most commonly, ambient lighting is achieved through fixtures such as ceiling mounts, chandeliers, pendants, or recessed lighting.

• Task Lighting 

• • Task lighting works closely with ambient lighting to fill in any spaces that aren’t brightened by the ambient light, along with pouring more direct light onto surfaces that are used for specific activities that require more light. Small pendants, sconces, vanity lights, under cabinet lights, and lamps are often used for task lighting.

• Accent Lighting

• • Accent lighting is responsible for creating a specific aesthetic within a space as these fixtures work to highlight specific areas or items within the room to draw attention to them. This can be achieved with wall sconces or pendants shining on a specific area such as architectural features or decorative side tables, as well as picture lights or spotlights for décor or artwork pieces. 

Light Bulb Terminology

There is one last thing that you should consider in addition to the fixture type and placement of lights throughout your home, and that is choosing the proper light bulbs for the job. Many default to the regular 60-watt white light bulbs because they simply don’t understand the terminology and importance of choosing a specific bulb based on the type of fixture, placement of the fixture, and the light’s purpose. 

• Kelvin is a unit of measurement for color temperature, which describes the color quality of a light. You can use this to determine the warmth or coolness of a light, as the higher the temperature, the whiter the light will be. This comes into play when working to achieve a cozier feel in the bedroom versus a cleaner, brighter feel in the kitchen.
• Color Rendering Index (CRI) measures the ability of a light source to reveal color. For example, a CRI of 100 shows the true color; meaning a light source with a CRI of 90+ is excellent, and a CRI of 80-90 is considered good. The CRI of the light bulbs you choose is important in creating a space filled with light that feels natural rather than unnatural light that is unappealing and hard on your eyes.
• Lumen is a unit of measurement for a light’s brightness. The higher the lumen of a bulb, the brighter the light will be. It is important to identify the lumens when choosing a light bulb to ensure that it will work properly with the fixture chosen as well as provide just the right amount of light to fulfill its major purpose.
• Watt is a unit of measurement for energy use of a light. For example, a 60-watt incandescent bulb is equivalent to a 6-watt LED because LED lights are designed to use less energy (watts) than your average incandescent light bulb.
• LED is a light-emitting diode. LED lights are more energy-efficient than incandescent lights as we previously discussed. While LED lights have been around for many decades, they have more recently become the most used light bulb type in homes and businesses as they last longer and use less energy.

The Light House Gallery

Our lighting specialists at The Light House Gallery are here to assist you in choosing the perfect lighting for your home, from the lighting design and fixtures to the bulbs to place within them. It is our mission to help educate our customers on proper home lighting by sharing our 55+ years of service experience and lighting knowledge, while also providing quality lighting fixtures from some of the top brands. We are proud to provide one of the largest selections with the best variety of lighting fixtures in the area. Get in touch with The Light House Gallery or stop into one of our showrooms today to get started!