Shopping for task lighting has a way of shedding light on several issues, including how well you mitigate, magnify and otherwise manage the amount of light in your home.

You'll be one step ahead of the game if you coordinate your interior shades with task lighting. Of the three primary types of lighting – accent, ambient and task – the latter appears to be the simplest to figure out. Taking a big hint from its name, task lights illuminate an area so you can complete a task with ease.

But, there is more to getting task lighting right than meets the eye. Before you head to the store, ensure you know what your choices include and learn some savvy buying tips so you can coordinate your interior shades with task lights.

Size up your choices

Compared to the wide, unfocused beam of overhead light, task lighting directs energy where you need it, plus a little beyond, in the form of:

• Table lamps, the mainstay of task lighting.
• Desk lamps, the smaller cousin of table lamps. Many desk lamps have adjustable arms that raise, lower and tilt to enhance their usefulness.
• Floor lamps, which find a natural home perched next to a couch or chair for reading.
• Hanging pendants, most often used over kitchen islands.
• Under-cabinet lighting, which can serve the twin purpose of accentuating a work area in a kitchen and functioning as a navigational night light when all the other lights in a kitchen are turned off.

Size up shopping advice

Lighting experts recommend task lighting be three times brighter than general lighting. This might be a little strong for your preference, so conduct a test with a task light you have at home before heading to the store. You can always purchase a bulb with a lower wattage, but you should never exceed the wattage recommended for a lamp. Doing so may create a fire hazard.

Also consider:

• How much natural light is available in a room during different times of the day. A dark room can be enhanced with interior shades made from solar or light-filtering fabric. If you notice too many shadows in a room, begin with altering the interior shades before purchasing extra task lights.
• Purchase task lighting based on the activities that take place in the room, realistically. For example, children in particular have a way of gravitating to an area in a home that can surprise you. If they've carved out a nook to catch up on social media, consider a task light to make socializing easier on their eyes.
• Consider the age of people who may benefit most from additional task lighting. People in their 60s and up can require eight times more light to see than people in their 20s.
• Consider the type of bulb you place in a task light. LEDs and CFLs provide cool light while incandescent and halogen lights cast a lower and warmer glow.

Contact Polar Shades, the leader in interior shades

When you call Polar Shades to schedule a free in-home consultation, remember our window experts are also lighting experts. This means they will help you coordinate your interior shades and the tasks taking place in a room – so everyone in your home can see clearly at all times of the day. Call 702-260-6110 to schedule your consultation today!