Using a hot bulb over a piece of artwork, for example, could be dangerous - LEDs remove this threat.Ambient lighting, or what is commonly called as general lighting, serves as the primary source of light for a certain room. The reason for this is that the LED bulbs give off very little UV rays and heat. Anything that adds some pizazz and is mainly for decorative purposes counts as accent lighting.Īccent lights typically use LED bulbs as well. Track lights are often similar to spotlights: the major difference is they can be moved along a pole to target a different spot.Īnother use of accent lighting could be to bring attention to a picture frame. The most common forms of accent lighting are track lights and spotlights. It takes care of any potential shadows and lights up areas such as the tops of shelves or corners that aren’t fully illuminated by the room’s ambient lighting. The purpose of the accent light is to illuminate the inside of the cabinet and remove any residual shadows that are created by the ambient lighting.Īccent lighting adds drama and style to the room. One example of this could be a spotlight inside a glass showcase.Īccent light also works well for dimly lit cellar spaces. Some people prefer slightly more light than others and with a dimmer, everyone is happy!Īccent lighting is more for show and to add a finishing touch than for a particular practical task or general lighting. The dimmer allows you to adjust the brightness of your task light based on the needs of the person using it. Lastly, task lights often make use of a dimmer. These days, most people go with LED bulbs because they produce more lumens with less wattage, meaning they are more energy-efficient than halogen bulbs. These bulbs are best because they produce a bright, focused light. However, they also need a light that doesn’t produce much if any glare as older people can be affected by this as well.

An older person requires a better, more focused light for general reading than someone who is younger with better eyesight. Your age and eyesight are also a factor with task lighting.

Similarly, if you are working in the kitchen, you will need powerful lighting to make sure you can see everything you are doing. If you’re planning to read or write in a book, the light will need to be bright so that you can easily make out the words on each page. The strength of the task light depends on what you are doing. Because of this, task lighting should be quite bright but not too glary for the eyes - the lighting needs to find a balance. The main purpose of task lighting is to reduce the strain on your eyes for things such as reading, writing or studying. As the desk lamp is designed to light up the desk and nothing else, it is considered a task light. Instead of lighting the whole room, it has a specific task to accomplish.įor example, if you require light for your desk and don’t want to use the main lights, you likely have a desk lamp at the ready. Task lighting is for more specific purposes than ambient lighting. It is at these times, as well as others, where task and accent lights are most commonly used. On the other hand, there are times when you are confined to a small room with little space and do not require the entire room to be well lit. Ambient lights are almost always activated before the task and accent lights as the primary means for lighting a room, When you walk into a room, consider what is the first light switch you look for?Ĭhances are that this light switch is connected to the main ambient light. However, there are also times when these lights are considered task lights. This is especially true if using one will light up much of the room. Table and floor lamps can also contribute to a room’s ambient lighting. Lights such as chandeliers, track lights, pot lights, among others, help create a room’s ambient lighting. The level of ambient lighting will dictate whether a room is bright, homey, darker or more relaxed.Īmbient lights most commonly hang from the ceiling. The key lights you use to light up the room can usually be included within this lighting category.Īmbient light also sets the tone for the room. Ambient lighting is also commonly known as general lighting.Īmbient, or general lighting, dominates the lighting landscape of each room.

Ambience light