Italian Lighting And The Feel Good Factor. Imagine an empty room with white walls and a cream carpet. A blank canvas. For many this scene is a nightmare, the options are endless and confusing, but for just as many, this scenario is a dream. An opportunity to start again and let your imagination run wild without the constraints of existing furniture styles and colours preventing you from doing what you really want. Designing your own room is a creation, a very personal thing that can be incredibly rewarding and we strongly suggest you give it a try. Where to start? When faced with this situation it is important to think about what you want to achieve from the room. How do you want it to make you feel? This is very important because how you feel at home affects how you feel at work and at play. Do you want it to be bright and lively or do you want it to be soft and relaxing? Different types of room will serve a different purpose and so the desired effects will vary. For instance, you don’t want your bedroom to provide the same feeling as your kitchen or you may end up falling asleep on the hob. One feeling that is particularly important in every room is pride. To be able to sit back and appreciate the hard work and beauty of your creation is incredibly self rewarding. One of the easiest ways to change the feel of your room is by adding appropriate lighting. Italian lighting in particular can give a room a real sense of character. Italian lighting traditionally tends to be hand made and very often hand painted, which has the same effect as a piece of art hanging on the wall or a sculpture in the corner. Italian lighting can be used as a centre piece, designed to catch the eye and pull you closer to the design. Like any piece of art, Italian lighting has the power to change your mood by changing the feel of the room. Conversely, the frustration of incorrect lighting can have a negative effect on your mood so it’s important to get it right. Different types of lighting are best suited to different rooms. For instance in a dining room a statement chandelier hanging over the table can look fantastic. This is another situation where Italian lighting may be appropriate. Over a table you can normally afford to go a little larger than normal, particularly with the height. The table will get in the way and stop people bumping into your beautiful Italian ceiling light. Ideally you want the chandelier to hang down about a meter above the surface of the table. The lowest part of the chandelier should hang at least 30 cm above the eye level of your tallest guests once they are seated. In other rooms, like the bedroom, wall lights may be more appropriate. For instance next to the bed a pair of swing arm style lights are really effective and great for reading in bed. These are available in different styles, a very modern and minimalist chrome design could be used in a more contemporary environment or a more elaborate Italian design would look better in a more traditional property. There are many options to consider when decorating a room but getting the lighting correct can make a significant difference to it’s feel good factor and more importantly, to your feel good factor. To view a range of Italian lighting visit The Lighting Centre, Guildford in Surrey or go to www.lightingcentre.co.uk