Furniture, flooring, paint and decoration – all of these things have a part to play in determining a room’s mood, but for the biggest impact on your home’s style there’s nothing more effective than good lighting.

Unfortunately, too often lighting is downplayed or ignored, so that many rooms rely on just one light source from an overhead lamp. This can result in dull illumination that can undo all your hard work with harsh, unflattering light and dark shadows. Not only does this make a room look less attractive, it can also lead to eye strain and reduced concentration when working or reading a book, for example, or play havoc with our body’s internal clock with bright lighting late at night.

Wall Lights

A great way to add some depth and interest to an otherwise starkly lit room is to install wall lights – also known as sconces. They help to add ambient light to a room, giving you enough light to read or relax comfortably without flooding the room with unnecessarily harsh brightness.

What’s more, even when switched off wall lights can help add decoration to room – whether the traditional lantern style or a more modern primitive shape like a cube or cylinder. Wall lights are available in all shapes, sizes and styles from online retailers such as www.downlightsdirect.co.uk. |For small rooms, choose a minimalist design so as to not overwhelm the room’s décor. In larger rooms, go wild – a bold and imposing design will make a great impression.

Floor Lamps

If you’re looking for a quick way to add extra lighting to a room, a floor lamp offers the ultimate in convenience – just plug it in, switch it on and you’re done. But they have a host of practical uses beyond easy installation. A well-placed floor lamp can literally brighten up a dark and dull corner of the room, bringing attention to a particular feature or simply providing illumination for a desk or study area. Some floor lamps are static and designed for ambient illumination, while others can be angled to provide a spot light – great for your favourite reading chair.

The Rule of Three

As a general rule of thumb, you should aim to have at least three sources of light in a room. This can be in any kind of combination as long as the light can create a range of moods and eliminate the harsh shadows created by a solitary light source. For example, you could have a overhead lamp with shade, a wall light on one wall and a floor lamp in the corner. This set-up would help to create a balanced, inviting environment. What’s more, it’s easy to adjust the lighting to suit the circumstances – you can choose any combination between a fully-lit room when entertaining guests to a more muted scheme when relaxing at night.