Furniture, fabric and accessories aren’t the only things to think about when decorating.

Lighting makes a big difference in the home. It adds beauty and drama as well as functionality. It can make a small room look bigger and a large room more intimate. Done right, it can have a significant impact - and for far less money then other decoration options.

The Layered Look

When it comes to illuminating a room, lighting pros recommend thinking in terms of layers. In general, every room should have three basic layers of light: general or ambient lighting, task lighting and accent lighting.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting provides overall lighting for the whole room. Typical lighting fixtures for this layer include recessed fixtures, pendants, chandeliers and surface-mounted fixtures.

Recessed Fixtures: A basic recessed fixture, typically housing a reflector floodlight, throws light downward in a cone shape. Placing recessed fixtures in an evenly spaced grid pattern lets those pools of light overlap and provide even lighting. In a room with eight-foot ceilings, place the fixtures in a grid from four to six feet apart.

Chandeliers: A chandelier that’s too big will overpower a room. One that’s too small will seem out of proportion. One trick to calculating a chandelier’s size is to measure the width of the room in feet. Double that number and you’ll get the diameter of the ideal chandelier in inches. For example, a room that’s 12 feet wide should have a chandelier no wider than 24 inches in diameter.

Surface Mounted Fixtures: Surface mounted fixtures can be very functional fluorescent types with white diffusing plastic covers or decorative crystal designs that can add sparkle and drama to foyers and hallways. Like chandeliers, they tend to distribute light more broadly than downlights, and are useful in delivering light to wall surfaces.

Tips and Tricks

-The bottom of a hanging fixture should generally be seven feet above the floor. If a fixture hangs above a dining table in a room with an eight-foot ceiling, the bottom of the fixture should hang about 30 inches above the table.

-The minimum chandelier diameter for most dining rooms should be 20 inches. It should be no greater than the length of the table minus 12 inches.

-For higher ceiling applications, consider using spotlights to add more “punch” to objects below.

Bulb basics

Not all light bulbs are the same - how do you know which bulb is right for your fixture? Mary Beth Gotti, a lighting expert with GE Consumer & Industrial, has these tips to help.

Choose the light quality for your style.

-Some bulbs, such as GE Reveal(r) incandescent and halogen bulbs, have neodymium in the glass. This rare earth element filters out dull yellow rays, making colors in artwork, wallpaper and fabric really stand out.

-Halogen produces bright, crisp white light, and is often used by designers. Excellent for task lighting or special accent lighting to call attention to a favorite art piece.

-Compact fluorescent bulbs use up to 75 percent less energy than standard incandescent bulbs, and last up to 10 times longer.

Find the right shape

The right bulb for the fixture means increased light output and better functionality.

-Use general purpose bulbs in table and floor lamps as well as enclosed ceiling fixtures.

-Decorative bulbs should be used in chandeliers, sconces or anywhere the light source is visible.

-Spotlights and floodlights are best for track and recessed fixtures.

Task lighting focuses light on a specific area in which an activity takes place. In a kitchen, for example, undercabinet lighting makes it easier to do food prep on the counters.