It’s hard to believe, but many lighting manufacturers are already combining beauty with increased function. I realized today that two of the fixtures in our store—the Anastasia and the Liin—both work with fluorescent light.

OK, now don’t worry; the compact fluorescent bulb has come a long way. Available in many shades and temperatures, others need never know you’re making that ultimate sacrifice.

But it even gets better: LED technology has adaptable lamps that use even less electricity and better yet can be dimmed (with a step dimmer). So yes, everyone, you can now have your cake and eat it too. LED lamps use just a small fraction of what a normal lamp uses, and as an added bonus they last practically forever (something like 50,000 hours!!). Now that is something to think about.