Gary Klicpera & Jeffrey Greer

Decorating any room can be very time consuming and demanding, as you want to get everything just right if you are to enjoy the finished project and achieve the look you want. The bathroom, although generally one of the smallest rooms in the house, is just as important as any other and should be allocated as much thought and time.

Lighting can be highly effective and instantly transform a room giving it that wow factor so many people want to achieve. Chandeliers, pendant lights, wall mounted spotlights and mirror lights come in all shapes and sizes and chosen carefully will make your bathroom one that you can enjoy spending time in.

If you need some inspiration then there are lots of places to find it, home decorating magazines and books can provide up-to-date ideas and designs, visit high street lighting stores or showrooms, or look online for lighting supplies.

When you think of the bathroom don't just see it as a place where you get clean, it can be much more than that. Many see it as a refuge where they can attend to their ablutions in privacy or chill out in a hot bath for a while with the door locked away from the hassles of the family, so comfort and lighting is essential if this is to be achieved.

Bathroom lighting can come from various sources and how you choose your fixtures will depend on your taste, the decor, and your budget. Economical and attractive ceiling lights come in a range of styles, from the simple flush light and semi-flush light styles to glitzy chandeliers. Using wall lights or spotlights in the bathroom gives you the ability to adjust them, direct them to highlight a certain area or particular feature you admire. Place a spotlight over a piece of art to draw attention to it, or over the mirror for extra light can be effective particularly for those bathrooms with no natural light.

Lighting around the mirror has to be quite bright as you need to see what you are doing, particularly when it comes to applying make-up and shaving, Led bulbs and halogen lamps are generally used in lighting fixtures for these purposes as they are bright but not glaring. Bathroom shower downlights are perfect for using in moist locations as they are manufactured to safety standards, choose from a range of polished stylish chrome or brass, or classic white with clear glass upper body for a sophisticated addition to your bathroom.

Illuminated shelf lights are a nice touch in the bathroom and come in a choice of colors and sizes, using the latest led technology they use minimum energy too. The glass is toughened for safety and slots into the aluminum back ballast, complete with a built in LED driver and LED strip they require no additional wiring. They can create a truly unique contemporary effect and enhance the environment with a soft glow.

A bathroom is also a place to escape to for some peace and quiet, where it's ok to lock the door on your other half and children. If your plan is to take long hot baths in the evening then soft and atmospheric lighting is going to be an important factor. If you have the space you could have a small table top lamp next to the bath or on a shelf to use as a softer lighting option instead of the brighter overhead light. You could even invite your partner into the bath with you and have a romantic evening together!

Never rush into choosing your lighting solutions, consider how the area can be seen to its best advantage through the use of different lighting effects. Online companies can give information and you'll get a good discount.

Search online and you'll find a huge choice of safety rated waterproof and showerproof lighting available and suitable for the bathroom as they have IP65 safety rating against moisture intrusion and dust ingression. Look for products that offer low voltage and mains voltage options, as well as the fire rated safety option.

by: Kathryn Dawson

http://www.articlecity.com/articles/home_improvement/article_5527.shtml

(BPT) – Entire TV shows are dedicated to it, and real estate agents say it is essential when selling your home. So what is "curb appeal?" More importantly, how do you create it for your home?

Even if you're not planning to sell your home any time soon, some simple steps to boost the attractiveness of your home from the street (so called "curb appeal") can make it feel more appealing to you and your guests.

Start with the front door

From TV to magazines to popular websites, many home improvement experts call out the front door as one of the most important aspects for creating curb appeal. "While curb appeal depends on many factors – landscaping and siding, lighting and lawn care – the front door, the focal point of the facade, trumps the others in terms of importance," says Donna Boyle Schwartz, a home furnishing writer and editor. Schwartz and other experts offer a range of tips for enlivening your front door.

At the most basic level, a new coat of paint for the front door is a simple and inexpensive update that only takes a few hours to complete. More homeowners are experimenting with bold primary colors on their doors to make the front of their home pop. But if you're worried that a bright yellow or red might be too much for your tastes, several paint manufacturers offer free online color visualization tools. With a few clicks, you can see how any hue will look next to the color of your home's siding and trim.

Other ways to perk-up your front door include new handles and locksets. A quick visit to Pinterest.com, Houzz.com or other no-cost to access online resources will show you the range of creative options available.

For many homeowners, the ultimate way to perk-up their front entry is by replacing the door. "Not only does replacing your front entry door kick up your curb appeal, it's a solid investment with a decent payback," explains home improvement journalist Karin Beuerlein on HouseLogic.com. A new door provides opportunities to personalize the home's entry to best suit your current tastes. Whether it's a major style change like a switch from Colonial to contemporary, a different type of decorative glass or your favorite wood species, manufacturers offer many ways to make a front door truly your own.

As with paint, many homeowners find it difficult to picture how different door styles would look on their homes. "To make the process of finding a door simple and fun, we've created a range of free online design tools," notes Brad Loveless, product development and marketing manager for Simpson Door Company. "Called Doormagination, these tools include a 'test drive,' in which you can upload a photo of your home and compare different door designs." Such tools allow people to quickly explore the range of options and to see what their personalized door will look like before they order it.

You don't have to be a design guru to add curb appeal to your home. Paint and door manufacturers, even some local landscape companies, now offer fun and easy-to-use tools to create a "wow-worthy" home entry.