Anyone who looks at lighting as a purely functional necessity is missing out on a versatile designing element. While lights are primarily used to give, well... light, why restrict yourself. Use lights to light up your room as well as to create drama, mood and colour in every room.

Lights are one of the most inexpensive ways of enhancing a room and transforming a space. While most people often overlook this interior decor element, a small change in lighting can transform the look of the room. It can make the difference between a cosy, romantic room filled with warmth and a cold, lifeless room devoid of any warmth.

Spot lights or subdued lights, floor lamps or table lamps, bright lights or dim lights, white light or colored light; your choice of lighting will go beyond its function and will set the tone of your house. It is important to spend some time deciding on your lighting in order to get the mood just right and avoid wires trailing all along the floor or the walls.

Spot lights or Subdued lights...?

While overall subdued lighting looks classy and elegant in a living room, a spot light can be used to highlight a spectacular piece of artwork on the wall, making it stand out on an otherwise, stark wall. Correctly placed accent lighting can create depth and shadows in any picture, turning even a simple picture into a stunning masterpiece. Another spotlight can be used to throw focus on your collection of family photographs that are assembled either on the wall or on a side-table.

Floor lamps or Table lamps...?

A savvy combination of both can add pizzazz to any room. Floor lamps and table lamps of different heights and made of an assortment of materials including brass, wood and terracotta add texture and variety as well as highlights and low lights. Turning on different combinations for different occasions allows you to change the mood of the room with a flick of a switch. Keep them all on for a brightly lit, cheery and informal get-together; turn on only a couple of lamps for a sultrier, cocktail party. Browse through flea markets and specialty stores and look for unusual items that can be converted into floor or table lamps. Buy interesting lamp shades for added drama.

Bright lights or Dim lights...?

While dim lights can turn your bedroom into a cosy, romantic haven, you may want to consider installing brighter lights to help you shave. Dim, romantic lights over the bathroom sink could very well end up being a source of frustration when shaving or putting on make-up. Avoid too-bright fluorescent lights, which serve as constant reminders of hospitals and operation theatres. Instead opt for bright spot lights for reading, sewing and knitting.

White lights or Colored Lights

While white lights are de rigeur for any room, colored lights placed sparingly and strategically add a certain je ne sais quois to any room. A single white light may provide enough light while preparing your family dinner, but tiny colored lights installed under kitchen cabinets provide delightful accent lighting all along the kitchen counter top. And they look better too. It’s a lighting trick you wouldn’t want to miss. Colored accent lights can also be used to enhance the soothing atmosphere as you soak up the lather in your bath tub.

For more home decorating and diy articles take a look at these about how to repair hard wood flooring and how to lay vinyl floor.