Table Lamps as Accent Lighting

In the first part of our look at lighting types, we discussed some ideas for using table lamps as ambient lighting. This is a great start for any lighting scheme, and table lamps are perfect for creating an overall atmosphere, and experimenting with different locations.
However, if your ambient lighting is leaving shadows a little flat, you can add some real visual interest by adding another type of lighting. There are several options available, and table lamps can fulfill many roles, but in this article, we’re going to take a closer look at accent lighting.
What is accent lighting?
Accent lighting is used to highlight a feature or object in a room. The lamp itself doesn’t command any attention, because its purpose is to draw the eye to a specific part of the room.
The object being highlighted can be anything: a picture, a piece of furniture, an interesting architectural feature, or even just a wall. It is important that the lamp focuses on the object strongly, without highlighting too much of its surroundings.
Using a table lamp for accenting
Once again, using a table lamp is a great idea, because you can reposition them easily to highlight a feature from the best possible angle. Choosing an opaque lamp shade works best, because it concentrates the light on a smaller area, making it more dramatic.
Also pay attention to the type of light bulb used. A reflector bulb will force the light upwards, rather than letting it spill out underneath too. Using a smaller light bulb can also work great, because the smaller light source produces sharper shadows, which contrast wonderfully against the softer shadows produced by ambient lighting.