Using Light to Indicate Areas of Interest....

As stated in my previous post, using light as a method of visual sign posting is extremely effective. So I though I'd use it in my scene as more that just a means of lighting up the room, but to show specific areas and evoke a certain mood.

Clearly, this attempt didn't go down to well. The light was far too harsh and extreme. The contrast between lit and unlit areas was far too great.

Second attempt went down a bit better with the addition of two floor lamps and using spotlights. It cast long looming shadows, which I liked because looming shadows are supposed to indicate a feeling of unease, and as Topher's work raises some severe moral dilemmas (though maybe not for him) I found this quite fitting. However, the rest of the room is pitch dark apart from one area in the back right corner where I added a point light to break it up a bit and show that the TV was a source of light. This didn't have the effect I was after as it just looked strange because the TV screen was still dark, but the surrounding area was lit...

Next attempt definitely illuminated the room...but it's far too bright for just two spot lamps which are pointed in a specific direction...
Also I increased the irridiance on the TV screen in attempt to make it seem brighter as a source of light in the background but it ended up too bright and looked odd.

AO. Included another lamp over by the dresser area as another source of light.

Lmap on dresser has two point lights inside, one that casts light and shadows, and the other which only casts light. I like this more, although the long looming shadows by the desk are lessened majorly...
Going to have to trawl through some more tutorials and experiment with global and caustic illumination and try out photons to get the effect I'm after. Also have to include more light sources.