When designing a room, most of us think about colors, décor and furniture, but did you happen to think about lighting? While many of us think of lighting as a CFL bulb in a decorative lamp, lighting can actually transcend a room. Still not convinced? Think about a retail store and then think of a swanky restaurant – both establishments use lighting, but both create two entirely different atmospheres. Make sense?

The first lesson in “Lighting 101” is identifying the types of lighting:

General: everyday lighting

Task: lighting used to help with a specific activity, such as a light in the shower or over a stove

Accent: light that creates a mood, like a sconce in a foyer

Ready to put lighting top of mind? First, pick a room and challenge yourself by incorporating all three types of lighting. Don’t have enough outlets? Rather than running extension cords, considering calling an electrician to add additional switches and outlets to your home.

Be willing to make some investments when it comes to lighting. Don’t stick with the boring lighting fixtures in your home or the lamp shade that came with that lamp. By making the switch from the traditional opaque shade to black not only transforms your piece of décor, but the entire mood of the room.

So the next time you are ready to tackle a design project, make lighting a priority. The right lighting can really brighten up your room’s design.