Ask any interior designer what the single most important design element of a room is and they won’t tell you paint. They won’t tell you furniture. They won’t tell you flooring, or curtains or throw pillows. They’ll tell you: lighting makes the room. And we’re not talking about overhead lighting. We’re talking about accent lighting. Accent lighting is the single best way to change up and illuminate your space. It’s the best way to make your room shine (literally!). Accent lighting means any form of lighting that either accents a specific area (like a table lamp, or under cabinet lighting), or any form that you can control to suit the space as with dimmers.

Recessed lighting can be great for certain spaces, but most designers will tell you that the best way to light a space is to utilize a combination of recessed overhead lighting and smaller accent pieces. Let’s take, for example, a kitchen. You may want to make use of recessed lighting to give the space an overall glow, especially in the evening, but it’s also important to feature accent lighting in the room – whether its lights underneath your cabinets to illuminate counter space or a set of pendant lights above your kitchen island. Accent lighting isn’t only about physically lighting the space, it’s also about style. Recessed lights are more about function. After all, most recessed lighting looks the same. Accent lighting gives you a chance to really express yourself and highlight your home’s style, whether it’s a traditional farmhouse kitchen or a modern, streamlined space.

Track lighting is also a great option for the kitchen, as it offers a happy medium between recessed lighting and a more statement-making pendant lamp. Track lighting allows you to direct the flow of light onto a specific portion of your space, so you can ensure that your vegetable chopping station always has light, or your kitchen island never feels dark. Track lighting can also be useful in hallways, where recessed lighting might not look as good, or in living rooms, in combination with recessed lighting. Track lighting comes in a variety of styles and finishes, so it’s easy to find a style that works for your space.

So, what about the dining room? As the more formal dining space in the home, dining rooms tend to require a more thought-out lighting plan. Track lighting, as well as recessed lighting, can be a great option for dining rooms, but you might also want to consider adding a dimmer to the mix. Dimmers are a great way to create  ambience in  your space, as they allow you to control the amount of light in a room with just a single touch. They’re also, as a bonus, a great way to save energy. Our Universal Dimmers allow for contemporary styling and enable you to effectively dim today’s bulbs without sacrificing performance. In fact, you can save up to $55 a year by replacing a traditional incandescent bulb with a dimmable LED. Replacing standard switches with dimmers and using dimmable LED or CFL bulbs helps save energy while making your home look great – what’s not to love? Trust us: once you add dimmers to your home, you’ll never go back. Start with your dining room, then head to the kitchen, living room, and beyond - even bedrooms and hallways can benefitfrom dimmers!

As you can see, accent lighting is a great way to style your space, but it’s also a great way to save energy. So what are you waiting for? Shop our selection of dimmers and under cabinet lights today.

Products covered: Battery Operated, Fluorescent Utility Light and Universal Dimmers