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    Learn More About Lighting

    Intentionally selected lighting fixtures add a stylish finishing touch to a space. Beautiful, handmade, well-crafted pieces double as decor and can emphasize the home decor style in your home. There are a few different types of lighting fixtures, depending on the type of lighting and the mounting space you’re working with:


    • Light fixtures are hardwired into your house’s electrical system, like pendant lamps, wall sconces, and some chandeliers. Ceiling fans are great light fixtures that can regulate the temperature of a room while illuminating it, too.
    • Lamps, shades & bases are generally of the plug-in variety, allowing you to determine where you want light and how it plays well with your decor.

    Within the main types of lighting, there are three main ways light is directed in a space: ambient, task, and accent. The best choice for your space starts with how you plan to use that lighting.


    • Ambient lighting, also known as general lighting, is used to illuminate an entire room evenly. This type of lighting can also be used outdoors, such as the front yard and patio. Both flush mount and semi-flush mount fixtures add ambient lighting in a space. Flush lighting sits directly against the ceiling or wall and is a popular choice for low ceilings and small rooms. Semi-flush mount lighting leaves a small gap between the fixture and the surface it’s attached to. It may cast light downwards, or it may reflect off the ceiling.
    • Task lighting is mainly used to light a specific workspace where you’ll be performing a task such as food prep in the kitchen, filling out important forms at your office desk, or fixing something in a garage. Task lighting includes fixtures like table lamps, stylish floor lamps, and pendant lights.
    • Accent lighting can play up a particular focal point in your home, like your prized art collection or decorative columns. Wall sconces, recessed lighting, and hidden fixtures are popular types of accent lighting and can be used throughout your home.


    There’s no need to settle on just one type of lighting in a room, either. Play around with mixing and matching two or three different lighting styles throughout a space, and see how it affects the look and the mood of the room. This gives you the option to switch from focused task lighting, say for reading a book in your favorite chair, to a more relaxed and cozy setting as you settle in for movie night.

    When shopping for statement lighting, consider both the way you’ll be using the space as well as the best lighting fixture size. The goal is to achieve even lighting throughout. For example, a statement chandelier may be enough to fully illuminate the dining room or foyer, but may not provide enough light in a spacious great room. Dainty wall sconces or flush-mount ceiling lights light up a hallway without cluttering this tight space.


    Next, choose a design you love, or request a custom fixture. Lighting not only brightens a room, it adds to the overall feeling you’re creating in your living space. The handcrafted fixtures available from lighting shops on Etsy blend both function and form. Many of these lighting options can be customized, too. If you’re searching for a certain mounting style, for example, many sellers can adapt their light fixtures to work in your space.


    After you’ve landed on which type and style of lighting you want, round out your interior decorating by detailing your room with light accessories like fancy pull chain and wall switch plates, and stock up on light bulbs to keep your home happy and bright.