SEEING THE LIGHT UPDATING YOUR LIGHTS CAN BRING A NEW POP TO YOUR HOME    Chances are you've put more thought into your holiday light display than you have into the lights you live with the other 11 months of the year. Designers agree that lighting is crucial to the appear­ance and appeal of your home. The good news - updat­ing your lighting is an inexpensive way to highlight your home's features, safety and beauty. First let's look at the oldie-but-goodie: bulbs. You know the kind. For years they came in one color - white - and one shape- pear. If you were feeling a little adventurous you might have used the three-way type that offers low, medium and really bright light. These are the workhorses of the bulb world - incandescent bulbs - and professionals say they're still the best for providing a soft, pleas­ing light next to the couch or bed. They come in a variety of wattages and are available in energy-saving models. Manufacturers have even started offering a few color op­tions. Pink is particularly nice for setting a dreamy, romantic mood in the bedroom. Incandescent bulbs, though, have a few drawbacks: They get very hot, their light isn't easy to focus and they aren't the most energy efficient option. So this is where the fun begins. Lights, camera, action! Of the 3,000 products in Avron Satill's Winter Park store, Light Bulbs Unlimited, two are shining bright with customers. The first is the full-spectrum fluorescent light bulb, which is color-correct­ed to make objects look healthy and enhance their true colors, said Satill. These bulbs work well in a room where people want to see accurate hues, such as in the bathroom or over a vanity ta­ble where women apply makeup. "I'm slightly color blind so I use them in my closet to see my clothes better," said Satill. The full-spectrum bulbs are available in a variety of sizes and shapes; they look like a regular light bulb and are compatible with incan­descent bulb sockets. Ultra-longlife bulbs are the other hot item in Satill's store. They're popular in homes with vaulted ceilings and for outdoor fixtures that are nearly impossible to reach -anywhere you have a bulb that is out of step-stool range, said Satill. Ul­tra-longlife bulbs last about 15 times as long as conven­tional bulbs -20,000 hours compared with about 1,200 hours. Halogen bulbs are a rela­tive newcomer on the light­ing front. They provide a very clean, bright light that can be dimmed, and they last up to three times longer than ordinary bulbs. Like the full-spectrum bulbs they come in a variety of wattages and fit standard fixtures. Halogen bulbs are good as task lights for close work - over the kitchen sink or sewing table. Lighting manufacturer Sylvania suggests on its Web site that you use halogen bulbs in the home office to give the room a bright, spacious appearance. Halogen lights also come in crystal-faceted designs for adding sparkle to the china on your dining room table or setting a warm, welcoming mood in the entry.  Fluorescent lights have evolved from the long tubes that buzz overhead in offices and stores. They are energy efficient - us­ing 70 percent less energy than ordinary bulbs and provide shadowless light. GE says compact fluorescents work well in a vari­ety of locations - in a torchiere lamp in your home office or in the pendant lamp hanging over the breakfast table. Fluores­cent fixtures also are easy to install under kitchen cabinets to enlarge coun­ter work space ad high­light a typically dark area. But don't turn off the lights just yet - there is more news in bulb world. • You can get specialty lights for artwork, such as bulbs that have UV blocks to preserve oil paintings. • General Electric produces shatter-resistant Tef­lon-coated incandescent bulbs which would be good for added safety in table lamps used in children's rooms. • Bug lights, not to be confused with the bug "zappers," are designed to deter bugs by giving off a light that does not attract them. So they're a good choice for outside fixtures on porches and decks. • Silicone-coated bulbs are more durable and help prevent breakage. They are suit­ed for garages and attics. And if you still have some holiday shopping to do, give the gift of light. Decorative neon and night lights are popular gift items at Light Bulbs Un­limited. "The newest item we have is a range of illuminated trees and towers glass blocks with water - almost an advance on the old type of lava lamp," said Satill. "They're very soothing to look at. There's nothing like flowing water to soothe the nerves.” Soft lights and flowing water - a perfect antidote to the holiday fraz­zles. Laurie Fuller