The eye perceives lighting in many different ways. Think about your camera. There are just as many factors to take into account when lighting your home. The main living areas of a home should have a flexible combination of all three. Ambient lighting provides general illumination, background brightness that gives a room a comfortable glow.
Task lighting is directed at areas, such as a kitchen countertop, where detailed work is performed.
It helps you move through a room safely and easily. Indirect uplights, such as wall sconces, light rooms softly and evenly for a diffuse effect. Task lighting is directed to places, such as a kitchen counter or a desktop, where close work is done regularly. If all three types of lights are on when you enter a room, your eye won't really distinguish one from the other. But if you turn them on one by one, the effect is astonishing.