The Lighting Guide

A floor lamp is one of the most versatile pieces of lighting you can add to a room — no electrician needed, no fixed position, and it does more for the atmosphere of a space than almost any other single change. But with so many styles, sizes, and types available, knowing what to look for makes all the difference.

Watts tell you how much energy a bulb uses. Lumens tell you how much light it produces. If you've ever bought a bulb that seemed bright on the packaging but left the room feeling dim — or vice versa — this guide explains exactly why, and how to buy the right brightness every time.

The hallway is the first thing guests see when they walk into your home — and the last thing you see when you leave. Yet it's almost always the most neglected room in the house when it comes to lighting. Here's how to do it properly.

The bedroom has to do more than any other room in the house — bright enough to get dressed in, calm enough to wind down in, focused enough to read in. Most people solve this with a ceiling light and a bedside lamp and end up with a room that's either too harsh or too dim. This guide covers how to get it right.