Lamps play a key decorative role, in addition to providing needed illumination.

The perfect lamp will light up your room.

Selecting lamps is often an afterthought, but it requires as much thought as other home fashions purchases, not just for the light the lamps provide, but for the aesthetic quality they bring to your decorating scheme.

In this article, we’ll talk mostly about the aesthetics of the lamps you select, but keep in mind that most rooms need three kinds of lighting: ambient, task and accent lighting.

Lamps should complement the other decor in your rooms – in color, style, shape and scale. They can be simple and streamlined to blend in and not draw attention, or they can be bold, unique or ornate to become a focal point in a room.

Even the lamp shades are worthy of your attention to detail. They come in many shapes and sizes. Your selection should be compatible with the lamp’s style and scale and also shine light the way you want it diffused in your room. Some shades can add texture to a room or even affect the color of light that emanates from a lamp, bathing a room in a soft glow.

Sometimes just moving your lamps around in a room can make a big change in the look of a room and how it functions. Lamps can sit on the floor, on a table or even on a buffet or mantle. For visual interest and a broad diffusion of light, it’s most effective to use lamps of different heights.