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It could be argued that there is nothing more important in a space than lighting. Lighting helps to set the mood in our homes, allows us to function in a space and greatly affects how we perceive color. With poor lighting, an otherwise beautifully decorated home can feel drab and depressing. With proper lighting, design flaws can be overlooked and a space can be almost completely transformed.
Without getting too complicated, there are basically 3 things a homeowner needs to consider when selecting lighting for the home:
Ambient (sometimes called mood lighting or general lighting). This is typically an overhead fixture, such as recessed or ceiling mounted fixtures. Ambient lighting provides general lighting for a space, and also contributes to the mood or feeling in your home.
Task. Task lighting provides direct light to a work area. Very important in kitchens, baths and a home office. Wall-mounted and under-counter fixtures usually furnish this type of lighting, but portable lamps and pendants often do the trick, as well.
Accent. This type of lighting is most often provided by wall mounted fixtures, and is used to highlight art and architectural details and to create drama.
When selecting lighting, it is important to think about what you will be doing in that space and what sort of lighting will assist in those activities. For example, in a bathroom you will need to provide adequate task lighting for activities such as eyebrow tweezing while still providing versatile ambient lighting for those relaxing evenings in the bath. This may be a combination of downlight wall sconces and an overhead flush-mount ceiling fixture - both on dimmers, of course, to allow for maximum light when needed, as well as a soft glow for de-stressing after a long day.
What style, shape, size, material, and color is appropriate for the design of the space? And where will it be placed? Do you want it to blend into the decor or really make a statement?
The type of fixture you select will be determined by the overall style of the room, and what sort of statement, if any, you want to make. For example, a retro-modern kitchen will need light fixtures in that design style, not an over-the-top crystal and wrought iron chandelier. As you are selecting the actual fixtures, however, you will also need to keep in mind the 'where' these fixtures will be placed to provide the appropriate type of lighting. Will there be a overhead flush-mounted fixture in the center of the kitchen ceiling to provide ambient lighting? Or have you already installed recessed lighting on dimmers to provide ambient, and now need to add in some task lighting? Perhaps a pair of emerald green glass pendants over the island? Or under-counter halogen puck lights?
Incandescent or fluorescent is the big question here. Basically, the type of bulb will be selected based on color of light it provides and its energy efficiency. The fittings in the light fixture you select will also determine what type of bulb you will use.
Most of us recognize incandescent bulbs as 60 watt, 75 watt, etc. These have been around forever, and most homeowners still use them. Incandescent lighting is popular because it provides a warm, golden light that is flattering to skin tones. Fluorescent bulbs have a bad rap of being "green" - and not in a good way. We recognize them as long tubes of eye-aching light in office buildings and dated kitchens. Fluorescent lighting, however, has come a long way over the years. CFLs (compact fluorescent light bulbs) are becoming more and more popular as they are being introduced in "daylight" and "warm white" tones, which are slightly more flattering to our skin tones. The advantage of CFLs is that that are very energy efficient and don?t give off much heat. Halogen, xenon and krypton are the slightly lesser known incandescent bulbs, They are great for accent light fixtures, but can give off a lot of heat, and are not as efficient as fluorescent lighting. (To see how these different bulbs cast different colored light check out this GE website.
Let?s go through the lighting plan for an interior that features an open floor plan, including a dining area, kitchen and living room.
For the dining area you will need ambient lighting - most likely an overhead pendant or chandelier. Wall sconces can also add another layer of ambient lighting, and having these fixtures on dimmers will maximize mood options for the space. You may or may not need task lighting, depending on how you use your dining table. If your table doubles as a workspace, like many people, you will want to add some sort of task lighting, perhaps in the form a chandelier with down-lights.
In the kitchen, you will need sufficient task lighting (assuming you cook!) Under-counter or recessed lighting will work well, as will pendent fixtures. Ambient lighting can be provided by ceiling mounted fixtures, and accent lighting can also be used if there are any architectural or design elements that need to be highlighted.
The living room will benefit from all three types of lighting, as well. Task lighting for reading, can be provided by a floor lamp or table lamp. Ambient lighting can be created by overhead lighting, sconces or even floor lamps. And accent lighting will most likely take the form of wall mounted fixtures, again highlighting architectural details or artwork.
As you can see, there are many things to consider when creating a lighting plan for your home. Often an overlooked area of design, lighting is key in creating the right mood for a space. With a little lighting know-how and a little extra effort, your home can become more enjoyable, functional and beautiful. 
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