7 Basic Types of Lighting Fixtures—and When to

Use Them
By Kate Reggev / Published by Dwell — October 9, 2018

From sconces to pendants, and recessed to track lights, we

illuminate the seven basic types of lighting fixtures.
Lighting can be one of the most powerful ways to transform a space and its
ambiance, so it’s crucial to understand the basics. 

First thing’s first: ambient lighting, also known as general lighting, intends to
light up the entire room at a uniform level; accent lighting highlights a specific
point of interest; and task lighting provides light for specific tasks such as
reading, writing, cooking, or computer work. For each of these three different
types of lighting, there are various fixtures available. Below, we guide you
through the best options for your home. 

Overhead lighting customized by Rich Brilliant Willing in a pert orange

accents the primarily black-and-white interior scheme.

Photo: Gregory Miller

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 SEE A SAMPLE

Ceiling-Mounted Fixtures 

Wire chairs by Rejuvenation and ceiling-mounted fixtures by Hinkley Lighting

grace the balcony outside.

Photo: Brian W. Ferry

This broad range of fixtures is, as its name implies, mounted directly to the
ceiling, and typically features a glass, fabric, or plastic shade that conceals the
lightbulb and helps diffuse light more evenly. Ceiling-mounted fixtures tend to
be used to provide ambient light in a room as opposed to accent or task
lighting because they provide more general, dispersed lighting. 
Pendants 

Goneau matched Audrey Chairs from Kartell with a dining table she designed
herself. "It becomes the visual continuity of the kitchen island, by its
dimensions and material," she says. A bronze copper pendant by Tom Dixon
hangs above it.

Photo: Adrien Williams

Pendant lights are lights that hang from a cable, cord, or pipe from an
attachment at a ceiling, ending in a shade enclosing a light bulb that primarily
provides light in a downward direction, known as a downlight. Pendants are
often located over a table or kitchen island because they provide ambient or
task lighting, and usually have strong stylistic elements that bring character to
a space because they’re so visible. 
Recessed Lighting 

Upstairs is the master bedroom and bath, plus a study for Tyler's boyfriend,
Chris Brown, who works as a consultant for humanitarian NGOs.

Photo: Andrew Meredith

Recessed lights are installed above a ceiling so that the body of the light— the
mechanism and wiring—is hidden in the ceiling with a flush bulb or lens.
Unlike ceiling-mounted fixtures, which are easily seen, recessed lighting tends
to be more demure because it is level with the ceiling, but it does require about
four to eight inches of space above the ceiling for installation. The lighting
they produce can be used for a range of functions from ambient to accent to
task, depending on the number and type of fixtures. 
Track Lighting and Spotlights 

Visitors to the house are greeted by an art-filled living room anchored by a

B&B Italia Charles sofa and a pair of vintage Hans Wegner CH22 chairs. Track
lighting from WAC Lighting Co. helps showcase individual pieces from the
couple’s collection. "My favorite thing is walking in the front door," Tetreault
says.

Photo: Joshua McHugh

Track and spotlights are fixtures that are attached to a track that is mounted to
the ceiling or hung off the ceiling, depending on the fixture. The linear housing
contains several heads that can be moved along the track and reoriented to
focus on different directions. This ability to adjust and reposition the lighting
makes track lighting ideal for kitchens or gallery spaces where task or accent
lighting is needed, but where the desired focus may change. 
Wall Sconces 

Architect Joseph Dirand's bedroom boasts sandy gray walls and upholstered
headboard. The white bed linens help reflect daylight into the space and the
Azucena sconces offer task illumination.

Photo: Pia Ulin

Wall sconces are some of the most decorative fixtures in the lighting market
because they are frequently installed at eye-level in most rooms. They can be
either uplights or downlights, providing ambient or task lighting, depending
on the fixture, but are rarely powerful enough to provide enough illumination
alone to light a large space. They're often found on either side of a fireplace or
bed for additional illumination, highlighting these visual focal points in a
space.
Desk and Table Lamps 

The newly released Original 1227 Brass Desk Lamp in Elephant Grey is at once
minimalist and statement making.

Courtesy of Anglepoise

Desk and table lamps are largely used as task lights because they’re flexible
and can be positioned in various locations as needed (like adjacent to a comfy
chair for reading, or atop a desk for work). They typically provide light in a
downward direction, illuminating the surface directly below it rather than
providing a general glow, which prevents them from often being used as
ambient lights. However, like wall sconces, they can be a major design feature
in a space because of they are highly visible.
Cove Lighting 
New dining with new custom buffet side board and soffited ceiling with cove
lighting.

Photo Courtesy of George Patrick Elian

Cove lighting is an elegant type of lighting that is usually mounted to or

incorporated into the upper portion of a wall or ceiling. Usually hidden from
direct view, it provides uplighting along the edges of a room onto the ceiling.
Today, most cove lighting is provided by a thin strip of LEDs along a cove, or
niche, that is already created in the room. It provides diffuse, ambient lighting.

Next, we shine a light on living room lighting and dining room lighting. 

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