Before deciding on which plant to buy, it is important to know the light environment of the location where the plant will be placed. You will have much greater success by purchasing a plant that will naturally grow in your light conditions rather than forcing the proverbial round peg into your square hole. Many others choices are available for each light level. If you see a plant that you like, but are unsure of it's light level requirement, ask a nursery professional or look for a plant care tag in the pot. If neither are available, look up the information in a plant care book before buying the plant.
Plants can also adjust to other light levels over time.
The plant will produce more chlorophyll to try to capture as much light energy as possible. The higher chlorophyll levels in shade plants often give them a darker green appearance. If a plant growing in a low-light is suddenly moved into significantly brighter light, particularly full sun, the chlorophyll still captures all of the light energy. The plant literally has an electrical overload which breaks down the cell membranes in the leaves, causing irreversible sun-scald damage. This damage is often seen when houseplants are taken outside during a rain shower and accidentally left out after the sun comes out.