Creative Lighting Projects for the Home

Selective Spotting

• A room with an old dusty ceiling fan or a simple rental-style fixture can be spruced up with the addition of track lighting, lending three or more small spotlights to accentuate any prized elements around the room, such as a piano, painting, bookshelf or bedroom vanity. Track lighting should include the mounting plate and wiring necessary to easily connect to your ceiling box.

Under the Cabinets

• A creative place to install some simple lighting is along the bottom recesses of your cabinets, casting bright light on your prized counters. You'll need the ability to splice wiring to your lights from a nearby outlet. Available in small, flat-backed models or on tracks that run along a certain stretch of cabinet, Ask the Builder recommends one light for every 30 inches of countertop length. This will provide an even sweep of helpful accent lighting.

Shade to Suit

• Solid-colored lampshades can be viewed as little tubular canvases around your home. A listing of DIY lampshades at Freshhomeideas.com shows a range of simple yet creative ideas: gluing vertical strips of bamboo around the lampshade for a tropical vibe; wrapping a sushi mat around an existing lampshade frame and fastening the ends with glue; or cutting out corresponding shades of fabric into a shape that mimics the room's theme -- such as square blocks or balloon circles for a child's room -- then gluing them to the shade.

Beyond Chandeliers

• Though a well-appointed chandelier in a style corresponding to the room can form a more than adequate centerpiece light, other types of hanging lights can add striking yet cheaper accents. Several options exist, from paper lantern lights draped along the corner of a porch or patio to an intricately assembled hanging lampshade puzzle. The Smarty Lamp puzzle comes in three sizes, ranges in price from U.S. $30 to $50. The pieces you receive can be constructed into a variety of spherical configurations that will hang illuminated from a few well-chosen locations on your ceiling.