Adequate Lighting is one of the most important features in interior designing whether it be natural or artificial. It is that magic wand which can turn the entire look and feel of any space all the way around. Lighting acts as a great helping hand when it comes to adding a certain kind of vibe to space. Sometimes after a long tiring day, you wish to sit back and relax, whereas, sometimes you are in a mood to party or study. All these tasks require a different kind of lighting to set up the mood and elevate the ambience.
While considering artificial interior lighting, it is very important to first explore all the available options. This will not only help you decide on what sort of lights you need but will also cut out a lot of unnecessary options on your list.

So here’s a quick rundown on the types of interior lighting and how they are used.

General lighting:
Also known as ‘ambient lighting’, it is one of the most popular types of lighting found in most of the households. This kind of lighting is used when we want a uniformly lit surrounding. Sometimes ambient lighting is also used as a background light in combination with accents and task lighting. Few of the very common types of ambient lights are-
A. Exposed LED lights: these are the most basic example of general lighting. These lights come in different colour variants from warm to white lights. Exposed LED lights such as tube lights, bulbs, and CFLs have a very good lifespan and do all its work without burning a hole in your pocket.

B. Recessed lights: recessed lights can be used in all kinds of spaces whether it be an office, retail, or a house. These lights simply need to be installed on a surface whether it be a designed false ceiling, or a flat ceiling, walls and sometimes even on floors. You can choose the one that suits your pocket.

C. Chandeliers: sometimes chandeliers also serve the purpose of ambient lighting. These chandeliers could be used as a design element for your space along with solving the purpose of evenly lit surroundings.

Task lighting:

Task Lighting can help you focus better while performing various tasks and activities by reducing eyestrain and external distractions caused due to glare. So if you are a nighthawk, then we think you might need some of these task lights. Below mentioned are some of the most common task lights to choose from.
A. Track lights: These lights are usually used when you want the light to focus or highlight a certain object or space. Track lights are installed or hung onto the ceiling, close to the task that we want to focus on. Track lights come with adjustable heads which makes it easy to use. They are extensively used in showrooms and retails to catch the customers’ eyes.

B. Pendant lights: Pendant lights are those which elegantly light up any space while sturdily maintaining its aesthetics. These lights are usually hung through the ceiling, right above the task that it needs to focus on. Pendants could be used to lighten up any space such as a kitchen island, a dining table, sides of your bed or even a dead corner of your room. These lights are available at all sorts of prices, ranging from cheap to expensive. Choose the one that suits your taste and pocket.

C. Portable lamps: This is the quirkiest kind of lighting style ever invented. As the name itself suggests, these lights could be taken anywhere and installed as per your convenience. Potable lamps could be used while you are reading, working on a laptop, sleeping etc. You can use them where you want, when you want, without disturbing anyone in your surroundings.

Accent lighting:
Every house has some or the other special elements that are worth showing off. Keeping a beautiful antique sculpture right in front of a blank wall would make the sculpture look effortless and dull. However, using an accent light to highlight it will totally enhance the look and feel of the sculpture. Below mentioned are some of the most commonly used accent lights:
A. Picture lights: You can get these accent lights mounted right above the art that you proudly want to be displayed, or use it behind the artwork to lighten up the edges. Picture lights are available in a variety of sizes and finishes, some are highly decorative while some use energy-saving LED lights.

B. Sconces: These are a highly decorative form of accent lights. Sconces are used where we want to avoid dark corners or require a little extra amount of light besides the general lighting. Sconces have a lesser amount of illumination than the other sort of lights.

C. Under-cabinet lights: These are great for spaces such as kitchen, cupboard, study desks, bottom edges of your bed etc. Under-cabinet lights brighten up space and also elevates the edges of any furniture, giving it a floating effect.

The key to have a well-lit space is layering. Play around with various combinations of General, Task and accent lighting. The options are numerous and so are the ideas in you!