If you’re considering a decorating project, you’ve probably given a lot of thought to furniture style, colors and materials. But what about lighting? This important part of your decorating scheme can enhance colors, spark drama and create a mood. But good lighting is about more than pretty fixtures. Below is what you need to know to create beautifully lit spaces.

Interior light falls into three categories: ambient, task & accent. For the most effective lighting scheme, you need a combination of all three types—the pros call it “layering.” The first layer, ambient light, provides evenly distributed, general illumination and is most often supplied by a ceiling fixture, such as a chandelier in the dining room. Task lighting focuses on a specific area in a room, such as a pendant over a kitchen counter or a reading lamp near a chair or desk. Accent lighting is used to draw attention to a particular area or to add depth and drama—think of candlelight and picture lights. Keep in mind that it isn’t necessarily the fixture that determines the type of light, but the way it is used