The power of lighting within our homes should never be underestimated, especially when it comes to our mental wellbeing. When considering the interiors of each room in your property, you should look at lighting not just from a design perspective, such as which style would look best where, but also from a wellbeing point of view.

Make sure you like the look of the lights in your house

If you have lights in your home that you like the look of and enjoying seeing on a daily basis, it gives you a sense of satisfaction and this all contributes to how you feel. While it can be costly to change all the lighting in your house, make sure the key fixtures are ones you like rather than dislike.

Think about how you use the space and light it appropriately

It is essential you have the right amount of light in the right place. Think through how you use each room at the different times of the day. Lights can always be dimmed or switched off – the main thing is you have enough light. Not having enough light can be frustrating and can turn easy tasks into tricky ones, impacting how you feel.

Decide how you want to feel in each area of the house

The brightness and the colour temperature of the lights can affect us without us noticing. The colour temperature of the bulb can either be white/blue light compared to yellow/orange light. The white / blue light is referred to as daylight, while the yellow/orange light is referred to as warm white.

Daylight light

Daylight light is great for offices, factories, and gyms – places where high concentration and detailed tasks are being carried out. This provides a clear fresh light. While this is great for certain situations, these bulbs should be used with caution in the home.

Warm White Light

Warm white light is great for creating a soft, peaceful, and welcoming environment, which lends itself to the home, restaurants, and hotels. This light is based on the original tungsten light bulbs which can no longer be purchased.

So what light is best for each area of your home? Let’s take a look.

Home office

Warm lighting creates a soothing atmosphere, which is why it’s a good idea to employ warm white light in any rooms in which you could feel high levels of pressure – such as when working from home in an office space.

For many of us, proper focus is paramount to being successful in our careers. With multiple tasks to get through during the working day, there is no room for procrastination and poor concentration. Having a well-lit working place will aid concentration and therefore performance.  Here you could opt for daylight bulbs to ensure complete alertness, you can add a table light on your desk with a warm white bulb to soften the overall look to the space. If you want to stay away from daylight bulbs altogether, then go for multiple spot lights with a minimum of 6w LED bulbs to ensure you have plenty of light.

Being happy in our jobs can not only boost motivation, but also make us even more satisfied with our lives outside of work, too. That’s very important for our mental health!

Bedroom

Our bedroom is our happy place; it’s where we unwind after a long day and catch that crucial good night’s sleep. So, what type of lighting is best here? For an instantly cosy and relaxed atmosphere, add a floor lamp to the corner of the room, and add mood lighting lamps on the bedside tables at either side of the bed. Make sure you have a dimmer linked so that these lights can be dimmed down when required.

Regular, quality sleep is crucial for our mental wellbeing. High levels of stress and anxiety can result from a lack of sleep, which is why you also need to be mindful of the types of bulbs and fixtures you incorporate into your bedroom. Steer clear of anything too white as this can disturb your sleep in the same way looking a phone or computer screen before bed. Instead, make sure you use warm white bulbs in the bedroom.

Bathroom

Choosing the right type of lighting is fundamental to creating a bathroom that serves you practically, such as when shaving or applying make-up, but that also allows you to relax and de-stress when it’s time to do so. Wall lights that can be dimmed are a fantastic way to tick all the necessary boxes – functional, stylish, and contemporary.

Engaging in a self-care routine has been proven to better our mental health, and allowing yourself long, hot, relaxing bubble baths is one way to do this.

Kitchen

They say that the kitchen is the heart of the home, which is why you should set out to give it a strong heartbeat with appropriate lighting. Perhaps you enjoy cooking and therefore spend a lot of time inside this room creating delicious meals for your family, or maybe you throw regular dinner parties and gatherings with friends and relatives.

Rise and fall pendants are fantastic in the kitchen as they give you the flexibility to change the mood whenever it’s necessary. For example, raise the fixture high when you need a broad spread of light when cooking, and then drop low for a warm glow to set the cosy party scene.

Plenty of warm white bulbs on a dimmer is the most effective way to light the kitchen from a practical point of view while allowing it to feel warm, inviting, and homely.

Carefully thought-out lighting in the kitchen guarantees improved levels of safety, cleanliness, visibility and ambience, all of which will make your life easier and therefore improve your mental health.

Living room

This is the room where you relax and is generally mostly used in the evening, as you wind down from a long day. Warm white bulbs are key here, a few table lights and floor lights for reading areas, while pendant lights or wall lights on a dimmer can help provide general ambient lighting when required, daylight bulbs are an absolute no for this room. And relax!

Further interior design decisions that can improve mood

If you’re currently refurbishing your home and have mental wellbeing in mind, there are other decisions you can make beyond just lighting. For example, having houseplants in each room can help you to feel more relaxed and calmer, and framed photographs of loved ones instil a sense of warmth and care. In addition to this, furniture created using natural materials, such as wood and stone, can boost your mood and mental health.

Make better lighting decisions for your home, today

Who knew that lights are more than just lights? Now more than ever before, it’s important we look after our wellbeing and make the right decisions that will help us improve our mental health. When it comes to interior design and lighting, this is a simple task if you know where to look. We’re glad we’ve been able to shine some light on this topic for you!