Lighting a large dark room
- General Lighting: This provides a modest amount of light over a large area. A ceiling light is an example of general lighting. It will be insufficient to properly light a deep-colored room.
- Ambient Lighting: This is the lighting that creates the mood, or ambiance, for a room. You can get excellent ambient lighting effects from downlights and indirect lights that throw light up onto the ceiling, sending a glow throughout the room.
- Task Lighting: Much as its name implies, task lighting lets you get the job done. If you are making a room darker with deep paint colors, be sure to have adequate task lighting for whatever you do in that room: read, make meals, or look in the mirror.
- Decorative Lighting: This includes permanent lighting fixtures like chandeliers and sconces, as well as portable lighting such as table lamps. Since these are usually "for show," they often add primarily "wow" factor in a room.
- Focal Lighting: This illuminates your prized watercolor or print, collections in your curio cabinet or on shelves. It becomes even more important when walls get darker.
