When it comes to lighting, people often focus on the fixture style, contemporary, traditional and retro are among the most popular -- but experts say to truly decorate with light you should be paying more attention to what the light source is doing.

A lot of people think wall scones and chandeliers are great ways to light a room, but the reality is they are not very good light sources. They can, however, be used as a layer when you are decorating with light.

Ambient light can come from any number of sources, wall scones, pendants or lamps to name a few. They dispel the darkness, add warmth to a room and provide the foundation layer of light for a room. Once you have that first layer down, then the next step is to turn too recessed for task, accent and wall lighting."

Developed in the 1950s, recessed lighting created the ability to light a space from above the ceiling plane. This innovative idea changed the future of lighting used in both homes and commercial spaces and is still one of the most important architectural tools in lighting design.

Today, recessed lighting fixtures are being used to create dramatic effects in every room in the house. In the living room, they can spotlight a painting on the wall or a piece of furniture; in a hallway, they can create a scalloping effect as you walk; in the kitchen they are replacing the typical center fixture and providing more functional task lighting where needed; and in bedrooms and cozy corners of dens, they are being used as reading lights.

The possibilities offered by recessed lighting are truly endless you can use it to do pretty much anything you want to do. It's the true workhorse of the lighting industry.

When done right recessed lighting will be very discreet. It will draw attention to the item you're illuminating. Not the fixture or source of light.

Here are just a few examples of what recessed lighting can do:

1.Make crystals shine. When you walk into a foyer, your eyes are instantly drawn to a crystal chandelier with incandescent bulbs, even though it is not producing much light. McCarthy says this is because as the light given off by the recessed lights above criss-crosses, it cools off the light source, making the crystals sparkle.

2.Enhance a display of collectibles. When you look into a china cabinet in the dining room, the collectibles inside shine and/or sparkle under the recessed lighting casting down on them from above.

3.Define spaces. You can have a large great room and use the recessed fixtures to define various spaces, like a seating area or game area.

4.Illuminate vertical surfaces or wall washing. This will give the illusion of a larger space. If you put somebody in a room with dark walls, they will feel a sense of confinement. Light up those same walls and it will feel more spacious, more open.

5.Recessed lighting offers the ability to properly illuminate any number of spaces. Depending on what you want to illuminate, you have access to warm or cool light, ambient or direct light, whatever you need. It is important to choose the right bulbs and fixtures.