Lights and lighting should be considered during the early stages of planning. When choosing lighting, you need to consider these:

1. Is it practical?
Start with your house electrical circuitry by consulting an electrician to ensure that the lighting circuit is capable of powering the number and type of lights you want. Track and downlight systems use low-voltage light and need a transformer and a separate circuit. Do not overload the circuit. Circuits are usually overheated when using a bulb with too high a wattage.

2. The activities in your living room
List down all of the activities that will take place in your living room. A flexible and imaginative approach to lighting will accomodate many different kind of activities.

Having done the above two, you can now start thinking about 'What Kind Of Lighting Should You Choose?'. Here are the list of lighting types avilable in the market, and how it is usually used. There is of course no hard and fast rule on the usage.

Track or Downlight - for general illumination

Task Lighting - for desk

Underside of Shelves - for lighting in cupboards or display shelves

Spotlight - for display area

Uplight - usually use on walls or above cupboards for a sophisticated look. For a more drastic and innovative look, put in a row to divide a space with a wall of light.

Wall Mounted / Wall Light - usually used as an extra lighting on the living room wall. eg: traditional bracket light with pretty shades, smart designer version in etched glass, or rubber

Clip-On - effective and easy to use

Table Lamp - provide intimacy. Can be placed in the living room.

Floor Lamp - rarely used in home. Usually used at public area or the garden.

Pendant Light - lights hanging from the middle of the room. Hung low over tables, they isolate and emphasize the area in an understated way. For versalitity, look for pendant lamp with a rise and fall mechanism

Chandeliers, Faury Light, Neon Light - for that extra sparkle in your living room. Turn your room into a more glamorous and chic.

Understanding The Lighting Effects:

Bright vs Dimmed
Bright light is better for eyesight and health in general and makes you more efficient.
Dimmed light or low level light however, allows you to relax more.
If you need both, consider installing a dimmer OR just install both kinds of light - bright for work, warm dimmed light for relaxing

Positioning of Lights
Correct positioning of lighting is very important, so think carefully or ask for advice. For example, try to position work lights so they are in front of you.

What's In?

1. Standard Lamps
Believe it or not, standard lamps are back as hot items. Look for straight bases topped with large drum shades in bright colours or silver and with bold geometric patterns.

2. Coloured Glass
Glass pebble and globe lamps are all timeless pieces. they give a gentle glow and look great when gathered together in groups or placed on the floor in unexpected places.
eg: tiffany lamps

3. Row Light
If you love overall illumination the sort of ceiling lights, but you want a more stylish version, use longer flexes and hang rows of simple shaded lights above tables or desks.