Changing your lighting on a budget
We aren't all blessed with bucket loads of money to throw at
improving our living space. Here are a few tips that can change
the way you feel in your home by simply changing the lighting
arrangements.
Buy yourself a lamp. They've been around forever but when was
the last time you looked at the vast range of lamps that are
available today? The form of lamp that most people are familiar
with is that old favourite the table lamp. The electric table
lamp has evolved from generations of oil and gas lamp. It is
versatile and portable, as far as the flex will reach! It gives
out a pool of light that is usually directed down and creates a
warm and cosy atmosphere. Lamps are available in many forms with
bases that can be made from glass, stone, metal, wood and even
ceramic. Shades also come in many shapes and sizes and a wide
range can be found online. You don't even have to travel to the
store to get your new lamp it can be purchased online and
delivered direct to your door.
Consider using candles. For many years candles were an expensive
luxury that most people could not afford. They relied on the
light given off by their heat source, usually the fire in the
hearth, or simply retired to bed at dusk when sunlight faded.
Nowadays candles are very affordable and available from many
different stockists. Try using a tall candle in an elegant
candlestick to bring a touch of class to your dining room or a
short broad candle to bring intimacy to the bedroom. You've not
extracted the full pleasure from a long soak in the bath until
you've led there in flickering candle light.
Buy a clip spotlight. These are essentially a bulb attached to a
giant clip. They plug in to your electric socket and can then be
clipped to curtain rails or other suitable mount. Be careful
though, the wires do trail from the socket to the light and it's
easy to trip over them and pull the spotlight away from where it
has been secured.
Add silver or gold paper to the inside of a lamp shade. Gold
paper makes the light shining from the lamp feel warmer whilst
silver paper gives a cooler feel. Make sure the paper you use is
fire proof though as shades can get hot.
Make the most of the natural light that falls into your room. A
blind at the window can help to reflect light into the room
whilst a large mirror carefully positioned can greatly increase
the general brightness in any area. Ensure that drapes are held
well back from a window as bunched drapes hanging in front of
the glass when pulled can drastically reduce the natural light
entering a room.
Whatever you decide to do it will be a lot cheaper than a major
refit.