4 Must-Know Lighting Tips from the Experts

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4 Must-Know Lighting Tips from the Experts

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1. Remember the layers.

Three layers of light-matter—in every space, including the powder room or foyer. Reduce wastage and size to accommodate fewer square feet, but don’t ignore the accent layer, which helps to highlight the extra details you’ve used to finish your rooms.

living room with crystal-laden fixture and midcentury furniture
A crystal-laden fixture draws the eye upward to complement high ceilings.
| CREDIT: SELENE, SWAROVSKI LIGHTING

2. Scale matters.

Lighting shouldn’t overpower a room—but it shouldn’t get lost in a room either. For example, the length plus the width of any room should generally equal about the diameter of a chandelier in inches.

3. Focal point does, too.

Not all fixtures—chandelier, lamps, sconces—should be the same size; otherwise, the eye searches for visual clarity. Your lighting focal point can be a chandelier, but in a smaller-scale room, think about a distinctive floor lamp or vintage-inspired sconces flanking a piece of wall art.

neutral tones cozy bedroom with mounted sconces
Install bedside sconces to free up nightstand surface space. Design: Susan Wilson Interiors & Stephen Alexander Homes
| CREDIT: TURNBURY, PROGRESS LIGHTING

4. Dimmers?

Yes—in all of the rooms, and with as many fixtures as possible. Use dimmers to change the mood and balance artificial light with natural light.