Homeowners can call on a range of simple lighting techniques for making their kitchens look more attractive, it has been claimed.An article by the North American Press Syndicate (NAPS) notes that ordinary kitchens can be made to look extraordinary through lighting changes.These include installing new island lights or multiple minipendants over countertops and islands.It also suggests updating the trims and bulbs used in recessed lighting in order to create new lighting effects.Elsewhere, NAPS also praised the benefits of dimmer lighting.This [dimmers] allows you to adjust light levels, create drama, reduce energy costs and extend bulb life, it said.The suggestions come after Allecia Vermillion of GateHouse News Service this week claimed that homeowners can make hand washing in the kitchen sink just as - if not more - efficient as using a dishwasher.However, she argued that this efficiency equation is dependent on a dishwashers size and age, with many older models using much more water than newer, efficiency-certified ones.