Lighting Made Simple

The three-layer approach to illuminating your home

Photo courtesy of GE Lighting

There is one universal truth in interior design: light is often what separates a good room from a great room. Many homeowners feel that lighting can be an overwhelming task that only paid professionals are capable of mastering. This could not be further from the truth. With a few pointers, some determination and a bit of experimentation, you can create stellar environments that will be the envy of neighbors and decorators alike.

To get started, you should look at lighting like a three-layer cake (but please don’t start eyeing a light bulb like your next tasty snack—this will lead to a trip to the emergency room and you will not be any closer to a well-lit room). A good lighting plan, much like a cake, has layers.

The first layer is the ambient lighting layer, or the base of the cake. Ambient lighting is what we most often see when we flip on the lights. This lighting layer will provide the general, overall lighting for the room. Some of the fixtures in this layer are can lights, ceiling fans and other overhead fixtures.

Interior stylist Brice Cooper has an eye for style and the ability to make it understandable for the rest of us. His ability is what has made him a standout star on television programs such as HGTV's Design on a Dime and Fox daytime's Design Invasion.  www.bricecooper.com