Add drama to a drab room by 'painting' it with light.
Warm up a cold, white or pale green or blue room with colour-tinted bulbs. Pale pink, peach and cream add a subtle warming glow.
For an element of surprise, vary the light sources throughout the room. Mount small fixtures under a row of wall cabinets, inside a china cabinet, on top of a bookshelf, and so forth. Bounce light both upwards and downwards.
Varying lighting intensity in a room adds interest: a 25 watt bulb here and there provides a subtle touch. Dimmer-switches are a flexible way to control lighting mood and atmosphere at different times, but cannot be used to control domestic fluorescent fitting.
Focusing a floor spot-lamp or up-lighter on a leafy plant transforms a blank wall into a fascinating patterned screen of light and shade.
Prevent glare from an overhanging pendant shade by fitting a crown-silvered bulb.
In a child's bedroom, fix self-adhesive metallic foil stars to the ceiling. Illuminated decorative plugs can also double as tiny night lights.
Picture lights add a generally warm background glow and can also highlight works of art.
