What Is the Best Type of Lighting for Your Home?

Home light fixture examples.

Lighting can be one of the most underrated aspects of your home design and decor. It may surprise you, but the lighting you choose for your home can drastically impact the design and overall mood of your home.

Set the Tone of Your Home

Luxurious lighting designs can bring new life to any room in the home and even highlight certain focal points you want guests to notice. The light fixtures you select can help make your home bright & cheery, or perhaps you prefer something a little more subdued. It can make you feel relaxed, comfortable, or inspired to complete a task. 

Consider the Needs of Each Room

For your lighting – and your home’s design – to meet its full potential, consider how different lighting options will complement each space in your home. Lighting can be affected by a variety of elements, including the size of the room, its shape & color, the height of the ceilings, and the type of furniture. Before making your lighting decisions, consider how the room will be used, what atmosphere you want to create, and functionally where you will need light and what type. 

Types of Lighting

Knowing the basic types of lighting that are available can help you decide what’s best for each room in your home. 

  • Ceiling mounted light fixtures – Ideal for use in foyers, hallways, bedrooms, stairways, and specific task-related areas in our home, ceiling mounted lighting can help to ensure adequate lighting while adding design elements to our home.
  • Chandeliers – A true design element of your home, a chandelier can add character to your room while providing the lighting that you need. Think of chandeliers almost like jewelry for your home. Most commonly considered for dining areas and large stairway spaces, chandeliers can be used in entryways, bedrooms, and great rooms and can be paired with downlights and customized with a dimmer to let you adjust the lighting to meet your mood and activity.
  • Wall-mounted lighting – Oftentimes a type of sconce, this type of lighting can be paired with a chandelier or ceiling fixture to add accent lighting and a touch of design. Sconces also work well, illuminating long hallways.
  • Recessed ceiling lighting – A bit of a workhorse among the various types of lighting, recessed lighting can provide the necessary light without adding unwanted decor to a space. It can be used to provide general lighting, task-specific lighting, or even accent lighting, all in an unobtrusive and functional manner. Recessed ceiling light, also known as “can lights,” work best in kitchens.
  • Pendant lights – Typically used over dining room tables or kitchen islands, game tables, or other work areas, pendant lights can be used for general lighting and can also provide a great decorative element to a space. They often have a shade or globe to avoid glare.
  • Track lighting – Perfect for highlighting architectural details in your home, artwork, or collections, track lighting allows you to configure a custom lighting design to meet your unique needs and style.

If you are ready to create your forever home, Compass Homes can help. Whether it’s helping you to design the perfect floor plan for your home, or the light fixtures to complete your luxury custom home, the design team at Compass Homes can guide you. Contact us today to get started. 


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