If you have just moved into a new, old house, one of the first things that you will probably decide to do is refurbish or remodel the kitchen, especially if you like cooking or spending a lot of time in the kitchen. If you use a kitchen a great deal, you will almost certainly already have a good idea of what you would like the kitchen to look like in the end.
Lighting is the one, single most important means of altering the atmosphere of any room. Therefore, it stands to reason that if you improve the lighting and appearance of your house, its value will also rise. Lighting improves any decor. However, you do not have to use expensive lighting, budget or discount light is just as good in many cases.
When times are difficult, like they have become lately, it is time to cut costs. This is not a popular move, but to be honest, it need not be such a problem as you might envisage. The biggest single cost for most households is the energy bill and in especially the electric bill. If you do not use electricity to cook or heat your house, then the next greatest contributor to your bill is probably lighting.
The main Japanese influences on western interior design for most people are Zen and Feng Shui, so we will take a short look at them below.
When you want to add style to your house, one way of doing this and adding security at the same time, is by having window shutters fixed to the exterior of your house. Exterior window shutters add a traditional, Mediterranean look to a property. These days, most houses have glass windows, but before that, people used shutters to regulate the light levels, prevent insects and the cold from entering and for protection.
There is no question that lighting has the biggest influence on atmosphere and. Subtle lighting in a bedroom or at an cozy dinner creates a romantic ambiance; bright, purposeful lighting in the office or kitchen shows that you mean business; dimmed lighting in the living room creates a relaxing atmosphere in which to watch a film or read a book.
