“A room is like a stage. If you see it without lighting, it can be the coldest place in the world,” Hollywood Squares star Paul Lynde.

You can spend a lifetime picking out the right fabrics, colors, and furniture, but if you don’t have right lighting the room will never look right. Finding the perfect light fixtures can be a long and frustrating process, but it doesn’t have to be. Here’s a few tricks you can use to make lighting your room easy.

Watch out for shadows- If you’re not careful you’ll end up like Peter Pan, fighting with shadows. When you’re arranging the room, think about where you put your lamps and where the shadows will cast. The type bulb and shade are often overlooked as shadow culprits, so don’t be afraid to experiment with different bulbs or shades.

Shadows are sneaky. Be prepared to master the shadows in your room.

Levels are your friend- Overhead lighting is a great way to light a space, but if you want to make the room multifunctional you’ll need more than just a few can lights in the ceiling. Table lamps, desk lamps, floor lamps, and even a few wall sconces here and there let you use the room for any purpose you can think of.

Lots of levels means lots of options. Turning off the overhead lights and turning on a few lamps will change the room from a bright showroom to a cozy reading nook.

Don’t discount dimmers- Dimmers got a bad rap for a while. I guess too many romantics used dimmers to “set the mood.” Romantics aside, dimmers have a place in the lighting world. With a dimmer your rooms become versatile. You can soften the lighting for a quiet night in or put it on full blast for a lively cocktail party.

Don’t let the stigma scare you, dimmers are a fantastic tool for your lighting tool kit.

Lighting is the finishing touch that everyone wishes they could master. FIFTEENTH AND HOME keeps only blue ribbon fixtures in the shop. Stop by and find that fixture you’ve been looking for.