​Make dull surfaces come to life with some clever lighting . . .

A range of Argos lamps, including a Paris floor lamp, £59.99, and table lights from £19.99 (www.argos.co.uk)

With clever use of lighting, dull, harshly-lit rooms could become intriguing spaces; unsightly corners could be minimised and you could conjure up a feeling of warmth and cosiness that we all crave in the winter.

New lights can dramatically change the look and feel of a room and bring spaces alive. Often all it takes is small changes to lighting in a home to completely alter the atmosphere.

It’s about being imaginative and playing with light and shade, so that different “zones” are created in a room by the way it’s lit.

For instance, an open-plan kitchen dining area could have lights for the working, practical area on a dimmer which can be turned down low when an adjustable descender light highlights the dining table.

A string of twinkling fairy lights on a mirror over a mantel could instantly make it a feature. A large room with high ceilings could “shrink” and feel more intimate in the evenings if lit by several types of small lamps, displayed individually or in groups, so that corners of light are created and you escape the feeling of an overlit space.

Bright, overhead lighting is rarely relaxing or flattering so consider accent lighting hidden behind cornices and bookshelves, or using picture lights to highlight paintings.

But while artificial light is powerful, it’s important not to forget to make the most of natural light from windows, especially if rooms are small and dark.

Table lamps, used around the outside edges of a room and on shelves and tables, radiate light inwards and make the space interesting and warm.