You only have to think about the differences in how you feel on a sunny day and a dreary, cloudy day to understand that light affects your mood and mental health. Natural light’s warm color stimulates the brain, elevates your mood, keeps you alert during waking hours, and regulates your body’s circadian rhythm.
Artificial light also affects mood and mental health. When planning for indoor lighting, consider more than style. Think about how you use the spaces in your home and the time you spend in them. Strive to have the right amount of light and the right types of light in the right places.
Color temperatures are also considerations. White-blue light is called daylight and yellow-orange is known as warm white. A qualified and licensed lighting technician is your best bet for optimizing the lighting of all of your living spaces. As for design, they will help you choose the best fixtures, from sconce lights to foyer and dining room chandeliers.
Here’s a quick guide to the best lighting in each area of your home.
Lighting in the Living Area
The living room is generally where you spend your evenings watching TV, reading, socializing, and winding down after a long day. Warm white bulbs will create a peaceful, inviting environment, or use cool white for a more energetic mood. Fixtures can include table lights and floor lamps for reading while white wall sconces and pendant lights on a dimmer provide ambient lighting for a uniform lighting level. The use of a dimmer can help set different moods throughout the day.
Another good trick for living room lighting is layering ambient, task, and accent lighting. The ambient lighting will create even, overall lighting while task lighting from floor lamps or swing-arm lamps helps with reading, knitting, and other tasks. Use accent lighting to highlight artwork or architectural features.
Kitchen Lighting
Lots of everyday living takes place in the kitchen. Some say it is the heartbeat of the home. It’s the room where meals are put together and kids work on homework projects. It’s also a gathering place for family and friends. Lots of warm white bulbs on dimmers will set different moods as necessary from practical to warm and inviting.
Rise and fall pendants are great to use in the kitchen. Their flexibility can also help change the mood. Raise the pendant high for broad lighting while cooking and drop the fixture low for a cozy party atmosphere.
Under-cabinet task lighting over your countertops will help you prepare meals safely in a clean environment. This provides a direct link to your mental well-being.
Bedroom Lighting
Your bedroom is the last stop of the day where you unwind and prepare for a good night’s sleep. Quality sleep is critical for both your physical and mental health. A lack of sleep can cause a high level of anxiety and stress, so it’s important to choose bulbs and fixtures carefully.
A floor lamp with warm white bulbs and lamps on bedside tables will create a cozy, relaxed atmosphere. Any light that is too bright will disturb your sleep, much like looking at a computer screen before bedtime. Be sure to include a dimmer so that you can soften the glow and change the mood after a particularly stressful day.
Lighting in the Bathroom
Choosing the right lighting for the bathroom should be practical for doing your hair, applying makeup, or shaving. You’ll want to use bright daylight bulbs for task lighting in your vanity fixture. Avoid recessed or overhead lighting for grooming tasks. It can cast shadows on your face.
You’ll want to have soft lighting for relaxing and de-stressing in a whirlpool tub or bubble bath. At the same time, you’ll want a bathroom that looks stylish and contemporary. The answer is warm white bulbs in wall sconces on a dimmer.
Home Office Lighting
The number of people working remotely has increased in recent years. The lighting you choose for your home office may well be your most important lighting decision. You’ll have multiple tasks to perform to get you through the day. Poor concentration and stress will directly affect your mental health, so choose daylight bulbs to aid in alertness.
Soften the overall look of your home office with a warm white bulb in a table lamp or a floor lamp.
The professionals at Dawson's Electric in Raleigh are lighting experts. We can help you choose the right lighting and fixtures to enhance the mood in every room in your home. We’re also experienced in electrical repair, electric panels, EV charging installation, whole home generators, and more. Call and schedule a consultation today.
