The five main types of interior lighting are: general, ambient, mood, task and accent. Some lights can fit into a few types (depending on their placement, brightness and use) but a general understanding of each individual type of lighting can be very helpful in planning an effective scheme.

Lighting or illumination is the deliberate use of light to achieve practical or aesthetic effects. Lighting includes the use of both artificial light sources like lamps and light fixtures, as well as natural illumination by capturing daylight.