Winter Lighting - How to Brighten Your Home

Most of us spend more time at home during the cold season, so here are some tips on how to make the most out of winter lighting.
Winter Lighting - How to Brighten Your Home

Last update: 28 January, 2021

Winter lighting is important as this is a rather gloomy season. This is because the days are shorter and this limits the natural light we get indoors. To top it all we spend a lot of time inside.

So, it’s important to be ready for this season by planning your home lighting with it in mind. With the right illumination, you’ll be able to enjoy your home even more. It’ll for sure have a positive impact on your mood.

You must keep in mind that the human body is naturally synchronized with environmental factors — such as sunlight. There are more depressive problems and mood disorders during these months due to the winter blues. So, continue reading as we’re about to give you the secret to winter lighting at your home. It’ll surely offer you a different perspective.

Energy-saving winter lighting

A light bulb and some change.

First and most importantly, you must consider practical issues as these are seldom at odds with aesthetics. Keep in mind that we consume more electricity during the winter months, most likely because we also spend a lot more time indoors.

As you can imagine, it’s important to plan your home lighting with energy-saving devices.

The recommended options for this are LED or compact fluorescent bulbs. There’s a wide variety of them out there.

These are the most appropriate alternative because you can keep them on for as long as you need to. Opt for bulbs that give off a warm light. We’re about to tell you why this is an important point to keep in mind during the winter months.

Warm light

A series of vintage light bulbs.

Warm lighting is great all year round, but it’s particularly important during the winter season. This is because warm lights give you the feeling of a higher temperature and they make your home a lot cozier.

So, our advice is that you opt for warm-toned bulbs and don’t mix them with cooler lights. Why? Because the latter will cancel out the warming effect of the yellow-colored lights.

There are several types of LED light currently in the market: warm, cold and neutral. Amber is the predominant color of warm lights, whereas blue prevails in cold lights, similar to the one used in kitchens.

We advise that you stick to warm lights. Yes, even in the kitchen and the bathrooms. This is because the effect is much more welcoming than colder lights.

Soft shadows

A modern, open room.

Ok, here’s some good home decor advice — regardless of the season. Smoothing out shadows is a skill that every good interior designer has so it’s an art. You can only perceive light when there are shadows.

So, to make a room seem more harmonious, you must play with its lights and shadows. However, you must do so in a way in which the shadows are soft and not overly contrasting.

This doesn’t mean you have to leave some areas unlit as you’re trying to accomplish just the opposite here. The best way to soften shadows is by using indirect lighting. You may have noticed there’s nothing more overwhelming than direct light from the ceiling.

Another trick to soften shadows is to directly illuminate some objects on your walls such as paintings and those special items you found at the bookstore. Use a decorative table or floor lamps for the rest of your lighting, that way you’ll be able to diffuse light as much as possible.

Winter lighting – brighten up several rooms at once

A bedroom with lights.

This won’t be a problem if you’ll be using energy-saving LED lights. However, if you’re working in a room, or simply resting in the living room, you can indirectly and softly light the closest rooms as well.

This effect will allow you to enjoy your home even more as it’ll appear to be more spacious and comfortable. Another good option for this is to use large candle lamps and dimmers. As you can imagine, installing a dimmer will let you adjust the light you want to use at any time.

You should be able to move from one room to another without having to turn on and off the lights every time after doing this. Entering a room that’s already partially illuminated has a very positive influence on your mood and livens up your house.

Make the most of natural light

A room flooded by winter light.

It’s important you open your windows or at least open the curtains completely during the winter days. It may be true that natural winter light isn’t that cheerful in general, but there are many sunny days during this season.

Also, remove any furniture or decorative accessory that might hinder the passage of natural light. Either that or consider placing more mirrors around your home.

You may not know it but mirrors will double the amount of light of any room. As you can see, winter is one of the most beautiful seasons if you know how to take advantage of it.  Add these little touches to your home and enjoy the brightness you’ve always dreamed of.

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