To brighten up dark corners, you can't beat track lighting.

But forget the old '60s-style rigid track. Bolted to the ceiling and traveling at right angles, it used metal cans to house incandescent bulbs.

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Art-glass pendants ($29.97 each) look great in a kitchen.
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Jazzy-looking in itself, today's ultra-flexible track lighting cleverly solves the problem of illuminating dark, narrow hallways and closets, and accenting artwork — or a hall tree.
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The latest version has flexible, suspended track (or rail) that can be swirled, bent and curved so that the thin rail almost disappears. It supports tiny glass halogen bulbs that give clear, color-true light to spotlight artwork or illuminate work space.

"People love them," said Elaine Elder, an owner of Illuminations lighting store in Midtown. "They are so minimal looking, much more flexible, and you can create interesting configurations with them using a variety of fixtures — for an architecturally clean look or an art look using blown glass."

Not only is flexible rail lighting beautiful, it can be a problem solver, replacing outdated fixtures that provide inadequate light for specific tasks.

Have a difficult area — like a dark, L-shaped hallway with a single ceiling fixture? Install flexible rail lighting and position its lamps to light closets, spotlight photographs and add dimension to an antique hall tree.

The systems don't require rewiring. They come with a transformer that decreases standard household current from 110 volts to the 12 volts required to power halogen lamps.

"It connects to the electrical connection already in place, so you don't have to tear up the ceiling to install it," said Kim Fong, co-owner of Eclectic Electric, a lighting gallery that recently relocated to Roswell from Morningside.

The systems are especially popular in kitchens because the brushed steel rail complements the trend for stainless appliances. One rail can support several types of light fixtures at the same time — tiny spots for task lighting and pendants for general illumination over an island, for example.

"They give off more and better light for less wattage," said Stuart Sandridge, co-owner of Eclectic Electric, which offers one-of-a-kind light fixtures created by more than 200 artists from throughout the United States. "You can also dim them. Check the manufacturer's specs [included with the kits] to find which kind works best with the system you've purchased."

And, as researchers have found, the right lighting can make the difference to your sense of well-being. Jim McHaney, a Roswell resident who collects art, found the small living room in his home uninspiring until he had Fong and Sandridge install a flexible rail light system.

"I never liked sitting in there before," McHaney said. "Now I love it. The whole feeling is completely changed. It gave the room a finished look and really showed off my collection. You couldn't have told me that it would make such a difference."

DO-IT-YOURSELF OR HIRE AN ELECTRICIAN?

Experts assign installation of low-voltage, flexible rail lighting varied degrees of difficulty — from easy for an experienced do-it-yourselfer to moderately hard for a weekend handyman. If you are uncomfortable working with simple electrical projects (changing an electrical outlet or switch, installing a dimmer or light fixture), you should probably hire an electrician.

For installation instructions, see the brochure included with flexible rail lighting kits or visit www.rd.com/familyhandyman

/action.do?categoryId=6000&siteId=1111. Then click on Interior Projects in the How to Library. Select Weekend Kitchen Upgrades, scroll to bottom of page and select low-voltage track lighting.

And be sure to turn off electrical power at the main box before beginning work.

RESOURCES

For information and product photos, see the following Web sites:

• www.highlighters.com

• www.pegasusassociates.com

• www.lampsplus.com

• www.homedepot.com. Click on shop, then on fans and lighting, and select track lighting.

• www.lowes.com. Click on lighting on the Shop Your Store column on the right-hand side of the home page.