How do you make a house a home? Interior designers are only too familiar with this process. They have an eye for creating beautiful spaces that reflect their clients’ individual design preferences, lifestyles and aspirations. However, you don’t necessarily need the help of a professional to create a homely space that’s uniquely yours, or to introduce new features to elevate the room.

One of the most effective ways to enhance the interior of your home is to go bespoke with your lighting fixtures and fittings. Sometimes, just one fab piece of bespoke lighting is all it takes to totally transform a room from dull to dazzling.

Here are 4 ways to inspire and enlighten your next room makeover.

1. Think of lighting as a mood changer

Don’t underestimate the power of good lighting to transform the mood of any room. Says lighting designer Susie Pfeiffer, “lighting is fundamental to your interior design, affecting the overall look, ambience, functionality, and even the perceived size of a room.”

With the use of a clever lighting design scheme, you can change the atmosphere in the room and switch the energy up or down as required. But get it wrong and you could end up with an interior space that feels cold and uninviting. Even the smallest change in color, angle or size of a light fitting or standalone lamp can make a huge difference.

A lighting specialist will help you understand what will work in your particular space to create the right kind of impact. Use a mixture of general, task and accent lighting to cover all the bases.<

2. Introduce a statement piece

Lamps and light fittings in the home have the potential to be so much more than merely functional items that provide illumination. There’s really no good reason why the lights in your home shouldn’t be beautiful as well as useful.

From drop dead gorgeous traditional chandeliers to quirky, contemporary light creations, let your imagination flow freely and choose a piece that truly wows. Have you heard of Light as Art – a branch of the visual arts that uses the concept of ‘light’ being a material to create innovative and visually stunning art installations?

Whether you take your inspiration from the old masters or from recycled industrial fittings, or indeed decide to craft your own unusual, individual piece, the important thing is to find a feature to make a real impact in your home.

3. Bespoke lighting around the home

Looking at the home, the living room and other reception areas are where you are likely to spend most of your time. When it comes to reviewing the lighting solutions in your home, it makes sense to start here.

Bespoke living room lighting can take any form you desire, but this is a prime space and your best opportunity for making a design statement. These top contemporary lighting designers are a good starting point, if only for inspiration. Also check out the Dutch lighting designer, Brand Van Egmond, whose exciting light art pieces have graced many discerning homes and even a shopping mall in the Middle East!

However, don’t feel that your lighting efforts have to be restricted to the main areas of your home. Any room can benefit from good lighting design. Why not start as you mean to go on and create a stylish welcome in the hallway as you step through the front door?

A bespoke chandelier or large lantern can set the tone for the rest of the home. A beautiful table lamp could take pride of place on a console table. Choose the right lighting in the hallway and transform it into a welcoming, luxurious space. You know what they say about making a great first impression…

4. Maximise natural daylight

Finally, don’t forget about the most important light of all: natural daylight. This should be an integral element of your lighting design, giving you extra options to adjust and maximise the amount of sunshine coming in.

Make sure that curtains can be pulled to the side of the window so that the entire window is exposed. Use mirrors and other reflective surfaces to help bounce the light around the room; pale color schemes will help too.

To improve small and/or dark rooms, why not choose fitted blinds or privacy glass to make the most of the existing space and light? If your building and makeover budget allows it, think of incorporating skylights to flood the room with daylight.