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Before designing a room, you need to consider two types of lighting: natural and electric. Make the right choice and you can turn a dull, soulless room into a vibrant space.

Natural light

To maximise natural light: Let light come through windows without interruptions. Remove secondary glazing, which absorbs light, and objects from window sills. Replace heavy curtains with blinds or muslin drapes.

Mirrors amplify light. Place a large mirror opposite the window to reflect light around the room.

Choose light and bright paint colours. Shades such as pale green, blue and lilac will make a room look larger whereas red, orange, brown and black absorb will light and make it look smaller and darker. As a rule of thumb, the lighter the paint - the closer to white - the more reflective it is.

Colours that work well in bright, hot climates such as Italy look different in grey British daylight. Terracotta, for example, looks much duller.

Your choice of flooring will affect how light a room is. Carpets are soft, absorbent and hold the light whereas floorboards with a high-gloss finish reflect it around the room.

Keep small, dark rooms bright and fresh, with as little pattern as possible. This will make the space look larger and lighter.

Electric light

You can never light a room as efficiently as the sun so think of electric light as atmospheric background - it can create a cosy environment or a really dramatic one.

Choose something more versatile than a single bulb hanging from the centre of the ceiling. Use directional lights on a track, which can be used to highlight your favourite painting or mirror.

Layer the lighting throughout the room so you have the right kind for your different needs, such as ceiling lights, table lamps and uplighters.

Put a floor socket in the middle of the room, so you don't have trailing leads across the floor.

Highlight architectural features, such as ceiling coving, with uplighters.

Each lighting type should be controlled separately to prevent the room from looking like Blackpool illuminations.   

I saw this and immediately thought, genius!

Three full length mirrors placed side-by-side to add height, impact and spaciousness. The vertical lines of the mirrors draw the eye up and make the space feel taller. The reflections of the mirrors duplicate distance, depth and light, visually expanding the space to make it feel larger and brighter. Such a smart design trick. Love also that this can easily be recreated on a budget!

See more of Arianna's Tips and ideas on her Blog

Visit our Made To Measure design tool and start creating you perfect triple mirror today.

BEYOND REFLECTION OFFER: Order 3 Identical mirrors and pay only for 2.

The possibilities are endless and the results can enhance the look of a space in an instant. A good mirror is the polish on any room - the final touch to bring out the best features of a space.

Bang on trend, the current buzzword around the use of mirrors in interior design is versatility. With a little clever positioning and the creative ambition to go big and bold, a mirror will bring your room to life. Think about size, shape and colour, and even be prepared to go for something edgy if the room reflects it - because it will reflect the room. A well-placed mirror will add light to a dark corner or corridor by reflecting light into the space. It will even increase the feeling of space by creating an optical illusion - the bigger the mirror, the bigger the room will seem

In the right hands, a mirror is a piece of art, adding instant elegance and theatre to a room that's otherwise quite plain. The range of styles means there's a mirror for every occasion. Traditional and antique mirrors create a sense of opulence; just as easily they lend themselves to a room where the vibe is one of laid-back, deliberately faded grandeur, such as a well-used family living room. Silver and gold frames work perfectly with antique mirrors, as does the distressed look, which gives the piece a sense of age and context

Other period designs, such as Art Deco, work well in rooms with clean lines and neutral colours, often working as a focal point of the layout. For contemporary rooms, particularly those with a minimalist vibe, try a modern or Venetian style mirror - with or without a frame. This is a look that complements clean lines and bright spaces.

For a choice of mirrors in a range of styles and colours, with a price scale to suit all kinds of budgets, visit www.mirrorworld.co.uk