NEW VIEW OF A ROOM Aspects of lighting; THE 'BEFORE' ROOMS ARE DRAB - 'AFTER' THEY DAZZLE Series: HGTV: BEFORE AND AFTER DECORATING

Lighting is a major consideration for any kitchen. Kitchensrequire a blend of general, task and accent lighting, with each typeserving a different need. General or ambient lights provide auniform, overall glow. Task lights are positioned to give light whereyou need it for specific jobs, for instance, doing dishes or choppingvegetables. Accent lights focus light on an object or surface tohighlight it.

Above, lights tucked inside glass-fronted cabinets offer a warmglow; glass shelves allow the light to flow through the cabinet. Notethe recessed task lighting above the countertop run.

Natural light is just as important as artificial lighting,especially in a kitchen. Sunshine can provide lovely ambient light inkitchens with large windows.

Light bulbs

Choosing the correct bulbs will make your lighting as efficientand effective as possible. Keep the following in mind the next timeyou shop for light bulbs.

**Incandescent: While these bulbs are inexpensive, they producemore heat than light, so they are inefficient unless used onlysparingly.

**Halogen: These bulbs are more efficient than incandescent: Theylast three to four times longer, and a lower-wattage halogen bulbwill give the same illumination as a larger-watt incandescent.

**Compact fluorescent: These bulbs screw into the same sockets asincandescents but use about 75 percent less energy than incandescentbulbs -- and last 10 times longer. They can be expensive, but overtime they save many times their initial cost.

Serving up style

To create beautiful settings quickly and conveniently, you'll needkey elements on hand. Start by picturing the kinds of meals you planto serve.

u Begin with breakfast. If your dining room is in use daily, startby gathering the items you'll need for family meals. A good, sturdytable that can handle constant use is a must. Here, the painted tableand chairs have good lines, but they're basic pieces that won'tsuffer from a few dings and nicks. Tableware, too, needs to besturdy. In this house a collection of red and white transferware isat the ready in the cabinet. The pieces are complementary, notmatching, and most are vintage. A few chips or the loss of a piecewon't upset the balance.

u Plan for regular events. Casual entertaining calls for a secondlayer of decorating. The better china, the slipcovers for chairs, thetablecloths are all of the same caliber and well suited to eachother. Have more than you need for any one occasion if you entertainregularly to give you the flexibility to create a variety ofsettings.

u Be ready for formal only if you'll really do formal. There's nopoint in having formal dinner service for 12 if you'll use it onlyonce a year. If, however, you don't have good china and a big eventis coming, consider renting the good stuff. If you entertainfrequently, keep the good china and linens easily accessible soyou'll use them often.

u Plan the table when you plan the meal. If you're planning toentertain, imagine how you want the table to look. That way, ifthere's something you've been longing to add to your collection orsomething that needs replacing, you can address the need ahead oftime, not at the last minute.

LIGHT BUT NOT WHITE

Design axioms are best interpreted rather than blindly applied.For example, "use white to make a space look larger" can sometimescreate a stark and boring room. Instead, select an eye-pleasing blendof light tones. In this tiny condo kitchen, a $1,000 makeover createda space that's bright, inviting and functional.

Warm the space with color and wood tones; add visual punch withhardware. A combination of mellow white and soft yellow paint softensthe harsh contrast of heavily grained oak cabinets and muddy-bluewalls. Large, shiny drawer and cabinet pulls make way for small,brushed-silver-tone knobs. New wood laminate flooring topped with anapple green rug completes the surface warming.

With two doors but no windows, the room required a good lightingplan. The soft yellow walls and one-shade-from-white cabinets stretchand soften the light from existing sources. To improve the countertoplighting, two brushed-nickel lamps stand at the ready, an unexpectedbut elegant addition to the lighting pool.

Keep an eye on the details. The new faucet upgrades the plainstainless-steel sink. New towels and a rug complement the new look.The lamps and a gathering of simple white pitchers pretty up thecountertop landscape.

Color Tips:

Follow these cues to help you select the colors that are right foryour particular needs.

u Closer: Warm colors advance, making walls seem closer.

u Father away: Cool colors recede, making walls appear fartheraway.

u Narrower: White or light-color ceilings make a room looknarrower -- and taller -- when paired with dark walls.