A Few Pointers on Lighting Your Interior

Up lighting (light focused upward) can make low ceilings seem a bit taller.
Down lighting (light focused downward) can help keep attention away from unflattering ceilings.

You can make a small room seem larger by washing its walls with even lighting. An evenly lighted space will also eliminate the cave effect. In a large room, lighting up a few areas with pools of light can make the room feel smaller and cozier.

When buying a fixture, consider the beam pattern you're getting: focused, diffused or somewhere in between.

Fixtures may look smaller in a store than at home. Measure a fixture you're interested in. Find a box or other object of the same size and tack it to the wall or ceiling to see how it will fit the space before you buy.

It's wise to select furnishings and other décor materials in the same kind of light you live with. Borrow samples, if possible, to see how things look in your home lighting.

Reflectance has a lot to do with how we perceive light in a room. Matte finishes absorb light more than reflective surfaces. A room with wall-papered walls will need more light to look as bright as the same room with walls painted in a glossier finish. Glossy surfaces such as granite/marble countertops also affect reflectance levels.