The three layers of light every room needs
One bright tube light is why your room feels flat. Master ambient, task and accent light and any space transforms.
Lighting is the cheapest way to change how a room feels — and the most commonly botched. The trick is to stop thinking about a single source and start thinking in three layers.
Layer 1 — Ambient
The soft, general glow that lets you move around safely. Cove lighting and recessed downlights on a dimmer do this far more gracefully than one harsh ceiling fixture.
Layer 2 — Task
Focused light where you actually do things: under-cabinet strips in the kitchen, a reading lamp by the chair, mirror lighting at the vanity. Task light is about function, placed precisely.
Layer 3 — Accent
The drama. A wall washer over textured plaster, a picture light, an uplight behind a plant. Accent light is what makes a room feel designed rather than merely lit.
Put every layer on its own switch and a dimmer. One room then becomes five different moods.
