(ARA) - Consider renewing and refreshing your living environment with a makeover. To make a notable difference this year, spruce up your home with a touch of personality and style. Combining fashion and function, lighting is one of the easiest ways to rejuvenate a room, giving it an entirely fresh look and feel.

"Now more than ever, it's easy to revitalize your home with simple accents like lamps, mix-and-match lampshades and even light bulbs with color-enhancing benefits," says Catherine Bailly Dunne, author of "Interior Designing for All Five Senses." "We're seeing a surge of stylish lamps -- both modern and retro -- dominating the market. When used in a variety of styles, colors and designs, they can help consumers breathe new life into their homes or simply provide a new look for a new season."

With more than 60 percent of consumers spending leisure time at home rather than out and about, it's no surprise that home accents such as lamps and stylized lampshade "separates" have become important fashion accents in homes across the country.

Sometimes, refreshing a room can be as easy as changing a light bulb. Bulbs like GE Reveal filter out yellow rays common in ordinary light bulbs, making colors, fabric, walls and artwork appear richer, crisper and more vivid.

"It's amazing the impact lighting has in our homes and in our lives," says Dunne. In fact, in a recent survey by GE Lighting, nearly three quarters of Americans said that light quality affects their moods. Survey respondents overwhelmingly acknowledged the importance of good lighting for a variety of home settings including romance (76 percent); dinner with friends (75 percent); watching a movie (72 percent); cooking dinner (58 percent); taking a bath (50 percent); and even paying bills (33 percent).

When looking to update the ambiance of a room, consider some simple and affordable lighting accessories. For instance, popular animal-print lampshades might evoke a sense of daring or adventure. Laced with beads, fringe, sequins, appliqués and trendy crystals, lighting fixtures can inspire playfulness and charm. And what better way to display one's light-hearted nature than lighting a bedroom or den with a whimsical character lamp.

For more information or other helpful lighting tips for the home, visit GEreveal.com or call (800) GE-LIGHT.

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