| ABOUT LIGHTING |
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I once lived in a 1970s-style apartment that seemed to only reflect the worst decorating mistakes of that era. The lighting fixtures were truly the most horrendous I'd ever seen. The kitchen was worst of all, sporting two large, fluorescent lighting tubes. The light was so bright, it bothered almost everyone ever subjected to it, and it sent my guests wincing out of my kitchen the moment it was flipped on. Other lighting fiascoes may include fixtures that are outdated or of poor quality so that they can break easily, clash with the other elements of the room, are too small or too large for a room, and, of course, those that are just plain ugly. If you live in a rental, you may not be willing to invest in new lighting fixtures. But you can draw less attention to them by not using them very often. No, I am not suggesting that you live in darkness! But if you put a lamp or two in each room where the offending fixtures live, you can easily reduce their use. For instance, if you have two lamps with sixty- or hundred-watt bulbs, you might only rarely need your overhead light. You also have other creative lighting options, such as strip lighting that attaches under kitchen cabinets. You can find lamps at discount stores, yard sales, and flea markets. But often, some of the lamps you will find there could use a bit of a facelift. Some ways to do that include: Painting the base a new color (or several new colors) Adding a new shade Embellishing a shade with anything from feathers to buttons to fringe to silk flowers APARTMENT TIPS Sure, lots of accessories are nice to look at. But what about the ones that look great and are functional? It doesn't get much better than that. Accessories can serve many different types of purposes in your home: Organizing and storage. This can include baskets and bowls for storing large and small items; chalkboards and bulletin boards to help you keep your life organized; and crystal and porcelain knobs (instead of hooks) for hanging clothing, necklaces, belts, and other items. Mirrors. They're great-looking accessories that let you check your appearance and can also reflect light to help brighten a room. Pillows. They can inject a color or mood into a room and enhance the look of your sofa and chairs. (They're also great for naps!) |
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