lighting has become an integral part of life. Not only is it functional, but with today's sophisticated fixtures and techniques, it also makes our environment more comfortable and attractive.

A good, well-planned lighting scheme is as much an asset to the home as carpeting and other accessories, and can be used in many useful ways.

Yet how many of us think seriously about lighting? We buy ceiling fixtures, floor and table lamps and wall sconces and dot them around for expediency without much thought to the effect they will give.

But if we think of the home as a well-designed space for living instead of just somewhere to arrange furniture, then lighting takes on a new importance.

Indeed, lighting techniques can be used to create wonderful effects, alter the look of a room, and also the sense of space.

Accent lights, for example, can create warm pools of light, while wall washers and uplighters capitalise on the reflective qualities of walls and ceilings.

Today, the market offers a wide variety of fixtures and fittings. All you need are a few simple techniques to enhance the ambiance and decor of your home.

Generally, the average home lighting scheme goes something like this: fluorescent ceiling fixture in the kitchen; ceiling light and table lamps in the living room; ceiling light and bedside lamps in the bedroom; ceiling fixture in the dining room; ceiling fixture or light over the mirror/basin area in the bathroom.

Naturally, unless you're building a brand new home, you won't want to scrap your present lighting system, so let's look at some ways to improve it.

You can begin by putting versatility into your lighting. Dimmer switches installed on ceiling and wall fixtures in the living and dining room allow you to adjust the amount of light to suit your mood.

Living Room: Use table and floor lamps for accent lighting. To create soft pools of light, place them at the ends of a couch or on a low table beside a chair, on buffets, shelves and occasional tables. Position them in corners, and behind tall plants so that the light will shine through the leaves and make pretty patterns on the walls and ceiling.

Take time to shop for the right lamps, and remember: they don't all have to be the same style and colour except when placed at the ends of a buffet or console table.

For the biggest lamps, choose a colour to complement or contrast with the predominant shade in your colour scheme. Where upholstery and drapery fabrics have a dominant pattern, choose plain lamp bases in a lighter or darker tone.

Position reading lamps behind and slightly to one side of where the reader sits. Supplement these with soft background lighting.

Use wall washers and either wall or floor-mounted uplighters to enhance large rooms with high ceilings. Wall washers also break up large areas of wall.

Dining Room: Downlighters are particularly effective when installed over a dining room table. Chandeliers, perhaps in combination with wall sconces and both fitted dimmer switches, work well in traditional settings. Add little drum shades to each bulb for a warm, cosy effect.

If you're using a hanging fixture, make sure it doesn't isolate people from each other or dazzle their eyes when seated. To avoid dazzle, if the fixture is other than a chandelier, choose a design where the bulb does not protrude beneath the shade, and use a crown-silvered bulb to reflect light back to the dining table Halls and Staircases: are main areas of passage and should be well lit. A mixture of lighting works better than a single fixture in hallways. Choose elegant hanging fixtures for traditional halls and simple, unobtrusive ones for modern ones.

Track lighting works well in long, narrow hallways, with the lights being tilted to highlight wall hangings, pictures or other decor. Or try using more than one wall sconce.

If you have a mirror in the hallway, position lights so they don't shine on it and produce a dazzling effect.

Light switches should be placed at either end of a hallway, with one just inside the entrance door for safety and ease of location.

Staircase lighting should also be controlled by two switches, one at the bottom and one at the top, and you should have at least one good overhead fixture which spreads a lot of light over the stairs.

Bedrooms: Because they are private retreats where you go to relax and get away from the world, lighting should be designed accordingly.

Principally, you want: a good light for dressing or putting on make-up in front of a mirror, and good bedlights for reading. If you have a favourite chair in the bedroom, you will also want a lamp (either standing or table) near it.

Bedrooms don't need to be lit like sports fields, so if you have a ceiling fixture for general light, fit it with a dimmer switch.

When deciding on bedroom fixtures, think about your colour scheme. Is it pale? Then you need less light than if it was darker.

Bedside lights are important. If you share your bedroom, you want ones which let each person read independently without disturbing the other. Make sure the on/off switch is easy to reach. A little switch, installed in the middle of the cord and easily reached, is wonderfully convenient, particularly if you're snuggled under warm blankets. Reading lights should shine onto the book, not into the reader's eyes.

Swing arm lamps affixed to the wall are make ideal reading lights, but make sure but make sure they are positioned high enough to clear your head when you sit up in bed! Like everything else, bedside lights should be part of the overall decor.

Co-ordinating shades with curtains or bedspreads is an excellent touch. Light dressing tables either side of the mirror.

Closet lights are invaluable. Ones which work like automobile courtesy lights -- going on when the doors are opened -- are the most convenient. In any case, keep all clothing and other combustible materials away from bulbs.

Bathroom: Shiny finishes on bathroom surfaces and fixtures are enhanced by light, and producing a cold, clinical effect. To create a more relaxed ambiance, install clear lighting around mirrors for make-up and shaving and use attractive wall fixtures as well. Recessed downlighters which spread a wide pool of light from the ceiling are good in bathrooms.

Kitchen: A single, central light will create shadows over work areas.

Concealed strip lighting under wall cabinets corrects this.

Plants and flowers: The colours of plants and flowers are enhanced with drum uplighting, which also casts intriguing shadows on walls and ceilings. But remember to avoid damaging tender leaves by keeping bulbs clear of them.

Alternatively, use a cool beam, low-wattage spotlight.

Light very large plants from below with drum-shaped uplighters concealed behind the containers. Move the light around until interesting shadows are cast on walls and ceiling. You'll be surprised at the charming effect it has on a room! You can also group small plants around a table lamp, or show them off on glass shelves uplit with small, directional fittings. Try placing a mirror behind plants or greenery for a really attractive effect.

LIGHTING TECHNIQUES Lighting techniques Paintings, sculpture, hangings, objets d'art: Ignore regular brass picture lights -- they only light the top half of a picture. A properly angled, ceiling mounted, directional light illuminates the picture overall, and should be placed around 40 inches from the wall. More than one light is needed for very large paintings or hangings of course, with the beams crossing on the surface to eliminate shadows.

Illusions of space: A room can be made to appear bigger than it is with proper lighting. Using clear, white light (such as an overhead light) which clearly defines all a room's boundaries actually makes the space seem smaller than it is. Try painting walls and ceiling with a pale colour to soften the boundaries.

A mixture of angled light and shadow is what makes space seem greater, and gives the impression of movement and freedom.

Ceilings appear higher with uplighters. Conceal drum uplighters behind furniture or plants. Bathe flat wall areas in soft light from wall washers.

Accent architectural details with downlights or directional spotlights.

Mirror and light: used together, double the visual impression of space and light. Two mirrors placed opposite each other on side walls widen a narrow room. A mirrored wall at one end of a square room doubles its length. Grouping plants in front of mirror and lighting them from above creates a particularly attractive effect.

Mirrors set into alcoves, and lit by directional spotlights positioned at right angles, give the impression of another room beyond. Arch-shaped pieces of mirror can also be used in the same way.

GOOD LIGHTING TECHNIQUES make all the difference. Here, strategically placed standing and table lamps plus concealed uplighting create a warm, relaxed atmosphere in this elegant living room.