4C, DAILY JOURNAL LIVING SUNDAY • SeptembeR 29, 2019

TODAY: Conductor Richard Bonynge is 89. Writer-director Robert Benton is 87. Singer Jerry Lee Lewis is 84. Soul-blues-gospel singer Sherman Holmes is 80. Former Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., is 77. Actor Ian McShane is 77. Jazz mu-sician Jean-Luc Ponty is 77. Nobel Peace laureate Lech Walesa is 76. Televi-sion-film composer Mike Post is 75. Actress Patricia Hodge is 73. TV person-ality Bryant Gumbel is 71. Rock singer-musician Mark Farner is 71. Rock singer-musician Mike Pinera is 71. Country singer Alvin Crow is 69. Actor Drake Hogestyn is 66. Olympic gold medal runner Sebastian Coe is

63. Singer Suzzy Roche (The Roches) is 63. Co-median-actor Andrew “Dice” Clay is 62. Rock singer John Payne (Asia) is 61. Actor Roger Bart is 57. Singer-musician Les Claypool is 56. Actress Jill Whelan is 53. Actor Ben Miles is 53. Actor Luke Goss is 51. Rock musician Brad Smith (Blind Melon) is 51. Ac-tress Erika Eleniak is 50. Rhythm-and-blues singer Devante Swing (Jodeci) is 50. Country singer Brad Cotter (TV: “Nashville Star”) is 49. Actress Emily Lloyd is 49. Actress Na-tasha Gregson Wagner is 49. Actress Rachel Cronin is 48. Country musician Danick Dupelle (Emerson Drive) is 46. Actor Alexis Cruz is 45. Actor Zachary Levi is 39. Actress Chrissy Metz (TV: “This Is Us”) is 39. Actress Kelly McCrea-ry (TV: “Grey’s Anatomy”) is 38. Country singer Katie McNeill (3 of Hearts) is 37. Rock musician Josh Farro is 32. NBA All-Star Kevin Durant is 31. Actor Doug Brochu is 29. Singer Phillip Phillips is 29. Pop singer Halsey is 25. Ac-tress Clara Mamet is 25.

» SUDOKU PUZZLE

SUDOKU SOLUTION

Sometimes all it takes to amp up the wow-factor of a room is the right lighting and a touch of color.

Open the curtains. There’s no substitute for natural sunlight. Let the sun shine in – the larger your windows, the truer the colors in your home will appear.

Layer your lighting. Use ambi-ent light for general activities, task light for specific activities, and ac-cent lighting to highlight beautiful objects, architectural features, or textures. Achieve layered lighting by using light sources that are two to three times brighter than your ambient lighting.

Use the correct lights. Energy efficient LED bulbs in the 4000K+ range are great for eye-straining tasks, but they’re overkill when used for everyday activities. LED bulbs in the 2700-3000K range are much easier to live with because their warmer light is flattering to colors, fabrics and skin tones.

Make lighting dimmable. Con-trolling the intensity of your light-ing is the easiest way to transition a room from daytime to nighttime, or to change light levels when it’s time to watch a movie.

Use wall-mounts. Swing-arm wall mounts or wall sconces allow you to use mismatched nightstands beside a bed with-out having to be concerned about having your lampshades at different heights. You’ll get the look of symmetry without the predictability of matching furni-ture. Hint: For an upscale décor, instead of using bedside lamps, hang medium-sized, barrel shaped chandeliers over your nightstands and place a light switch by your headboard.

Hang lights at right height. In high ceiling rooms hang chande-liers and pendants low at “human height” to make a room seem more intimate. Pendants should general-ly hover no more than 3 feet above islands, bars, or dining tables. Hint: Cover a formal chandelier’s chain with a “fabric cord cover.” It will make the chandelier appear more elegant.

Create your own light. If a dark space doesn’t have great light, then create your own light using a cheerful, warm, energetic paint color. Never underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint to brighten and enliven ho-hum walls. Hint: Matte finish paints will brighten a room and allow the most even light dispersion.

Paint is cheap. You won’t break the bank when you use paint. You can inexpensively refurbish old

furniture with a fresh coat of paint. Hint: Chalk painting an inherited piece of furniture with a trendy color and then rubbing it with dark wax will give any antique a new look.

White is timeless. Paint older kitchen and bath cabinets white. White is a classic, go-to color choice, one that will never go out of style. If you are doubtful about what color to paint something – ceiling, door, trim, or furniture – paint it white. Hint: Don’t go overboard and paint everything white. There’s a reason so many Asian cultures equate white with death.

Test-drive a color. Don’t com-mit to buying gallons of a color before doing a small paint-out in your home. Hint: When in doubt; paint it out.

Accent backdrops. Paint the back of your built-in bookshelves a different color to make dis-played items stand out. If you are really adventurous, lightly pad and upholster its back wall with a lustrous, solid color fabric.

Dare to go deep. Dim a room with color. Don’t be afraid to go dark. Cover an accent wall with a deep rich color to create a lively, intimate space. There is a misconception that dark colors make spaces feel smaller; they actually make walls recede.

For lasting beauty use the right lights, the right paints, and the right colors in your décor.

Live well – live in beauty!

STEPHEN THOMPSON creates beautiful, tasteful interiors in north Mississippi. For consultations, comments, or questions contact Designer Connection, PO Box 361, Tupelo, MS 38802.

Use light and color to create beautiful rooms

Stephen Thompson

Create your own light. If a dark space doesn’t have great light, then create your own light using a cheerful, warm, energetic paint color. Never underestimate the power of a fresh coat of paint to brighten and enliven ho-hum walls.

CROSSWORD PUZZLE PAGE 5C

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