How to Choose the Best Light Fixtures for Your Home
As any interior designer will tell you, lighting can transform how a room looks and feels. Selecting light fixtures is key to creating the aesthetic and atmosphere you want, and there are now more choices than ever before.
Considering a wide range of possibilities can be overwhelming, which is why we’ve created this guide full of information and tips to help you find the perfect lights for every room in your home.
Light Fixtures Types at a Glance
Let’s start with a breakdown of the types of fixtures you can choose from and where they’re most often put to good use.
This table will start you in the right direction, but great lighting design is in the details. To find the perfect fixtures for the rooms in your home, you’ll need to consider the specifics of each room, what lighting function (or functions) each fixture needs to perform, and what aesthetic style those fixtures will need to complement.
Understanding the Layers of Light
There are three principle layers of light. Each serves a different purpose, and the three work together to create a well-balanced and aesthetically pleasing atmosphere.
The first layer is ambient lighting, which provides general illumination. Functionally, this layer makes a space visible and easy to navigate. Aesthetically, it helps make a space warmer and more inviting. Ambient lighting is often provided by chandeliers, hanging shade lights, recessed lights, and flush and semi-flush mounts.
The second layer is task lighting, which provides focused illumination in areas dedicated to activities like cooking, reading, writing, sewing, and grooming. This layer can also create focal points, giving a room a better sense of dimension. Task lighting is often provided by pendants, table lamps, and wall sconces.
The third layer is accent lighting, which illuminates points of interest like artwork, framed photography, and bookshelves. This is the most decorative layer, dedicated to drawing the eye not to the fixtures themselves, but to the most attractive elements of a room and its decor. Accent lighting is often provided by track lighting, picture lights, and cabinet lighting.
How Layers Can Guide Lighting Design
Understanding the three layers of light equips you to make the first decision in the search for your perfect light fixtures.
For example, in your kitchen, you’ll want good task lighting over the sink and countertops, to help make culinary work safer and more efficient. Consider pendant lights or well-placed wall sconces for that purpose.
You’ll also want adequate ambient lighting, to make sure the entire kitchen is inviting and easy to move through. This is often achieved using a variety of fixtures in concert, such as chandeliers, recessed lights, floor lamps, under-cabinet lights, or flush or semi-flush mounts.
Finally, there might be points of visual interest in the kitchen that you want to highlight with accent lighting. This can be achieved with track lights, which can be positioned and aimed to draw the eye wherever you like.
This thought process can be repeated in any room. By considering each layer of light, you find yourself with a useful list of fixture types to consider. To keep narrowing down your search, we move to the second major consideration.
Considering the Dimensions of the Room
The size of each fixture should suit the room it’s going to be in. It should be large enough to do its lighting job and feel proportionate, but not so large that it overwhelms the rest of the decor. How you determine a good size range depends on the fixture type and placement.
For example, if you’re choosing a chandelier to go over your dining room table, look for one with a diameter 1/2 to 2/3 the width of your table. Add to that the goal of hanging it 30-36 inches above the table, and you begin to zero in on the right size.
When making these measurements, don’t neglect ceiling height. Taller ceilings will call for more robust hanging fixtures, while lower ceilings might do better with flush or semi-flush mounts. In either case, those focal-point fixtures can be supplemented with recessed lights, which help with ambient lighting without taking up visual or physical space.
For table lamps, it’s best to make the combined height of the lamp and table 58-to-64 inches. For wall sconces to flank a mirror, choose a fixture with a height about 1/3 the height of the mirror. And to reduce shadows and cast flattering light, you’ll want the center of each sconce to be around eye level—usually 60 to 65 inches from the floor.
Scale and proportionality are good guides, but always defer to the fixtures that look best to you.
Matching Fixtures to Decor Style
Now that you know what functions your fixtures need to serve and approximately what size they need to be, you’re ready to engage your aesthetic sensibility and choose lighting that complements the decor of each space.
Whether your decor is traditional, contemporary, mid-century modern, bohemian, industrial, or rustic, each type of fixture comes in designs to suit. Below are some finishes to consider, based on the decor you’re going for.
- For modern and contemporary decors, consider brushed nickel or polished chrome (which also works well in mid-century modern spaces).
- For traditional, rustic, and industrial decor, consider cobber or oil-rubbed bronze.
- For vintage and eclectic spaces, consider antique brass.
- For a bold touch of modern minimalism, try matte black.
- For transitional and mid-century modern spaces, consider pewter or satin brass.
- For a glam or classic aesthetic, try gold leaf.
Designer Tips for Choosing Your Perfect Fixtures
As you explore the lighting possibilities for your home, here are some tips to keep in mind.
Be Intentional About Light Bulbs
No matter what fixtures you choose, they’ll be at their best if you use the right light bulbs. Choose intensity and color based on functionality (brighter and cooler for task lighting, softer and warmer for ambient lighting), and consider dimmable bulbs so that you can adjust the atmosphere to suit different moods and modes. Keep in mind that LED bulbs use less energy and last longer, which will reduce your energy costs and carbon footprint.
Take Natural Light Into Account
Consider how much natural light gets into each room through windows, skylights, or glass doors. Note how that light behaves at various times of day. This will tell you where you can let sunlight do the work, and where you’ll need to supplement natural light with fixtures.
Notice Lighting Wherever You Go
Once you start paying attention to fixtures, every room you enter becomes potential inspiration. When a room’s atmosphere pleases you, take note of the fixtures—where they’re placed, what layer of light they’re providing, and how they supplement each other. In lighting design, stealing ideas is fair game.
Ready to Start?
Visual Comfort & Co. carefully curates robust collections of every light fixture type you’ll need. Crafted with premium materials by world-class designers, these fixtures are functional works of art. Start the search for your perfect fixtures here.