Switch on to the latest in lighting

If you are in your kitchen right now, take a look at your ceiling. Do you have a set of
halogen spotlights arranged like an airport landing strip? Now, walk into your living
room. Are there small table lamps wearing triangular shades like hats? If this is the
case, then join me at the bottom of the lighting class.
There is hope, however. Technology has progressed so much that with a bit of attention to
the lighting, your house will seem more spacious and inviting.
To understand this, I visit Lucy Martin, author of The Lighting Bible, in the Chelsea
showroom of lighting specialists John Cullen . The first thing, Martin tells me, is to
make the most of available light: “Don’t obscure windows with huge amounts of material.
”
When it comes to using artificial light, “having less lighting from the ceiling is a
major trend at the moment”, explains Martin. “Use it, but use it sparingly. If you only
have light coming from overhead, it closes down your room.”
According to Martin, the key to brightening up your home is layering. Light that comes
from the walls, floor and tabletops creates a textured effect that opens out a room.
Splashing light across the walls will, as she puts it, “Peel a room open like a banana.
”To do this you may have to increase the beam width of your spotlights. (This is
measured in degrees and displayed on the side of the box.) A wide angle will flood light
across your walls to very satisfying effect. A shower room can be transformed by
illuminating the back wall, and kitchens can be made to look larger by slanting spots on
to cabinets, so the light bounces down on to work surfaces.
Meanwhile back in the living room, dramatic lighting in niches and on shelves creates a
luxurious effect. And uplighters eliminate dead corners and make rooms more inviting.
The ideal set-up is to have your lights on a five-amp circuit controlled by a master
switch by the door. You will have to connect your table lamps to five-amp points, which
means fitting them with five-amp plugs.
If you don’t want to disturb your plasterwork, a simple way to spruce things up is with
LEDs (light emitting diodes). They only use a tiny amount of energy, but put out a vast
amount of light. Crucially, they don’t heat up, so you can use them in places where heat
is undesirable such as kitchen cupboards.
Long strips of LEDs can be attached to kitchen units or display shelves, while a flexible
LED lamp by your bed will take your night-time reading habits out of the twilight zone.
Strips cost £60-£100 a metre, but the more you pay, the warmer the light.
If you are serious about reviewing your lighting design, then employ a consultant. John
Cullen charges £150 per room or from £85 an hour for an entire house.
Otherwise, Habitat and The Conran Shop sell a wide selection of lights that will
transform your home.
Whatever your long-term lighting needs, bin those old triangular hats on your table
lamps. All they do is throw light down onto your coffee table. A drum-shaped lampshade
will help throw light up into your room.
For a mellow glow, make sure the inside of the shade is sprayed gold. Porta Romana
 or Heathfield & Co  are good hunting grounds for lampshades.
The possibilities today are more exciting than ever before, so take the time to do your
research. There’s no need to be left in the dark.