When decorating your home, you can add a lot of space and light to your living area by using lights and mirrors as part of your overall decorating theme.

Illusion of Space

You can use mirrors to great advantage when decorating your home. Mirrors definitely make a room appear lighter and brighter, and they often give the illusion of making the room larger as well. Especially if a room doesn't have a window, or doesn't get a lot of natural light, a well-placed mirror can give the illusion of spaciousness and enhance whatever light is available.

Dramatic Effects

When choosing a mirror, you often get the most dramatic effect if you choose one large mirror instead of several smaller ones. If you have a large mirror in a room, or two matching large mirrors on one wall, such as on either side of a window, you can greatly enhance the visual size of a room. Another trick is to hang a mirror on the wall that is most easily seen when you enter the room. This can also make a room seem to be larger than it really is.

Creating a Focal Point

You can also use a mirror to create a focal point within a room, or even use it to cover a flaw within the room, such as a cracked wall. By using a mirror in this way, you can turn a negative feature within the room into a positive decorating statement.

Lighting Options

You can also make a decorating statement within a room by choosing different types of lighting. You can actually completely change the mood of a room, depending on the type of lighting fixtures you use. Ceiling lights, including chandeliers, wash the ceiling with light and provide overall illumination. Build upon this foundation with floor lamps, table and accent lamps, for those times when ambient lighting is more appropriate. By having both options, you can adjust your lighting within the room to match both your mood and your needs.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting, which is created with smaller lamps and wall sconces, creates a cozy effect. You can use light to bring certain corners of the room to life, or to create a focal point or draw attention to certain areas of the room. The shape of the lamp itself also factors into your decorating theme. Try choosing a lamp that has a shape that compliments the room, or that compliments art or other objects that are located nearby.

You can also use bold lighting options to create some drama within a room, and to accentuate rich colors and designs. By using some bold lighting in certain areas of the room, you can definitely create a focal point, perhaps spotlighting a piece of art or other room feature;
Lighting and mirrors can be fun to play with when decorating a room. Because they are so easy to use, they can make it virtually effortless to decorate and change the mood of a room, even on a small decorating budget.

Professional designer Jessica Ackerman writes for WallDecorandHomeAccents.com, and specializes in decorating with tropical wall art and monogram wall grille.