Banish the Blues: Creating a Mood with Indoor Lighting

Photo by : Caroline Nyambura

The grey skies often dominate the skylines of the UK. So, in such environmental conditions, the importance of perfect indoor lighting is a no-brainer. Whether you need to banish the Monday blues or make your weekends happening, your home can be your perfect hideout. You only need to have a perfect indoor light setup that promotes positivity.

The interplay of lights and emotions is too broad and scientifically proven. Ceiling lights, floor lamps, chandelier lights, and other indoor lights can be used in different ways to brighten your indoors and create different moods. How?

Come, let's explore the indoor magic!

It's Science!

Heard of circadian rhythms? Yes, these are the natural body cycles that regulate our sleep-wake patterns, hormone production, and other physiological processes. Scientifically, these rhythms are regulated with proper exposure to natural light in the daytime. Well-regulated circadian rhythms mean an alert mind and a positive mood. However, improper lighting or harsh lights can adversely affect these cycles, causing fatigue, stress, and even depression. Thus, to promote your mental and emotional well-being, you need to create an indoor environment with suitable lights. Natural light, with its full spectrum of wavelengths, is certainly the best light. But we all know that with our hectic schedules, we cannot avoid artificial lighting. Hence, for minimum damage, choose indoor lights that can be customised to mimic natural light wavelengths. These lights will create a similar effect as natural lights and enhance your overall mood and energy.

 

The Best Use of Natural Light

Doctors advise us to be in the natural light more often, as it has many health benefits. It leads to improved sleep quality and ample Vitamin D intake. Natural light is also great for brightening up your indoors and is the best for our well-being. In well-ventilated homes, there is already an ample amount of natural light. However, for less open spaces, you can follow some tips to maximise the natural light exposure in your home. For example, your windows and skylights need to be sparkling clean. They should also be unobstructed by any other objects for maximum light penetration. Along with it, strategically place mirrors and other shiny surfaces to reflect off the light. It will help you spread the light to all corners of your home. Light-coloured walls, furniture, and sheer curtains are also very helpful, as light fabrics & colours reflect most of the light that falls on them. It makes your space look brighter and more open.

 

Colour Temperature and Mood

Kelvin is the unit used to measure the colour temperature of light. Colour temperatures are known to significantly affect the vibe of a space and, simultaneously, your mood. Different colour temperatures can evoke different feelings & moods. Thus, changing the colour temperature of light for different activities and times is essential. Warm lights with 2700K to 3000K colour temperatures have a welcoming vibe. These lights are exactly what can shift the vibes of your living rooms, bedrooms, and dining areas from cold to warm & inviting. Then there is neutral light, with a temperature range of 3500K to 4100 K. You need them in your kitchen, bathroom, and workspaces to create a balanced natural light effect. Lastly, cool lights kind of mimic the daylight, with temperatures swinging from 5000K to 6500 K. Thus, they significantly promote alertness and are the perfect lights for offices or study areas. The right colour temperature for your lighting equals the right mood setting for each room in your home.

 

Ambient Lighting for Overall Illumination

Say bye-bye to the darkness and harsh shadows and spread positive vibes with some high-quality ambient light fixtures. Get some good chandeliers, pendant lights, or recessed lights that can evenly illuminate your room with comfortable brightness levels. Also, installing dimmers in your lights is a must to customise the light intensity according to the time of day. For example, evenings call for dim lights, so you can lower the brightness in the evening to enjoy a cosy atmosphere. Also, be mindful of the colour temperatures in different rooms. Remember, warm lights for living areas and bedrooms and cool lights for kitchens & workspaces to promote focus.

 

Task Lighting for Functionality

To create a focussed indoor environment ideal for reading, cooking, or working, you need to choose perfect task lighting. It reduces eye strain and increases productivity by making the atmosphere positive. You can find adjustable desk lamps in the market that come with focussed beams. These are ideal for reading, writing, or computer-related work. They provide just the right amount of brightness without any glare. To light up the kitchen countertops and work areas, you should go for island lights or under-cabinet lights. In the seating area, installing floor lamps or table lamps can be a great idea for facilitating reading or other close-up tasks. However, you need to position these light fixtures nicely to minimise potential glare and shadows.

 

Accent Lighting for Aesthetic Appeal

Think home decor, think accent lighting! Yes! Accent lighting is the best choice for decorating your indoors. It adds depth and dimension to your space by letting you highlight your home's best features. It creates awesome visual interest in your property and adds to its beauty. Spotlights and track lighting can focus on artworks, sculptures, or other unique details of your home. Wall sconces are another great fixture that can add warmth to your place with their soft glow. Then, there are LED strips that you can place under your shelves, cabinets, or along baseboards to create a modern look.

Spinny 3Lt Round Spotlight- Wood & Black Metal
 

Switch Moods with Flexible Smart-Lights

Smart lighting systems provide you the flexibility to adjust the lighting at your ease. Smart light fixtures let you customise the colour temperatures, dim the lights, or program your lights' on/off schedules from anywhere. All you need is your smartphone or a voice assistant,

You can command the settings of your lights according to your mood. Smart lights are also very energy efficient, are LED compatible, and have features like motion sensors that allow them to act only when needed. Also, switching on/off these lights is so convenient that there is no fear of forgetting the light on! You can automate the lighting schedules and integrate them with your smart home devices to stay connected all the time. With smart lighting solutions, you only need a  few taps or voice commands to create a perfect mood.