How to play with light

What really matters: People buy fixtures for the shape, style, size, color and price -- but the shade and bulb determine the light. For reading or tasks, you need a translucent shade that lets light through. For a warm glow, buy a darker shade.

Where the light falls: To make a room seem larger, wash walls with light. Light reflects off surfaces, so if the wall is bright, the room seems bigger.

How to change the mood: For a cozier look, position the lamp in a corner with a dark shade, or use a dimmer or a three-way switch.

What’s hot: Lamps with a separate 7-watt bulb in the base that can be used for tasks and a night light are really selling. Casual, themed lamps -- say, with surfboard and palm tree designs on them -- are also popular now.

A final caveat: Don’t buy a lamp that is switched off at the store because you don’t know how much light you will get. Many showrooms have “light labs” -- rooms set up as dining rooms, kitchens and so on, where you can try different combinations of shades, bulbs and bases.

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-- Maryann Hammers