If you are buying, building, decorating or re-decorating your home, you will soon realise that so many different aspects of house design and interior decoration work together to create a home. The size and shape of the rooms, the style of the furnishings, the colours, the furniture, accessories and clutter, or lack of them, all build up a picture of your lifestyle, personality and tastes. Every one’s home, irrespective of style or luxury or lack of it should be beautiful in its own way, however different and individualistic it may be. Most people do care about their homes and do stamp them with the imprint of their uniqueness.

Probably not much comes close to creating atmosphere like lighting, and yet so often its impact is overlooked. Too many people choose light fittings just because they have an attractive design. This, of course is important, but nowhere near the most important part.

Perhaps you have designed your room but somehow it just doesnt match up to the way you imagined it would be. Your furnishings and colours are text book perfect, but something is wrong. Most likely you will find that everything falls into place and looks the way you dreamed it would, once your lighting is corrected.

Lighting is a really very complex part of your dcor. You may need a lot of expert help and advice before you finally install the fittings. Many websites, light fitting providers, decorators and home decor shops can help you choose, and explain the effects of their light fittings.

When you visit friends who have caught the right atmosphere, look to see what they have done, and question them. They will most likely be flattered rather than offended! Even look at what lighting effects you see in stores and shops. Their lighting is usually professionally designed to enhance their wares in particular ways.

You also need to look at magazine photographs that catch the appeal you are looking for, and study them carefully. Ask yourself lots of questions:

Which way do the shadows fall? What is the lighting colour and type? From which direction is the light coming? How high up or low down are the light fittings? Are they concealed or revealed? Is the room evenly lit or are certain areas or objects highlighted? What types of lights flatter which colours? When you have answered all these questions, you will be a whole lot closer to designing the lighting you need.

Dont forget the exterior of your house, your garden and outside features such as swimming pools, ponds and water features. This is the first impression that arriving visitors get of you and yours. A garden at night turns into a mysterious fairyland and your house lighting draws one with a welcoming warmth you can never capture in daylight. All water lends itself to light treatments, whether the cool, smooth, blue glow of a pool or twinkling diamonds cascading down a waterfall. The mystery and magic of the night only emphasise the beauty of light.