So how do you set the mood in your home? My favorite way to set the mood in my own home is by changing the lighting. I learned an incredible amount about the importance of lighting from working in television. Lighting is key to setting the stage for whatever atmosphere you want to portray. That’s why restaurants put so much emphasis on lighting. They know that lighting plays an integral part in creating an ambiance in their dining experience.

If I’m lighting for a daylight event such as a luncheon for my girlfriends, then I began by looking at the natural daylight available first. I add general overhead lighting, task lighting for activities such as serving or eating and accent lighting for creating atmosphere, such as tapered or floating candles on the table.

However, if I want to create an intimate cozy space for a romantic interlude after dark, then I turn off all the ambient or general overhead lighting and use just a little accent lighting to highlight architectural features or artwork. I place some candles throughout the room in key areas and light the fireplace or illuminate the room with natural moonlight to complete the look.

A great way to create an inviting atmosphere in your home is to highlight the focal points in each room such as the fireplace, dining room table or whirlpool in the master bath. In the great room of our house, I added one switch for a directional light that showcases the fireplace and another switch that turns on multiple accent lights at once. Then, I only have to flip two switches to instantly create a beautiful inviting atmosphere in our great room.

One of my favorite tricks, personally, is to bounce light off mirrors. By placing candles, lamps or other lighting in front of a mirror, you can multiply the effect of the light and create a dramatic look in your rooms. Another favorite trick of mine is to highlight an architectural feature or decorative item. For example, you can add light above a piece of trim along your ceiling to highlight the architecture of your ceiling in a bedroom, place a light inside cabinets to showcase dinnerware or add an up light below greenery to create drama. One of my favorite areas to highlight with lighting in the home is the master bath. By just adding directional and accent lighting, you can create a wonderful retreat to relax in at the end of every day.

So where do you begin with lighting in your home? Let me give you some tips. Start with the rooms that you use the most such as the kitchen and great room.

In your kitchen, start by assessing how much natural daylight streams into your room during the day. Then, add general or ambient lighting overhead, making sure that you have enough light for the kitchen during the evening. Next, add task lighting that allows you to perform functions in your kitchen such as cooking at the stove, washing dishes at the sink, chopping vegetables on your work island or eating at the bar. And for the bar area, I like to use hanging pendant lights overhead, because they add a vertical element to all the horizontal counter surfaces in your kitchen.

Once you’ve determined the task lighting needed, begin to think about your accent lighting. Accent lighting is used to highlight features or add interest to your décor. Great places to add accent lighting in your kitchen can be highlighting a beautiful tiled area above your stove or the inside of a dramatic stove hood. Other great places to accent are inside glass front cabinets and above or below cabinets to highlight countertops and accessories.

For your great room, decide whether the room is informal enough for ambient or general overhead lighting. Then, add task lighting to the room to give you a place to read or watch television. A general rule of thumb for rooms is to place your lamps in a diagonal or triangular pattern to create visual interest in the room. For example, if you have two lamps on each side of your sofa, then add a third light source such as a floor lamp at the opposite end of the room to create a triangular grouping of light. This grouping will draw your eye around the room, adding drama and interest.

Another important area to highlight with accent lighting is your focal point such as your fireplace. You can also add directional lighting aimed towards a beautiful piece of artwork over the fireplace or place a group of candles on your mantel or hearth to add focus.

Designer’s Eye column was written by Karen Mills of Interiors by Design, Inc. and host, Living Large.