To maximize the design of your home inside and out, avoiding these common lighting mistakes:

•  Falling for lighting "deals" when purchasing lighting. Savvy homeowners buy quality products with a timeless style.
• Under-lighting your home. There should be a distinct contrast between general and accent lighting.
• Using the wrong sized fixtures. Using small fixtures in a large room or oversized fixtures in a small space can throw off the entire design of a room.
• Failure to use the appropriate size, type, and wattage of light bulb in fixtures.
• Wasting a home's energy by installing the wrong type of lights. By using energy-saving dimmers, light bulbs and air-tight cans, homeowners can save both energy and money.

1. Bigger rooms need bigger fans. Choose a 50-to 56-inch fan for rooms up to 225 sq. ft. and larger. Pick up a 42-to 44-inch fan for rooms up to 144 sq. ft. Rooms up to 64 sq. ft. can use a 32-inch fan.
2. Ceiling height is also important when choosing a fan. For safe operation, fan blades should be at least seven feet above the floor. A blade height of eight-nine feet is optimum.
3. Look for a motor that can do the job. "The heart of the fan is its motor," says Mark Jeffrey, marketing manager for Emerson Electric Company Air Comfort Products Division in St. Louis, MO.  "You can't see it but it is the real workhorse."
4. The amount of air moved by a ceiling fan depends on the angle, or pitch, of its blades. A pitch of 14 degrees is optimum for maximum air movement.
5. Consider your home's style. "If you want the fan to be part of your home's decor, look for colors and detail that complement," says Casablanca Fan Company's John Pearson. "If you want the fan to "disappear," choose one that is the color of the ceiling."
6. Look for light fixtures and fitters that match your fan's finish.
7. Ceiling fans run on electricity. Determine if you will need electrical wiring brought to the part of the room you want to add the fan. Since most fans replace existing lights, the wiring is usually already in place.
8. When adding a fan to the bathroom, look for one specifically designed and UL-listed for damp locations. Want one for the patio? Opt for a fan that is UL-listed for wet locations.
9. "A ceiling fan is only as good as the company who sells it to you," says Kathy Held, manager, buyer and vice president of South Dade Lighting, a 10,000 sq. ft. lighting showroom in Miami, FL. "Look for someone who will be able to help and service you."
10. Buy the best quality you can afford. "People are willing to spend more money to achieve quiet operation, better performance and a look that complements their home decor," says Ball.

The list of do's and don't when selecting a chandelier:

Do

1. Select your chandelier to complement your decorating style.
2. Size your chandelier properly with respect to the room or dining table.
3. Select the proper size chandelier for your ceiling.
4. Consider how your chandelier will appear when viewed from above (applicable with a staircase and landing).
5. Consider how your foyer chandelier will be viewed through a transom (if applicable).
6. Select a chandelier with a color-finished frame to coordinate with the color palette used in decorating the home.

1. Select a chandelier that is too small for the application.
2. Be afraid to mixed styles - crystal complements everything in the home.
3. Hesitate to use crystal in unusual places - it can generate excitement as decorative accents, in master closets, in luxury baths, as portable lamps in formal areas, or to create a romantic mood.
4. Be afraid of cleaning crystal - it is very simple.

Ten Ways to light up your bath.
.
When coordinating bathroom lighting, combine fashion with function to make your fixtures supply ample amounts of light.

1. Lighting in the shower stall should be bright enough to help avoid spills while making shaving and shampooing easier. Choose light fixtures designed for use in wet areas.
2. Tubs, like showers, need good general light, which can be provided by a recessed fixture. To avoid glare, aim the light's beam at the outside edge of the tub.
3. Windows provide natural light to supplement or replace the electric options, particularly during the day.
4. Create a nightlight by illuminating the floor in the toe-space below vanities and cabinets with a linear lighting system.
5. Indirect (cove) lighting with its hidden light source is purely aesthetic, adding a soft, warm glow to the bathroom.
6. Good mirror lighting, like that provided by warm fluorescent vertical wall sconces, will provide the even facial illumination necessary for eliminating dark circles and shadows.
7. A halogen light above the vanity provides cross illumination when used in conjunction with wall sconces.
8. Table lamps add a soft, human touch to bathrooms. Display them away from water sources- on tables, vanities, or multipurpose bathroom islands found in larger homes.
9. A decorative light fixture suspended from the ceiling provides an elegant touch while adding extra light.
10. Focused flood or halogen fixtures over the commode provide good light for watercloset reading

1. A Chandelier in the middle of the room defines the space. Choose that fixture first, and then work out with the accent lights.
2. Choose a chandelier with a diameter 12" less than the width of the dining table.  The bottom of chandelier should be 30" above the table.
3. For ceilings nine feet or higher, consider a two-tier style chandelier to fill the space from the fixture's top to the ceiling.
4. Always use a dimmer on dining room lights.  Light becomes warmer as it is dimmed.
5. For those who use the dining room as a study area, consider bringing in a portable study lamp to brighten up the workspace. Overhead lighting may work well for general studies, but in depth or close work demands more light.
6. So-called "smart" dimmers, driven by microprocessors offer convenience. When you have several layers of light, smart dimmers can be set to various ambiences. Press one button for dining, another for lighting up homework, and another for social activities.
7. Use multiple layers of light in the dining room.  Chandeliers provide the central focus. Accent lights on either side of the chandelier and at the room's perimeter brighten things up. Accessory lights on and/or over other furniture pieces fill in the background.
8. Table lamps add a soft, humanizing touch to a dining room.  Display them on a buffet or breakfront.