Getting lighting right at home is more important than you might think. Julia Gray reports on what to consider if you’re planning electrical work

1 LIGHTING should be at three levels in a room - the floor, walls and ceiling, so think about all three. Plan your scheme in advance - if you're having electrical work done, make sure the sockets are fitted where you want your table and floor lamps, for example.

2 Lighting can be much more creative and useful than just an overhead light in each room. In bedrooms, do you want wall lights over the bed for reading, or will bedside lamps do? Don't forget wall lights in the bathroom, perhaps for creating a relaxing atmosphere when you're soaking in the tub, and on either side of the mirror for shaving and applying makeup. An illuminated mirror is another option.

3 Target lighting, especially in kitchens, can be both practical and attractive. Consider fitting statement pendant lights low over a kitchen island unit or dining table for a fantastic feature and, often, a softer way to light the room than with spotlights. If you enjoy cooking, lights to illuminate the kitchen worktops (fitted under the wall units) may work well, and think about having strip lights along the wall units and/or kick boards for a dramatic effect.

4 If you're doing major building work, such as an extension or loft conversion, you may be surprised how early you need to decide on the position of everything electrical and the number of sockets, spotlights, switches, etc. In both extensions and loft conversions, recessed spotlights are often fitted throughout and although they're not the cheapest, it's a good idea to request LED bulbs. Some electricians and builders fit LEDs as standard, but not all, and some building control inspectors insist that LEDs are fitted, but again not all. LEDs are much cheaper to run than conventional bulbs and usually last much longer. They'll also improve your home's Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you ever decide to sell or rent out your home, so they're well worth investing in.

5 In rooms with lots of recessed spotlights, ask your electrician to zone them so each zone (sitting area, kitchen, dining area, etc) is on a different switch, which will give you more flexibility and control. You may also want dimmer switches so, again, the lighting's fully controllable and you don't have to sit and relax in bright overhead light. Another thing to consider is the colour of the LED bulbs because it will make a big difference to the overall effect - I recommend warm white bulbs for a cosy glow.

Product of the week

NEW from Mira Showers is the Mira Switch shower head (from £48, mirashowers-store.co.uk). This large, ergonomic shower head looks stunning, but has much more to offer than just good looks. It works on all showers, hoses, systems and pressures, comes in white or chrome and has an easy-to-clean soft-touch silicon spray face - simply press on the bottom of the face to change the spray pattern. There are four patterns to choose from - Saturate, a fully drenching spray; Stimulate, a concentrated energising spray; Soak, a fine soaking spray; and Soothe, a soft spray for sensitive skin. In fact, the Switch has been dermatologically accredited by the Skin Health Alliance and won a Red Dot Award 2016 for its design. All in all, the Switch gives you a great showering experience and is pretty sexy - for a shower head.

How to...

TO give garden decking some TLC before the weather turns autumnal, scrub it with Ronseal Decking Cleaner & Reviver (£9.83 for 5ltr, B&Q) and a stiff brush (leave for 15-20 minutes and then clean off with a pressure washer). This liquid cleaner works quickly and is designed to remove moss, mould and algae, so it will spruce up decking ready for recoating (it opens the pores of the wood), or simply revive it if you're happy with it as it is.