What's the importance of light? Well, it allows you to see in the dark for one...but when it comes to design it can pull an entire room together. Not used properly can make a room feel uninviting, cold, and completely kill the mood. It's not just the light fixtures themselves but what kind of hue the bulb is actually emanating (warm, or cold light), brightness (wattage) etc.
You want someone to walk into the room and feel relaxed and comfortable. The lighting should also compliment people and let them look their best. This was in a previous post but if possible add a dimmer switch to the room. Your lighting should be flexible, no not like yoga flexible and bendy, but visually. Darken a room to attain a certain mood, you can't do that if you only have two options- on or off.
Your light in the room should also be controlled, add multiple sources of light and make sure you can diffuse it with shade. Remember not to light the entire room, its not controlled, it can be too much, and not overly inviting.
Those long florescent tube lights, should be extinct- these are never to be used...ever in your home. Your not a doctors office or an airport.
What kind of lights should be put in each room? - great question!
Living Room- Multiple sources of light. Floor lamps, table lamps, candles and even recessed lighting.
Kitchen- is considered 'task lighting' directly light the task area. So for instance the area over the stove, under-mounted to the cupboards over the counters. * Rule of Thumb- the task lights should be below eye level.
Bathroom- Brighter at the vanity and a dimmable option for the remaining lights, candles are always a nice touch...especially if your a bath soaker.
Bedrooms- reading table lamps are a thing of the past...sort of... OK not really, but spice up that bedroom baby! Once your bed is positioned drop a single pendent light on either side of the bed so it hangs over your side tables, or add a unique wall light or scone. Soft light is a must in the bedroom, if you decide to also go with an overhead light this needs to be dimmable. The bedroom is not meant to be completely lit up, set the mood. Calm, relaxed, oasis-like. No harsh lighting in here.
Let there be light xo