As any interior design fan will know, how you decorate a room can make a world of difference to its atmosphere.
While a room with thick curtains, a roaring fire, red wallpaper and plenty of trinkets will make its inhabitants feel warm and cosy, exchanging the curtains for blinds, painting the walls white and having a clear out gives the impression of much more space.
The experts at Channel4.com explained how you can use artificial light to get the look and feel you want for a room.
When it comes to making a room feel spacious, light is all important, explained the experts, and just like daylight, artificial light can really stretch a room.
Use uplighters on a pale ceiling, or make sure every corner of a room is well lit, as this will trick your mind into thinking you've got much more room than you do.
If you're opting for lamps, then choosing the right lampshade is massively important when it comes to directing the light where you want it. An opaque lampshade can work wonders for controlling the light while a translucent one will soften the light.
Conversely, some people may want to create more of an intimate feel with their lighting scheme.
This is achievable through table lamps and low hanging pendant ceiling lights which will create little pools of light perfect for that intimate feel.
It is also important to think about type of light you want. People going for a bright look will want to opt for Halogen bulbs, which have a very white, businesslike look.
Energy-saving bulbs, on the other hand, give off a warmer light more similar to that of the old style tungsten bulbs.
Meanwhile, people who want to let plenty of natural light into their room should opt for white blinds at the window that are easily pulled back - these will look fantastic in summer.
