Four clever ways of lighting your home this autumn

We have some good news and some bad news. The bad news? A glorious summer is coming to an end. The good news? We get to cosy up our homes for autumn – and a great place to start is with lighting. It's easy to forget its transformative powers. It can make a room a place to snuggle, to party, to work or to play, all with the flick of a switch.

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This season, we've introduced some clever ways of lighting your home to our Ideal Home collection at Very. They're stylish, affordable, and there's a solution here for every space – whether it's an ill-lit living room and gloomy bedroom or a dim dining room.

1. Create a cosy reading corner

It's a time-honoured trick, but there's a reason granny and grandad had their favourite chair, illuminated with a simple standing lamp. It's refuge at the end of a busy day – a place to get lost in a book or a favourite craft, while the light that's cast is soft and relaxing.

On top of that, it's a place to make a very individual style statement with a striking lamp and chair. Get it right – like this – and you'll be sharing this spot on Instagram weekly.

Buy now: Ideal Home Freydis Floor Lamp, £99.99, Very

2. Make a match

There are many ways to tie a room together – colour usually being the obvious choice. But co-ordinating lighting can be a more subtle trick. These clean white shades with pale-wood fixings have a Scandi influence, but will work with almost any style of decor, such as this global-influence look.

Buy now: Ideal Home Freydis Table Lamp, £49.99, Very
Buy now: Ideal Home Freydis Ceiling Light, £44.99, Very

3. Save space

No room for a bedside table? Desk already covered in paperwork? Here's a stylish solution that won't fight for a spot. Instead it mounts to a wall so you can shed light on the situation however limited the space on offer.

Buy now: Ideal Home Luna Wall Lamp, £34.99, Very

4. Try a quick switch

Related: Home decor trends for Autumn/Winter 2018 – we predict the key looks for interiors

Changes in electrical laws mean it's not always easy to change up your lighting. But easy-fit shades do what they say on the proverbial tin. There's no need to call an electrician. Just unscrew your bulb and attachment, wind off the old shade and add in a new. It's one of the simplest and most effective changes you can make.

This woven design introduces a hint of summer during the winter, and its natural, neutral tones will work with more relaxed decorating styles, regardless of colour scheme.

Buy now: Ideal Home Willow Easy Fit Pendant Lightshade, £69.99, Very

Suddenly, the change of seasons doesn't look so bleak with these bright ideas.