Start by determining if you want direct or ambient light, says Mark McMenamin, senior editor of InFurniture magazine, and go from there.

Where to Go

Restoration Hardware sells lighting designs from high-end manufacturers under its own label at much lower prices (www.restorationhardware.com).

Rico has a carefully edited line of modernist lights at affordable prices (www.shoprico.com).

Visual Comfort specializes in hard-to-find lighting products and antique reproductions (www.eboniste.com).

Insider Tip

Factor in the cost of an electrician: about $90 per ceiling or wall-mounted fixture, more if additional wiring is required.