Light Up the Dark to Banish the Winter Blues
Here in the Midwest , darkness is king for most of the winter. Days are short, the sun does not show its face often enough, and our home can end up feeling very gloomy.
We have the answer for the dark and gloom - more light! Sounds like the obvious answer, right?, but we find that many of the homes we visit do not have enough sources of light for the size and function of their spaces.
In any room, you need to have a variety of lighting to make the space welcoming, cozy and well-lit for the room's purpose. Small rooms require at least 6 sources of light and larger rooms will require 8 or more. The type of light you add to the room will depend on the functions of the room. Is this where you read, do needlework or the daily crossword puzzle? Is this where you sit to relax at the end of the day? Or is this the space where you gather with family and guests for birthday parties or to watch the big game?
If you could use a little help banishing the dark and gloom in your house, consider reevaluating the light sources in each room.
We have the answer for the dark and gloom - more light! Sounds like the obvious answer, right?, but we find that many of the homes we visit do not have enough sources of light for the size and function of their spaces.
In any room, you need to have a variety of lighting to make the space welcoming, cozy and well-lit for the room's purpose. Small rooms require at least 6 sources of light and larger rooms will require 8 or more. The type of light you add to the room will depend on the functions of the room. Is this where you read, do needlework or the daily crossword puzzle? Is this where you sit to relax at the end of the day? Or is this the space where you gather with family and guests for birthday parties or to watch the big game?
If you could use a little help banishing the dark and gloom in your house, consider reevaluating the light sources in each room.
Place lamps in every room with the appropriate wattage for that room’s activities.
Lamps should be placed in a triangular pattern through out the spaces
Chandeliers should not be too bright - dimmers make a lot of sense here - and should be hung 32” above the table top.
If the room will be used for activities like reading, knitting, or cooking, make sure you have ample light near where these tasks will be performed.
The three types of light to consider:
Ambient - the primary light source of your room: can lights, overhead lights, or ceiling fan lights
Accent - light specifically made to draw attention to
something: think about a light shining on a painting, lights in the china hutch or a niche light
Decorative - this is the diva of the light world: these are mood setting lights that just look pretty, like the cute little lamp shaped like a turtle, or a candle
