Whether you've moved into your home recently or been there a while, there's an "itch" every homeowner feels at one time or another -- the need to redecorate.

For some that means painting the walls and getting all new furniture. Those who don't want to invest a lot of time or money in their update may put slipcovers over the sofa and hang new paintings on the walls. But there's an even easier way to transform the look and feel of one's home. All you have to do is update the lighting.

Maybe the chandelier in the dining room doesn't go with your table and chairs; the floor lamp that worked just fine in the den at your old house doesn't shine enough light in your new home; the bathroom needs a fresh look; or perhaps the entry way just seems to dark.

If you're like most people, you've probably been putting off shopping for new lighting fixtures because it's just too daunting of a task. You know that if you visit a lighting showroom, it will either be so packed you won't be able to find what you want or it will not have enough of a selection.

So what's the alternative? These days, more and more people, like Lorraine Tammaro of Valley Stream, N.Y., are doing their home improvement shopping from the convenience of the very home they're looking to update. It only makes sense because that's where they're getting their information about home improvement too. According to the Pew Internet & American Life Project, roughly 1-in-20 Internet users, some seven million people, search for how-to, do-it-yourself or repair information online every day.

In Tammaro's case, she had gone to her local showroom in search of lamps that would dress up the 85-year-old buffet table she has in her dining room. "My style is eclectic and I couldn't find anything remotely close to what I wanted," she says, "so I decided to see if such a thing even existed."

She started her search at Yahoo Shopping.com and was linked to LightingShowPlace.com where she found the perfect solution -- a pair of Dale Tiffany Torchiere lamps. "My furniture is dark mahogany and from the moment I saw them, I knew the lamps would do a great job of brightening the room up a bit," she says.

But when they arrived, one of the lamps had been damaged during shipping. "Since I had bought the lamps online I was expecting it to be difficult to return it, but all I had to do was call customer service and tell them what happened, and they rushed a postage paid return label. A replacement lamp showed up a few days later. It was the best online shopping experience I've ever had," says Tammaro.

"We pride ourselves on customer service," says Debra Pearlman of LightingShowPlace.com. "Our electronic showroom and catalog are far easier to use than those you'd find in a brick and mortar store, and once you find something you like, can see right on the screen whether the fixture is in stock, what colors it comes in and how much it costs. You can also talk to our showroom consultants anytime over the phone if you have questions, and we have an extensive collection of how-to articles that offer do-it-yourselfers information about everything from style and design to installation."

Source : ARA