Your home is your sanctuary, a safe haven from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Wouldn’t it be great if, when you walk through the door, you could flip a light switch and be bathed in soft, relaxing light? There are many layers to creating a good lighting profile for your room. Here are some suggestions to help create a soothing space within your home.
Create a Space with Warm Ambient Lighting
Every room has ambient lighting. This is the general lighting that allows you to safely navigate a space. It can come from natural sunlight, ceiling fixtures, or lamps. The key to making a space’s ambient lighting relaxing is to use warm, soft colors to create a balanced lighting profile for the room. Once you have good ambient lighting in your home, you can use these four types of lighting to help make it a relaxing oasis.
Photo by 186 Lighting Design Group
Pendant Lights
Pendant lights are incredibly popular. They bring lighting close to the surface, creating focal points in your room. These can help create a cozy atmosphere that is perfect for conversation or relaxing with a book.
Photo by Sian Baxter Lighting Design
Look for fixtures and shades with natural materials to help boost its calming properties. Dark shades for task lighting can help keep light focused on the area you want without filling the entire room with glare.
Accent Fixtures
Accent fixtures can take many shapes. Desk lamps, under cabinet fixtures, and wall sconces are all examples of accent lighting that can help create a relaxing space. They can be used to highlight workspaces, artwork, or even architectural features of your home.
Colored Bulbs
Using colored lighting can also help affect the mood of a room. There has been substantial research on colors affecting mood, and studies suggest that certain lighting lends itself to calming behavior and lower cortisol levels. Most experts will agree that you should avoid harsh, white light if you want to create a relaxing atmosphere. Instead look for full spectrum bulbs, or those with high blue or pink light profiles.
Photo by DSI Luxury Technology
Dimming Fixtures
You can control how much light your fixtures put out with dimmer switches and bulbs. A dimmer switch can change your room from productive workspace to relaxing haven within seconds. If you are unsure about the electrical work needed to install a dimmer, an electrician can help get you on your way to a soft, cozy atmosphere in your home.
Your Home, Your Space
Make sure you consider the function of your room when you decide on lighting. Using pendant and accent lights, colored bulbs, and dimmers can help you change the mood of your space and create a safe and relaxing atmosphere in your home.