Add focused task lighting

• Lighting - 3 steps to the perfect scheme
• Use ambient lighting to create the mood
• Add focused task lighting
• Decorate with accent lighting

* Tailor lighting to the task at hand

If you're engaging in a specific task, such as reading, computer work, or close-up needlework, always supplement ambient lighting with on-the-spot lighting so you can get the job done without straining your eyes.

* Create bright pools of light

Use lamps to direct a concentrated beam onto a specific spot, so that you can see what you're working on in detail without straining your eyes or having to hunch closer to it.

* Choose the right light bulbs

Go for a minimum of 60W for light bulbs - so make sure your light fitting and shade can take a bulb of that wattage. Task lighting should be three to four times brighter than the surrounding ambient lighting to prevent eye strain. It's worth experimenting with the relative light levels in the room to find the contrast that feels the most comfortable.

* Use solid shades for task lights

It helps to create a concentrated shaft of light - any seepage will bounce off surrounding surfaces, especially computer screens, causing glare. Go for a task light with a metal, ceramic, solid-coloured glass or leather shade.

* Opt for a fully adjustable desk lamp

An Anglepoise-style lamp, with a cantilevered arm that can be pivoted, angled, raised and lowered is ideal. Go for one with a longish stem - if it's too short, you won't be able to position it high enough over your work, which will produce shadows.

* Find a floor lamp with a tilting shade for reading

It's important not to have too much light reflecting back into your face, so prevent glare with an adjustable light shade and position the lamp behind you, at a level higher than the top of your head.

* Boost kitchen lighting 

Go for task lighting in the kitchen to highlight working areas, such as the sink, worktops and cooker. To avoid working in your own shadow, lights should be positioned so that light comes from either in front of you or from the sides, not from behind you. Opt for additional worktop lighting with a run of spotlights on the underside of cabinets to direct an even, glare-free light from above, and go for a cooker hood with built-in lighting. Avoid portable lighting in kitchens, as trailing cables can be hazardous.

Light up your bedroom

Try task lighting in key areas of your bedroom. Your dressing table or area should ideally be lit horizontally from both sides to avoid shadows being cast across your face. Try two slender lamps either side or an illuminated mirror. Spotlights directed towards wardrobes will give you a better view of the contents, as will interior lights that flick on automatically when a door is opened.

Go for low lighting in the dining room

Put your dining table in the spotlight by hanging light fittings directly over it. Leave a gap of 60-90cm between the table and the fittings, so they bathe the tabletop in light without swinging too close to diners' heads. Choose deep, bulb-shielding shades so your guests won't be dazzled. We love these Pippin ceramic pendants, £45 each, Laura Ashley (Right).

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