A single flush fixture in the middle of the ceiling is the most common way to light a room. Sound boring? It doesn't have to be! Today's fixtures offer enough variety to spice up your décor as well as light up your room.

From traditional to modern, retro to eclectic, you'll find a fixture to suit. The newer fluorescent fixtures with electronic ballasts look like incandescents, save energy and have tubes that rarely burn out. And don't overlook ceiling fans; they do double duty lighting and cooling a room.

Ceiling fixtures hug the ceiling evenly distributing ambient light throughout the room. They can be mounted flush to the ceiling, semi flush or recessed. A semi flush fixture hangs down a foot or so from the ceiling. It diffuses light through the globe as well as upward, evenly illuminating the room.

Another option is two- or three-headed spotlights that provide some of track lighting's versatility. You can point the lights horizontally for general lighting or angle them downward to highlight certain areas of the room.

Recessed lights – called can lights – are the most discreet type of fixture because they're recessed into the ceiling. Usually only the bulb and the trim are visible in the room. Along with providing general room lighting, you can use them for special effects like wall washing or accent lighting.

The higher your ceiling, the more floor space a can light will illuminate. Position them about 6 feet apart, less if you have a smaller room. Figure that a 65 watt recessed light in a room with an 8-ft. ceiling will light up a circle that is 8 feet in diameter on the floor; so when you're making your layout, be sure that the circles overlap to avoid any dark spots.

Mix ceiling fixtures with other types of light to ensure that your room has the proper lighting for every task and need.

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Accent and undercabinet lighting adds drama to any room. Focus on artwork, architectural features, interesting borders or textures, even window valences – anything that adds interest and appeal.

Accents. Look around the room and decide which special accessories you want to feature. For artwork, make sure the light source is aimed at about a 30 degree angle to prevent glare. In bookcases and shelves, place the recessed fixtures about 12 to 18 inches from the front edge of the shelf.

When choosing accent lighting, vary the type of light; from bright white halogen to warm, soft incandescent bulbs, it's a great way to bring dimension to the room. Under cabinets. Whether in the kitchen, office or family room, undercabinet lighting helps you focus just the right amount of light for the task at hand. Kitchen cabinets, book shelves and china cabinets are perfect places to consider undercabinet lights.

Under cabinets. Whether in the kitchen, office or family room, undercabinet lighting helps you focus just the right amount of light for the task at hand. Kitchen cabinets, book shelves and china cabinets are perfect places to consider undercabinet lights.

Make sure you mount undercabinet lights where they illuminate the work surface without shining in someone's eyes. As with accent lighting, you can choose from fluorescent, halogen or incandescent bulbs to get the perfect light for every situation.

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There's a broad range of eye-catching decorative overhead fixtures – called pendants – that hang from the ceiling and provide general lighting to illuminate a dining room table or to light up a work surface.

Older styles of pendant lights hang by decorative brass chains, with neutral-colored lamp cord running through the chain. Newer fixtures use a plain chrome-colored wire for support, with the cord running alongside.

Use a shade on your pendant light to focus on a specific space, such as a small table or a narrow work area. A pendant light with a glass shade will provide general lighting as well as directed light. Choose a metal shade to focus light more directly.

Pendant lanterns resemble the old glass lanterns that protected candles from wind. Use them in narrow areas like foyers and stairways. Hang them at least 6-1/2 feet from the ground so that people can walk under them.

Chandeliers, a type of pendant, were originally designed as candleholders and usually have five or more light bulbs. Look for a model that's easy to clean; complex designs, while beautiful, can be difficult to dust or wash.

Keep the fixture in scale; a chandelier that's too small will appear to be dwarfed by the room. When choosing a unit to hang over a dining room table, select one that is about 12 inches narrower than the table. If it's any wider, people may bump their heads on it.

In an entryway, maintain proportion by installing a chandelier that's 2 inches wide for every foot of room width. (for example, use a 20-inch-wide light in a 10-foot-wide room).

Get the height right. A common mistake is to hang a chandelier too low. Chandeliers should hang about 30 inches above a tabletop. The length of the chain will depend on your ceiling height.

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You'll love the versatility of table lamps and floor lamps. Both practical and decorative, one of their biggest advantages is that they can be easily moved around within the room.

Place a lamp wherever you need lighting for a specific task. Nothing is quite as inviting as the soft pool of light from a table lamp beside your favorite reading chair. Need more light at the computer? There are a variety of desk lamps to suit every décor. Especially attractive are a pair of tall, narrow candlestick lamps on the dining room buffet, or a single lamp on a sofa table or in the foyer.

Floor lamps and torchieres can be used for both task lighting and accent lighting. Floor lamps generally cast their light downward, making them good for reading or brightening a dark corner. Torchieres produce a different lighting effect. They cast light upward so it bounces back into the room for a softening effect.

Another great feature of floor and table lamps is the variety of shades available, making them a decorator's dream. The shade's shape controls the amount and direction of the light. Cylinder shapes narrowly focus the light while a wider conical shade casts a wide beam, allowing you to define different areas within the same room.

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So you want to add more light to a room, but don't have a place for another decorative fixture or table lamp? Consider using track lighting, a popular and versatile way to produce a variety of lighting effects in any room.

With track lighting, you can configure it in many ways, choose from several lamp styles and position the lamps to suit your needs. Use two lights to highlight a favorite painting, or use half a dozen to illuminate a larger area. You can make a room appear larger, lighter and more airy by creating a wall wash – directing multiple track lights toward the wall.

Track lighting is really just a system of different components. The track is a channel that holds the lighting units (called heads) in place and provides power. Usually mounted to the ceiling, it's easy to install and very flexible. Need more light? Simply add on to or reconfigure the track, add more heads or point them in different directions. Don't be afraid to experiment until you get the effect you want. A well-planned track system can significantly enhance any room setting.

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Don't overlook sconces and other types of wall lighting when exploring lighting options in a room. They're great for setting a relaxed or intimate mood in a family room or dining room. Purchase companion pieces in chandeliers, pendants or table lamps for a coordinated look.

In hallways, foyers or on stairways, use sconces as accent lighting, especially when space is a consideration. Tucked up against the wall, they provide good light and take up a minimum of space.

Sconces add both style and function in the bathroom. Place one on either side of a mirror, or in a strip above the mirror and you'll have plenty of light for shaving or applying makeup. You'll find styles and finishes to suit any decor.

Use wall sconces to emphasize your room's best features or downplay its weaknesses. Aimed upward, a wall sconce can softly reflect off the ceiling, in many cases making it appear higher and enlarging the room. Pointed downward, wall fixtures can draw a high ceiling lower or highlight a shelf, an interesting piece of furniture or an architectural feature.

Place wall sconces so that they are aesthetically balanced within the room. Use them in pairs on opposite sides of a fireplace or entry door. Use them in multiples ascending a staircase. We recommend a mounting height of 66 inches from the center of the sconce to the floor.

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Your house and landscape look great, but once the sun goes down and dark set in, how does it look then? You can create a dramatic yet simple lighting design to showcase your lawn and garden at night.

Start with your entryway. Is there enough light for guests to see the steps and walkways? Install a light above the door, or choose a pair of lights on either side of the door - or use a combination. Study the architectural elements of your home and choose a style that complements the design. The selections are limitless.

Next look at your landscape. Highlight a prized oak tree. Accent the beauty of your favorite rose bush. Or illuminate a seating area for cozy conversation. The gentle radiance of landscape lighting also makes walkways and entryways brighter and safer.

Flood lights provide a direct spread of lights. Use them to highlight a specific object or area. Place them low and aim upward to highlight favorite trees or architectural features. Place high to create a down light effect with interesting shadow play.

Low voltage lighting is a relatively inexpensive way to light walkways, driveways or flowerbeds. Because of the low voltage level, these units provide ample light while using little energy. Whether you buy a kit or individual lights, even novice home electricians will find them easy to install.

Solar units are similar to low voltage systems, except they don't require a power pack. These wireless lights capture the sun's energy during the day to power the internal batteries at night. They produce a very low level of light so you probably won't want to use these for safety and security. Make sure to place them where they get a sufficient amount of sunlight.
However you choose to light your landscape, be sure to combined different styles and put your home in a whole new light at night.

Low voltage systems have a power pack (transformer) that plugs into an outdoor electrical outlet. The power pack reduces the standard 120-volt current to a mere 12 volts. At 12 volts, the system is incapable of shocking anyone so it's safe around children and pets.

Transformers range in output capacity from 44 watts to 900 watts. To determine which one you'll need, simply add up the total bulb wattage of all the individual lights that you plan to use. Next, match this total bulb wattage to a power pack with enough output capacity to light all of the fixtures. Important: The total bulb wattage of your lights should not exceed the power pack's output capacity. Doing so will damage your system and void the warranty.

Connect the transformer to the fixtures with low voltage cable. Low voltage cable is a weather resistant, self sealing, insulated stranded copper wire available in 16, 14 and 12 gauge sizes. For most installations 16 gauge is sufficient. However for runs longer than 100 feet or more than 150 total watts you should upgrade to a heavier gauge cable.
As a rule of thumb, 16-gauge cable is recommended for runs up to 100 feet, 14 gauge for up to 150 feet and 12 gauge for up to 200 feet. Cable may be buried to keep it out of the way (as when it crosses a lawn), but doesn't need to be (as when it runs under ivy or large shrubs).

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Can deliver general, task, and accent lighting, while giving you the flexibility to move the light whenever you want. Table lamps, floor lamps, and torchiers are available in a variety of styles to complement your decor. Small specialty lamps, such as clip-on lights, uplight cans, adjustable task lights, mini-reflector spotlights, desk and piano lamps fill a variety of task and accent light needs. These lamps are available with incandescent, tungsten-halogen, and energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs.

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With all the attention being placed on safety and security today, it's time to take an inventory of your exterior lighting. There are steps you can take to enhance the safety of your home's occupants.

Flood lights, installed at critical places around the outside of your home, can discourage intruders. Place them where they'll illuminate dark areas around the garage door, entryways, gates or back yard – anywhere that a prowler could hide.

Position them at heights that will make it difficult to disable or knock them out. A safe height is usually above arm's reach, approximately 9 feet above the highest standing point.

Motion-sensor lights are particularly effective. If you have an existing floodlight, they're easy to install. Choose a fixture that lets you control the time and the sensitivity to motion. If the light is connected to a switch inside the home, you can override the motion sensor so the light stays on.

If you have plain floodlights with no motion sensor, consider attaching them to a timer so that you can set them to automatically turn on at dusk and turn off at dawn. It's a great way to ensure peace of mind – automatically.

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