When it comes to designing our dream home, most of us tend to overlook lighting as we only view it from a functional perspective. Although it may be less of a hassle to just get one type of light bulb for the entire house, you should not be doing that. Research has shown that lighting actually has a big role in the quality of our lives. as it directly contributes to our mood and productivity.
At home, poor lighting can cause eye damage and has been found to worsen depression and contribute to vitamin D deficiencies. When done right, proper lighting is able to improve moods and energy levels, reduce overeating and improve quality of sleep.
Our comprehensive home lighting guide will give you all the information you need to properly light up every room in your house to improve your quality of life.
Types of Lighting
Before we begin on the rooms, I would like to clear up a common misconception about lighting. A single overhead light is not enough to light up the whole room.
Rather, when it comes to indoor lighting, your interior designer will tell you that lighting works best when there are multiple layers like a delicious plate of economical rice that fills the whole plate.. Ideally, each room should have a combination of these three types of lights.
- General/Ambient Lighting: This is the ‘rice’ or the substance of a room’s light. Generally, this forms 75% of the room’s light, ensuring that you don’t trip over your things. This light is usually hung overhead and for bigger rooms like the living room, more than one light is needed.
- Task Lighting: Task lighting is the ‘ingredients’ of a room’s lighting. Without it, everything looks boring and falls apart. Like the name suggests, task lighting is centred around tasks. From reading a book, preparing food, to finding clothes to wear – task lights help you complete everyday tasks. To shop for task lighting, note down whatever you would do in a room and plan to light around them.
- Accent lighting: Accent Lighting is like the ‘gravy’ of a room’s lighting as it enhances the whole dish and completes your plate of economical rice. In a room, accent lighting acts as a decorative element that enhances elements of a home’s interior.
How Color Temperature Affects Mood and Productivity
Another aspect of light to take note of is the lighting temperatures and colour of the light. The temperature of light is measured in Kelvin(K). This is a numerical value that measures the colour of the light when an object is heated to a temperature that is high enough. As the temperature goes up, the objects change colour and output different colours of the light.
Take for example someone doing welding. When a welding torch is heated up, the torch will glow from red to orange, yellow to white and lastly a bluish white colour. Lights that have lower colour temperature are dubbed ‘warm’ because they emit either red, orange or yellow coloured light. Lights that have a higher colour temperature are ‘cool’ as they emit light on the blue and violet part of the colour spectrum.
Bedroom Lighting Guide
Your bedroom should be a calming and peaceful area that is free of stress. We suggest that you adopt a softer approach with the lighting with warm light sources that will create a calming environment. Warm light is great for the bedroom as it encourages the production of melatonin, the sleep hormone.
On top of the light on your ceiling, you should consider investing in some bedside lamps, a simple luxury that is practical and affordable. Bedside lamps like this Silicone NurseryEgg Night Light act as task lights and decorative lights. This particular model has two modes: a warm 2800K mode for a relaxing atmosphere and a cooler 3200K mode if you want to do some light reading.
Living Room Lighting Guide
Generally, the living room is the entertainment centre of the house. This is why we recommend that you should have fun when lighting this room. However, this is the spot where you entertain guests so be sure to strike a balance between fun and proper.
For living rooms, you can choose either warm lights or cool lights depending on what kind of vibe you are going for in your living room. Opt for bright overhead light on the ceiling and complement it with task lighting and accent lighting as you see fit.
Kitchen Lighting Guide
A family that eats together stays together. Sitting at the dining table to eat with your family should be a great way to bond over delicious food. A nice chandelier with warm lighting would be a great solution as it creates a relaxing atmosphere. 
However, you should go in the opposite direction for the area where food is prepared. Colder lights work better as they help improve your focus and keep you wide awake. Throw in task lights like this Motion Sensor Multipurpose LED Light near the stove for an enhanced cooking experience.
Bathroom Lighting Guide
SmartLite LED Motion Sensor Rack
Last but not least, the place where everyone goes about their basic hygiene routine. From doing makeup, brushing teeth styling hair to shaving, a lot is done in front of the mirror. On top of the light on the ceiling, you should place task lights next to the mirrors. Ensure that these lights can be easily turned on and off when needed. This will make your daily routine that much easier.
I get that we are all busy people, which does not leave us with much time to consider how to improve our home lighting. However, if you take the time to do so, you’ll find that it will really elevate your everyday life. Besides, you can do it slowly room by room and progress to a well-lit house. I’m sure you’ll come to really appreciate it.