Indoor Lighting Ideas for Small Spaces: Color Schemes & Space Size

Paint and wall paper is just one part of successful decorating. Getting just right lightening is just as important and in some instances more important. Imagine pouring blood, sweat and tears into a project then turning on the lights and it is finding florescent is not flattering to your paint scheme. Add to these small spaces and you have a recipe for disaster. Fluorescents tend to dull warm colors due to the green tint they give off and halogen lights have the same affect on cool colors. Choose your type of bulb first according to the color scheme of the room. These rules apply to large and small areas alike. Now for those small areas where lamps are ungainly or simply do not fit in with your décor there are a few different things you can do. One little trick I like to use especially around the holidays is to get a small basket and fill it with pine cones. In the midst of these cones I wind a small strand of clear lights running the plug either out through an opening in the basket or over the back, taping the wire down and disguising it with a well placed cone. Another variation on this is to use a decorative vase or jar and experimenting with fillers like confetti or even glitter. To use glitter apply a light layer of glue to the inside of the jar place glitter in the bottom then shake the jar to evenly distribute the glitter. As with any homemade device including lights be very careful that the filler is not highly flammable and check it often in the first few days. Use caution but be creative! I used the pine cone basket for nearly a month at Christmas time and had no adverse affects. Some other examples of non-flammable filler would be seashells, colored rocks or even glass beads. These can be glued in or left free with the light strands woven in. In addition you can also maximize small lights in small places with well placed mirrors. I have found these inexpensively at retail stores everywhere.

For those small areas such as closets, attics, drawers and crawl spaces and inexpensive and easy lighting source are tap lights. They require a small battery and come with the hardware for mounting. The new kids in town are similar to the tap light but are smaller and brighter because they utilize led technology. They are also easier to mount because they are adhesive mounts. The packaging reports that they are movable but I am a bit skeptical as to the durability of the adhesive. Which ever type you like they are both relatively inexpensive and available at retailers and home improvement stores everywhere. I have included a couple of internet links to make shopping easier.