The type of lighting you need is not so complicated once you know the purpose the lighting is is to serve. Below are some helpful tips to help you put a light on it.

The term mood lighting usually conjures up images of candlelit dinners, soft tones and romance, but there are lots of moods! Typically, a properly decorated room will have 5 lamps to allow you to choose the combination of lights to suit a particular purpose, such as reading or having a dinner party. But beyond the tasks that lighting schemes enable, there are some distinct moods worth exploring:

Romantic: the classic of mood lighting, but let's dissect how it works. Soft lights at or below eye-level when seated are key; this is usually achieved with candles, but accent table lamps with a dimmer switch do the trick just as well. Warm tones in the orange family are especially flattering, and can be achieved by a combination of a low-watt bulb on a dimmer with a lampshade made of natural material.

Conversant: So a few friends have come over for appetizers and drinks. What kind of lighting can get the party started? The number of people and size of the room impact how many watts you need, but the main tip is to beware of creating hot-spots. If there is a high-watt lamp next to a guest, turn it down or move it to the perimeter of the room; it is uncomfortable to be blinded every time you turn to speak to someone, and it takes the focus away from the conversation. Likewise, dark-spots with little light coverage leave people feeling, well, like they are in the dark.

Industrious: You have your "To Do" list, your stack of papers and your game-face on. Maybe it's time to tackle those taxes, or just a healthy stack of magazines, but you're feeling industrious. Light it up! If you have a great view (great enough to distract you) pull those shades and turn up the task lighting. When fluorescents are the only light source (like many offices and stores) they can cause headaches due to the constant, almost imperceptible flicker, but when combined with incandescents in a living space they can provide just the right amount of focused light to help keep you focused. A bright bulb can reflect off a computer screen, but a well-positioned desk lamp can help cut down on eye strain and help you finish in no time.

If you need help with your lighting choices, or just some design direction, give Decor&You a call today at 719 282-0570. Reading this at midnight? Send an email to tthompson@decorandyou.com.