Winter darkness is here, this is everything you need to create a well-lit room, according to design experts
Whether you want to brighten up space or create a homely glow to relax with, here’s your guide to lighting your home
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Your support makes all the difference.The clocks going back at the end of October marks the arrival of the new sesaon. And now as temperatures have plummeted to early single digits, there’s more rain and the dark rolling in mid afternoon, winter has well has well and truly arrived.
While we’re no longer in a national lockdown, and businesses beign reopening, for many of we will still be working from home for a few months more to come.
Consequently, we’ve had to get creative, turning our living rooms, bedrooms and kitchens into makeshift offices and homeschooling environments. Revamping our interiors also become popular, as we are spending most of our time indoors.
According to the National Office for Statistics, the time we spent gardening and doing DIY increased by 147 per cent between 28 March to 26 April 2020.
But as the clocks have gone back, it means by the time you’re halfway through your afternoon at work, it’s dark outside, and in a poorly lit room, can leave you feeling half asleep and less motivated.
Lighting plays an important part in setting the mood of a room, too bright and it can be off putting, too dark, and it can be frustrating to get anything done, not to mention can leave you with eye strain.
However, shopping for bulbs, lamps, fitting and fixtures isn’t always the most exciting or easiest task to tick off your to-do list, so we’ve consulated two interior design experts who have shared their tips to creating a well-lit room.
For cosy Sundays to busy weekdays, here’s your guide to creating a well lit room to brighten up even the darkest of days.
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Why lighting is important
According to Tamsin Allen, head of interior design at Fawn Interiors Studio based in Hampshire and Surrey, lighting is an important tool for creating the mood of a room.
She recommends using low-light from table and floor lamps for soft evening lighting when you want to wind down from a day working.
We like this metal shade and marble table and desk lamp (Oliver Bonas, £98) that has a retro feel and is perfect for a room that’s limited on space.
Adding a touch of luxury, it’s the perfect companion for dinner and Netflix after a long day too.
Or for a pop of marigold, opt for this little home at John Lewis LED task lamp (John Lewis, £32) that also serves as an autumnal, decorative finishing touch, even when it’s daytime.
It’s designed for smaller surfaces such as a desk, and is made from steel with a matte finish, supplied with an LED bulb that uses 85 per cent less energy than incandescent bulbs.
You’d be forgiven for thinking floor lamps can take up huge amounts of space, but there’s plenty of minimal styles such as this Ivar black and brass floor lamp (Habitat, £85).
It can add extra light over your desk without being a distraction, or keep in your bedroom for nighttime reading.
“When the winter comes and most of the day is dark, we recommend using a wide ceiling light, spotlights or a lot of wall lights, so that the light is evenly balanced around the room and doesn't cause shadows,” Allen told The Independent.
For a minimal yet colourful design, this Albert ceiling light (Made, £89) caught our eye for its duck egg, muted grey and dusk blue shades that would be perfect in a room with a low ceiling, or over your kitchen table if that’s your preferred place to work.
“Lighting can also be used therapeutically," says Alllen, adding: "For some sufferers of Seasonal Affective Disorder (Sad), they may find it helpful to replace bulbs with daylight-balanced bulbs (which mimic the natural color of daylight) which give a very natural light.”
In our review of the best SAD lamps, we loved this Lumie vitamin L SAD light (Lumie, £75) that worked well and looks good.
“It works upright or on its side and is large enough to feel versatile and useful,” said our reviewer and a maximum of 30 minutes per day is recommended.
How to pick the right bulbs and lampshades
When it comes to creating a well-lit space, Sarah Ward, interior designer and founder of Interiors by Sarah Ward recommends selecting a warm white bulb or metallic tipped bulbs that are gentler on the eye and not as harsh.
She cites British furniture retailer Dunelm if you’re on a budget or shopping with Tala, which focuses on sustainable and affordable style, if you have more to spend.
This status 2.5 watt SES LED filament round bulb (Dunelm, £3) is an inexpensive way to buy enough bulbs to fit every light fixture you have. It’s also a good option for renters if you dob’t want to spend much on bulbs if you’re leaving soon, or new homeowners if you’re saving up for bigger items such as sofas and wardrobes.
Not only that, it will last 15,000 hours so you’re unlikely to need to buy a new one anytime soon.
To fit within a modern aesthetic, try this porcelain III – mirrored (Tala, from £26) that uses little energy but lasts a lengthy 30,000 hours.
It’s dimmable too, so you can customise how bright your rooms are, depending on the time of day.
“Another good trick is to choose lampshades with a gold card lining for a softer homely glow,” she explained.
We love this emerald green silk lampshade with gold lining (Mint & May, £45) whose jewel tones are perfect for winter and the gold lining adds understated elegance.
“We find that rooms are most often under-lit and it is important to invest in more lighting than you would think,” advises Allen.
She recommends having a mic of ceiling and wall light, plus table and floor lights that can used in different ways.
“You may have a ceiling light/spotlights or wall lights with daylight-balanced bulbs for those grey days, but for the evening when you want the room to feel cosy and not brightly-lit, you can use the table and floor lights with warm white bulbs to create a softer atmosphere.”
Lighting for renters
If you’re renting, chances are you're limited on space and renovations, making it difficult to make permanent changes if you’re staying with someone for years.
Allen’s advice is to not be afraid of investing in key pieces you can take with you, should you move out in the future.
“Lights come in so many variations and, apart from the functionality of providing light, they can add real character to the room,” she explained, suggesting choosing light fitting in metallics to add luxury, funky shapes to add personality or colourful finishes to add a flourish to the room. “Lighting is a wonderful way of reflecting your personality and shouldn't be held back for when you have a more permanent home.”
We can’t get enough of this antique gold flamingo table lamp with pink & white shade (Rockett St George, £135) that’s sure to bring a smile to your face every time you look at it.
Doubling up as a quirky piece of home decor too, it’s fun, playful and would make a fantastic gift.
Bespoke Binny is our go-to for African print drum lampshades that will be a statement piece to any room. Add them to your ceiling bulbs and floor lamps to give your space an instant refresh.
Each one is handmade and our favourite is this African wax print drum lampshade - Cyan cassettes (Bespoke Binny, £41.99). The hues of bright blue and yellow are nothing short of spectacular.
For more on lighting must-haves, read our guide to the best Sad lamps