01
Define What the Room Must Do
List the work, movement, grooming, cooking, reading, dining, entertaining, and evening activities the room must support before choosing a fixture.
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
My Showroom & Support
THE EMERALD FERN LIGHTING GUIDE
The Layered Light
Light must help the room work, reveal the materials honestly, and create the mood after dark. Begin with the room's jobs—then layer ambient, task, accent, and decorative light as one plan.
ONE ROOM. MORE THAN ONE KIND OF LIGHT.
The fixture is visible. The lighting plan is what you feel.
SHOP BY FIXTURE TYPE
Choose the fixture. Keep the whole layer in view.
THE ORDER WE USE IN A REAL SHOWROOM
Plan what the light must do. Then choose what it looks like.
A layered plan gives each fixture a job. That makes the room easier to use, more flattering to live in, and more coherent after the sun goes down.
Shop lighting by room
02
Build the Ambient Layer
Create comfortable general light with ceiling fixtures, recessed light, indirect light, or a combination sized to the room—not a single bulb asked to do everything.
03
Place Task Light Where Work Happens
Light counters, sinks, mirrors, desks, reading seats, closets, and work surfaces from the correct direction so shadows do not follow the person using the space.
04
Add Depth With Accent Light
Use sconces, directional light, shelf light, picture light, and subtle architectural illumination to reveal material, art, cabinetry, texture, and vertical surfaces.
05
Choose the Decorative Statement
Now select the chandelier, pendant, sconce, or vanity fixture that carries the room's scale, silhouette, finish language, and point of view.
06
Confirm the Technical Plan
Resolve dimensions, ceiling height and slope, support, box locations, clearances, lumens, color temperature, CRI, dimming, controls, and damp or wet ratings before installation.
THE ORDER WE USE IN A REAL SHOWROOM
Know what comes before. See what comes next.
Shopping one category? Carry on. Planning a whole room? Use the same order our showroom uses so one decision can guide the next.
Kitchen selection order
01Cabinets
02Flooring
03Backsplash & Tile
04Cabinet Hardware
05Lighting
06Plumbing Fixtures
Bathroom selection order
01Vanity
02Flooring
03Shower, Wall & Backsplash Tile
04Hardware & Finish Direction
05Lighting & Mirrors
06Plumbing Fixtures
THREE WAYS TO BEGIN
Start with what you already know.
You do not need a fixture schedule to begin. Start with the fixture type, the room, or the fact that you want help turning the room's jobs and architecture into a layered plan.
01
I KNOW THE FIXTURE TYPE
Shop the silhouette
Go directly to chandeliers, pendants, sconces, vanity lighting, flush mounts, task lighting, fans, or the complete lighting collection.
02
I KNOW THE ROOM
Plan around the space
Begin with what happens in the kitchen, bathroom, living room, dining room, bedroom, entry, hall, stair, or working space.
03
I NEED A LIGHTING PLAN
Build the layers with us
Bring the room dimensions, ceiling height, photos, electrical plan, finish direction, and the tasks the room must support.
LIGHTING BY ROOM
The same fixture can behave differently in a different room.
Tasks, ceiling conditions, daylight, moisture, furniture, cabinetry, mirrors, finishes, sightlines, and controls determine what each space actually needs.
KITCHENContinue to the KitchenBATHROOMContinue to the BathroomLIVING & DININGShop living and dining lightingBEDROOMShop bedroom lightingENTRY, HALL & STAIRShop entryway lightingLAUNDRY, MUDROOM & WORKShop task lighting
Kitchen Lighting
Coordinate general light, island or table fixtures, under-cabinet task light, sink and range visibility, dimming, sightlines, and the room's metal finishes.
Bathroom Lighting
Plan flattering face light, mirror width and height, ceiling light, shower or tub zones, wet-location requirements, controls, and coordination with plumbing and hardware.
Gathering Spaces
Balance chandeliers, pendants, lamps, sconces, accent light, art, table scale, furniture layout, conversation zones, television glare, and flexible evening scenes.
Bedroom Lighting
Layer soft ambient light with bedside reading, dressing, closet, ceiling-fan, and low-level evening light controlled from the places people actually use it.
Circulation Lighting
Use scale, ceiling height, safe illumination, wall wash, stair visibility, sightlines, door clearance, switching, and the view from adjoining rooms to shape the plan.
Working-Space Lighting
Prioritize bright, even task light at folding, cleaning, storage, desk, craft, utility, and equipment zones without creating glare or deep cabinet shadows.
COMPARE THE LIGHTING LAYERS
One fixture can be beautiful. A room still needs a lighting plan.
Each layer has a different job. Use this framework to prevent glare, shadows, flatness, and decorative fixtures that are expected to carry more light than they were designed to provide.
| Lighting layer | Best for | What it does | Plan around |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ambient Light | Comfortable general illumination and safe movement through the full room | Creates the base light level with ceiling, recessed, indirect, wall, or portable sources working together | Room size and reflectance, ceiling height, lumens, distribution, glare, daylight, switching, dimming, and shadows |
| Task Light | Counters, islands, sinks, mirrors, desks, reading, closets, laundry, cooking, grooming, and detailed work | Places focused light where the eyes and hands need it instead of increasing brightness everywhere | Work-surface location, mounting direction, body shadows, glare, color rendering, controls, and the user's position |
| Accent Light | Art, tile, cabinetry, shelves, niches, fireplaces, architecture, texture, and visual depth | Directs attention and gives vertical surfaces dimension so the room does not feel flat after dark | Beam spread, aiming, contrast, reflection, material sheen, heat, concealment, access, and competing light sources |
| Decorative Light | Chandeliers, pendants, sconces, vanity fixtures, lamps, and the visible statement pieces in the room | Carries silhouette, proportion, finish, style, and personality while contributing to another lighting layer | Fixture and canopy dimensions, hanging height, sightlines, table or island scale, clearance, weight, support, and cleaning |
BEFORE THE FIXTURE ORDER
What happens when the fixture needs a replacement part?
Verify ceiling height and slope, canopy and fixture dimensions, junction-box locations, hanging height, door and cabinet clearance, sightlines, fixture weight and structural support, bulb or integrated-LED serviceability, lumens, color temperature, CRI, dimmer and driver compatibility, damp or wet rating, code requirements, lead time, and installation access before ordering.
DESIGN GUIDANCE. DIRECT LIGHTING ACCESS.
A beautiful fixture can still be the wrong light.
The right choice connects appearance, output, scale, placement, controls, environment, installation, and the materials around it. We help keep those decisions inside one room-minded conversation.
A whole-room lighting conversation
Coordinate ambient, task, accent, and decorative light with the cabinetry, tile, flooring, plumbing, hardware, furniture, and daylight already shaping the room.
Broad manufacturer access
Explore lighting across multiple price points and design directions through established names including Designers Fountain, EGLO, Quoizel, Savoy House, Innovations Lighting, and Justice Design Group.
Nationally certified MBE distributor
Homeowners and professionals can source lighting and the room's coordinating finish products through an independently owned, nationally certified MBE business.
LIGHTING DIRECTIONS WE ARE WATCHING
Current silhouettes with lasting purpose.
SHOP REAL ROOMS
See the room. Shop the details.
Discover how cabinets, flooring, tile, hardware, lighting, and plumbing fixtures come together in a finished space. Explore complete rooms, then shop the products that bring each look to life.
Featured room: Modern Onyx + White Kitchen
KEEP THE PROJECT CONNECTED
Keep shopping with a clear next step.
Follow the next decision in the room’s design order, or use My Showroom to keep every room and selection connected.
06 · PLUMBING FIXTURES
Connect the final fixtures to the whole room.
Coordinate sinks, faucets, and shower fixtures with the lighting and hardware, then verify the exact products and their connections.
Explore plumbing fixtures
MY SHOWROOM
Keep every room and selection together.
Organize the project room by room, in the order a real showroom works, with every decision connected.
Open My ShowroomPUT THE LIGHTING BACK INTO THE ROOM
The light is layered. Now keep the whole room in view.
Return to the complete Kitchen or Bathroom path to coordinate lighting with cabinetry, flooring, tile, surfaces, hardware, plumbing, mirrors, accessories, and the way the room is actually used.
Recently viewed
