Lighting your home in layers.

Lighting completely changes the look and feel of any room. Set the mood of any room by lighting in layers. First, establish ambient overhead lighting as a base layer, a sort of primer for the tone of the room. Whether it’s warm or bright, this layer of light sets the overall mood. Second, think about the function of the room. How do you spend time in this room? Use task lighting to illuminate certain areas for their specific functions. Lastly, think about what features of the room you love most. Use accent lighting to draw attention to a painting or architectural detail. As you begin to establish pleasing, functional layers of lighting, you can infuse them with your own unique style.

(As seen in the image from ieslightlogic.org.)