There are several types of lighting, each with a different purpose and effect to consider when updating your lighting scheme. Remember that rooms need different lighting depending on the use of the room. Ambient or general lighting is the overall or background lighting in a home and should be evenly dispersed without glare. The colors and textures of walls, ceilings and floors can affect lighting, as well, since light plays off certain colors to vary the effect. As a general rule, reflecting surfaces should not be too dark, ceilings should be a light color, regardless of texture, and walls should be only slightly darker than ceilings.
Local lighting is designed for specific tasks, such as reading, cooking and sewing.
Accent lighting also can be used to pinpoint, or bathe, a particular area in light. The kitchen is often the most frequented room in the house, and cooking requires a well-lit area. Kitchens may require both general and local lighting. For general lighting, luminous ceiling light is ideal. Fluorescent light fixtures placed under cabinets are energy efficient and provide bright light without shadows.