Whether or not you realize it, your home’s lighting has a huge impact on the overall feel of your rooms. The lighting can literally brighten up a space, of course, but if it isn’t right, it can also make the room feel off.

And since many homes have builder-grade lights that don’t add a lot of visual interest, changing your home’s lighting can completely improve its overall look and feel. If you’re looking to add new light fixtures to your home, here are a few tips to help you find the right piece for each space. 

What’s your interior design style?

Before starting your search for new lighting, you should consider your decorating style. Different designs lend themselves to different decor elements, including the type of light fixtures in your room. So whether your style is more midcentury, contemporary, farmhouse, or modern, you want to find lighting that enhances the look rather than detract from it. While it is possible to mix different design and lighting styles, you want to be careful that they don’t clash.

A midcentury light in a farmhouse-style room, for example, can create a disconnect that completely disrupts your space.

Even if you have varying aesthetics in different rooms in your home, there should still be a connection between your spaces. Whether you opt to paint all your walls the same color or utilize similar accent colors throughout your home, a common thread creates harmony and unity within your spaces, which ultimately leads to a well-designed home.

Similarly, you want to have some level of coordination among your lights. There are numerous ways to do this, including through the color or finish of the metal, the type of glass globe or shade, and the bulbs that you use. You don’t have to have the same fixtures in every area of your home, but it’s important to coordinate in some way so your rooms don’t feel disconnected from one another.

Incorporate different levels of lighting

There are three main types of lighting: ambient, accent, and task. Ambient lighting refers to the main source of light in a room; it’s typically overhead lighting, such as a chandelier or recessed light. Accent lights, on the other hand, are focused on one specific area in a space. These can be wall-mounted sconces or picture lights used to highlight a piece of art or decor. Lastly, task lights such as table lamps illuminate an area for a specific task like reading, cooking, or working. You want to have a good mix of all three types of lighting in your spaces not only for functionality but also for flexibility. Having different levels gives you more options for changing the feel of a space based on which ones you leave on or off. For example, if you’re having a candlelit dinner, you might want to turn off the ambient light, leaving just the accent lights on to set a romantic mood. 

As you decide on the lights for each room, keep in mind that the different-sized rooms in your home require different-sized light fixtures. A big, open living room can handle having a large chandelier as its focal point, but that same chandelier would feel overwhelming in a small dining room. Before you buy a fixture, make sure you know the dimensions of the room it will be in. As a general rule for ambient lighting, measure the length and the width of the room, add the two numbers together, and convert that sum to inches to get the perfect width for a light fixture. For example, a 20-inch light fixture would work well in a room that is 10 feet by 10 feet. When you know the size of your space, you can narrow down the options and find lights that will visually fit within your room.

Look for long lasting versus trendy

It’s tempting to choose the trendiest lights, but what’s trending is always shifting. While rattan lampshades are currently in, they’ll likely soon be replaced by the next big thing. Installing lights is an investment, both of your time and money, so make sure they have a place in your home for the long haul. Flush-mount lights, crystal chandeliers, and candelabra-style lights have all stood the test of time; try looking for modern variations on these styles since they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. 

Updating your lighting can have a huge impact on the overall design of your home. When you take the time to consider all these factors, you’ll be sure to find the perfect pieces for you.