For perfect bathroom lighting...

To maximise natural daylight, take down blinds, fussy curtains and unnecessary window dressing . If you're worried about being overlooked, a cheap solution is to frost your window - either pay a glazier or use a frosting-effect spray from DIY stores.
If you have only a harsh central light operated by a pull cord, one of the easiest ways to create instant ambience is to ask an electrician to fit a dimmer switch just outside the bathroom door instead.
Replace existing fittings with frosted ones - you'll immediately get a lovely diffused light.
Stud the ceiling with several low-voltage spotlights or downlighters, which wash the walls with light. Downlighters cast pools of light onto the surface below and are great for water and glass. Get your builder to put in a false ceiling to hide the wiring.
Fit downlighers with a dimmer. You don't want to be blinded by the light when you go to the loo in the night.
To light your mirror, install a row of lightbulbs, dressing-room style, around it. They give a good, even light from all sides. If that look's not your style, fit diffused wall lights on each side. Either way, avoid a single strip above the mirror or you'll end up with shadows below your nose and above your mouth. If the light's too soft, it will flatter your skin but you won't be able to see well enough to get your make-up right. If it's too bright, it will give you a ghostly pallor.
Put all the lights on different switches so you can alter the mood - for shaving you could use the lights round the mirror and a wall light but, when you're in the bath, just the wall light dimmed right down and a few candles.
If you have a period bathroom you can fit shades to wall-mounted fittings, but they must be approved for bathroom use.

Bathroom beauty
European safety regulations are rightly rigorous, stating that bathroom fittings must be completely encased to avoid shorting and electric shocks, and double insulated with the bulb and all metal parts covered. Don't ever be tempted to use a conventional light fitting that's not intended for bathroom use. Light switches must be either outside the bathroom or fitted with a pull cord.
When the lighting in a bathroom is done well, it can look stunning; just think of all the materials that were made to be bathed in light - porcelain, glass, stainless steel and marble. Be careful, though - with all those reflective surfaces, it's easy to create a glare nightmare.
If you've inherited a dingy, depressing bathroom or want to update your old one, there are lots of things you can do with the wiring that's already there. Plan the lighting carefully if you're fitting a brand-new bathroom. If the new tiles have been laid over the cabling, for example, it will be very hard to change.

If you have a central pendant light but want to illuminate a different area, put it on a longer cord then put a small hook into the ceiling above where you need the light and clip it over. This works particularly well over tables.
Replacing your central pendant light with two (or more) ceiling-mounted fittings set wide apart will allow the light to flow much more evenly to either side.
Buy an inexpensive clip light and clamp it on where you need extra task light.
Put mini fluorescent lights underneath wall units. They spread a good level of light over work surfaces. Choose an 8 watt bulb in warm white.
Paint the kitchen ceiling matt white and keep the walls above the units a pale colour.
Choose a light coloured kitchen, such as birch or pale laminate.
If your sink is at the window, fit a light in the window's pelmet.
Fit a track system with directional lights you can position over the work surface and the sink. This will mean you won't need to do any rewiring.
Install strips against the wall above wall-mounted units - they'll throw light upwards to give an all-round glow (this only works with a white ceiling).
Fit rows of downlighters into the ceiling - they emit light exactly where it is needed and give good colour rendition. Also, because they're recessed, they're shielded from grease and dirt. Don't worry about spacing them out evenly intervals or lining them up exactly - if you do, it can look like an airport runway. Concentrate on where you need the light to fall rather than their position on the ceiling.

Kitchen schemes
For most of us, the kitchen is the room where we spend the most time, preparing food, eating and entertaining. Proper lighting can help make it safe, hygienic and enjoyable.A central pendant light gives a good general lighting, but if that's all you have you'll be forever working in your own shadow and cooking will be a headache - literally. Whatever the shape or size of your kitchen, the light should come from behind or to the side of where you're working - not in front. You also need a high level of task lighting at the sink, the cooker, the fridge and worktops, especially for chopping vegetables.
Kitchen light should be a similar to true daylight so you can see when food is cooked or off. Don't plug lights into sockets that are overloaded with appliances such as toasters and food processors. And don't put lights in places where they could dazzle you while you're carrying boiling water or sharp implements.
If you're buying a new kitchen, you'll find that most modern ones come with built-in lights, or you can mix and match pieces from the kitchen supplier. Items like cooker hoods come with in-built illumination. Cupboards can have built-in lights that are triggered when the door's opened.

Our living rooms are now multi-purpose spaces used for everything from watching television and reading to dining, entertaining and hobbies. With a flexible lighting scheme, you can create the illusion of different spaces for different activities, all within one room.
The lounge is where accent lighting really comes into its own: use it to highlight collections of books, glass, pictures, plants, ornaments or just one cherished piece to make a real statement.
Choose tungsten bulbs for a rosy, welcoming glow. Don't restrict yourself by making your lighting plan too fixed. For example, don't position recessed downlighters at either end of the sofa or above other items of furniture, as you may want to move it all around at a later date.
Reading and watching television
If you want to read in an armchair, place the light to one side, behind and above your chair.
Fit a floor plug to make your lighting more flexible.
Watching television in total darkness is not a good idea - your eye constantly has to shift focus to follow the images, and the contrast between the bright screen and the dark room may cause eye strain.
If too much natural daylight is coming in, you'll barely see the screen at all. Place the light either behind or beside the television.

Electric light
You can never light a room as efficiently as the sun so think of electric light as atmospheric background - it can create a cosy environment or a really dramatic one.
Choose something more versatile than a single bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling. Use directional lights on a track, which can be used to highlight your favourite painting or mirror.
Layer the lighting throughout the room so you have the right kind for your different needs, such as ceiling lights, table lamps and uplighters.
Put a floor socket in the middle of the room, so you don't have trailing leads across the floor.
Highlight architectural features, such as ceiling coving, with uplighters.
Each lighting type should be controlled separately to prevent the room from looking like Blackpool illuminations.