Colour temperature is measured in kelvin (K): the lower it is, the warmer and more yellow the light. Choose it by the function of the room.

• Living room, bedroom and entrance: 2700 to 3000 K, warm light that invites rest.
• Kitchen and bathroom: 3000 to 4000 K, a more neutral light that helps with tasks without feeling cold.
• Office: about 4000 K, neutral light for concentration.

Where colours matter, in the kitchen and at the mirror, choose bulbs with a colour rendering index (CRI) of 90 or more: food, skin and fabrics show their true colour.

The hall needs an even general light that lights the whole space, and warm light, so that the home feels welcoming. A low guiding light, in an LED strip or recessed, helps with coming and going at night. If there is a mirror, light it from the front or the sides, so you can see yourself well before going out.

A lit niche in an entrance wardrobe acts as ambient light and as a place for keys. More ideas in Tips for decorating the entrance hall.

Start with a diffused, warm general light, around 2700 K, that lights the room without strong shadows. Then add accent and task light: LED in the shelving and the television unit, a floor lamp beside the sofa or armchair, a reading wall light.

At the end of the day, the general light can stay off and the room lives on the lower lights alone. For this, each group of lights needs its own switch.

The main piece is the pendant over the table: it lights the top and marks out the dining area in an open space. It is completed with ceiling light points, spotlights or a cove, for a warm light that is still enough for the meal.

How high to hang it and its size in relation to the table are in the guide How high to hang a pendant light. The PÉROLA, with 5 opal glass spheres, is 115 cm long, for long tables. The CÚPULA, a 25 cm diameter disc with dimmable LED, suits round tables or can be repeated in a row.

In the kitchen, light is mainly task light. Light the preparation and cooking area with light under the wall cabinets: the ceiling light, behind whoever is cooking, casts a shadow over the worktop. Over the island, use pendants. On the shelves and in the glass cabinet, an LED strip provides ambient light.

Choose light between 3000 and 4000 K and a CRI of 90 or more. And make the most of daylight: a kitchen with a window near the worktop needs less artificial light during the day.

At the mirror, the light should come from both sides, at face height. Light from above alone casts shadows under the eyes and chin. Wall lights on each side or a mirror with integrated LED solve this.

Use light between 3000 and 4000 K, with a CRI of 90 or more, and fittings suitable for damp areas near the shower and the bath.

The bedroom needs warm light, 2700 K, at every light point: strong, cool light at the end of the day can delay sleep. Use several layers:

• General: spotlights or a ceiling light, for tidying and cleaning.
• By the bed: wall lights or pendants over the bedside tables, for reading.
• Indirect: LED in a cove, behind the curtain or on the headboard, for the end of the day.

With these layers, the light can be lowered according to the time, without losing comfort. The measurements and the 4 light points of a bedroom are in 10 essential items for your bedroom. Lamps by room are on the Light page.

More pieces in the Lighting and Wall lights collections.