My photography practice

I'm currently struggling with the self portraiture side of the 'mini project'. The space I'm in now compared to the space I was in when the bath image was taken is completely different, so I'm not getting the right lighting or the right location - which is becoming extremely frustrating. The only half effective/ good image I've managed to take was this one:

The colours are quite bland and not as 'beautiful or bold' as my previous image. This was taken using a tripod and timer in my bedroom, where the lighting is quite dull and reflects an orange tone. I have managed to get some of the orange out on the simple MAC picture editor but if I pushed the levels and tones more the image was becoming more dull. 

I also looked at the putting the image in black and white but this changed the whole concept of the work I want to portray. It was no longer 'beautiful' or 'real'. Nan Goldins work was reflecting real life - like her own photographic snapshot diary- this is the effect I want my work to have. Also the black and white always seems to connote a negative, emotional response rather than a calm, serene one.