Buyers decide how big a room feels within seconds, and light does most of the persuading. A single ceiling fitting flattens everything it touches; three or four smaller sources at different heights give the eye places to travel, which reads as space.
Our staging rule is simple: ambient light for the room, task light where life happens, and one warm accent that photographs well. A floor lamp beside the sofa, a small lamp on the shelf, and the ceiling light dimmed low will transform an evening viewing.
Colour temperature matters as much as brightness. We standardise on warm white throughout, because mixed temperatures — a cold kitchen beside a warm sitting room — make a home feel disjointed in photographs.
Before your photographer arrives, switch on every lamp, open every blind, and replace any dead bulbs. It costs almost nothing, and it is one of the highest-return preparations a seller can make.