There are certain energies that your home has, and we like to talk about feng shui as a way to balance those energies for good health. One aspect that’s not always discussed is the lighting in your home.
Balancing the lighting in your home can be difficult, since most areas of the home have multiple uses. You might be playing a family game at the living room table, and need a bright light to see. But an hour later you might just be relaxing with a book, and the harsh lighting can be very distracting.
 This article was originally written for my 2012-2013 position at lifestyle and furniture retailer Haiku Designs. Go check them out here, they are great folks. |
That functionality of your lighting choices can be very important. If the lamp you purchased to read by isn’t very bright, your comfort while reading might not be very high. On the other hand, if you have a lamp to add soft ambiance to a corner area, and it is extremely bright, the effect is lost.
Aside from usage, the lighting you choose is not much different than a piece of furniture you might have in your home. The style of your lighting, especially with lamps, is important to the rest of the room. Just as with the wrong piece of furniture in a room, the wrong style of lamp can offset an otherwise beautiful and consistently designed area.
A good balance of light in your home can lead to a happy, relaxing environment for you and your family. Here are a few ideas to help you realize the potential of illuminating your home.
- Natural Light
Whenever possible, try to have as much natural light in your home as you can. Open the shades, move furniture and other items out from in front of the window, and use the natural light to enhance your home. Natural light embodies the whole spectrum of light, and can really improve the energies you need to stay relaxed and healthy. - Have different choices available for multiple use rooms
It’s hard to relax and read a book when the only light available lights up the entire room very brightly. When the only lamp is across the room, putting out only soft, ambient light, it’s also difficult to work on home projects. By having multiple light sources available, you can make your home more adaptable to your needs. Maybe you could have a built-in overhead light for when you need it, and a softer lamp for those quieter times. - Choosing the right style
There are many choices for lighting available today, and a huge variance in style and feel. By getting a lamp that matches the style of your home, you’ll feel more at ease with your environment. Having a jumble of styles between furniture pieces, lighting, and even art, can give you less comfort in areas that should be the most comfortable during your day. - Use the specifications of the lighting to make the right choice
Lighting pieces are manufactured for specific uses, and checking out the information on each lamp or fixture can be important. If you are looking for a bright light for your entire room, a lamp with a 40 watt bulb might not work. Cord length can be important as well, especially if you might have to move your lamp around to get the right spot for it. If the lamp is listed as having a very short cord, that might not work. - The color of light
It can be easy to forget, but all lighting casts a certain color on the environment it is in. Fluorescent lighting tends to cast a harsher, bluish tint on the environment, while incandescent lights tend to cast a softer yellow tone. Your home will have its own needs, and it is important to keep those needs in mind when you are looking for lighting solutions.
Light is very important for your home, and the choices you make can impact your health and happiness. Choosing the right lamp can make your home relaxing, warm, and a perfect environment to live in.
