Here we are again! A new season is just around the corner. The weather has already taken a more Autumnal turn. Our minds and bodies are naturally beginning to turn inwards, towards our homes, ready to start hunkering down for the colder, darker months.

While we’re not there just yet, now is the time to prepare the home for Autumn. Making tweaks to our home and lifestyle now will make the shift easier and more enjoyable when the time comes. One of the most effective ways to do this, and get an instant hit of Autumn hygge, is to look at the lighting in our home.

Why Lighting Is So Important

As with all interior design, we often look to the likes of restaurants and hotels for inspiration. There’s something about the way that a well-designed hospitality venue can evoke an atmosphere like no other. One of our go-to for interior inspiration is Ett Hem, a beautiful luxury hotel in Stockholm. Below is a collection of their Instagram posts which convey how they use lighting in such an understated yet intentional way to guide people through the hotel, sit down, relax and lean into their surroundings. From an abundance of festoon lights to bring an indoor-outdoor space to life, to a lone candle-style lantern in a natural light-filled kitchen, it’s clear that the team over at Ett Hem understand the power of good lighting and use it to full effect.

Types of lighting

Before we go any further into why and how lighting is so powerful, let’s look at the different types of lighting and how they can work for us.

General lighting – usually a ceiling light or ceiling spotlights which light up the whole room

Task lighting – a light which is focused on a particular area, enabling you to complete tasks

Spot lighting – lights which are directed to highlight a particular area or item

Atmospheric lighting – lighting which is purely there to set a mood

We also should consider how light is diffused or directed. Certain lampshades create a diffused light which lights up the surrounding area, usually in a softer glow. Certain styles of lamps direct light without any diffusion so it’s a stronger beam.

The key is to have a mix of these lighting types in each room. Really look around the room, think about what you want to do in it and how you want to feel. Perhaps some task lighting at the desk so you can work in a well-lit part of the room. A diffused floor lamp in a corner to cast a warm glow around the rest of the room. A picture light on the wall to highlight some beautiful artwork and fairy lights or candles to create a cosy hygge atmosphere.

The beauty of great lighting

A room can be beautifully decorated, full of character and intent to deliver a certain mood or vibe. But when the lights come on, either those efforts can fall flat or they can be elevated to something special. To truly deliver on the feeling we want to create in a space, the lighting we use should be varied and considered.

Supporting our wellbeing

On a very practical level, lighting should enable us to get things done. It should make our lives easier and keep us feeling well. Task lighting is particularly important in this area.

Imagine working at a desk with only a ceiling light in the room. The diagonal direction of the light from up high hits your body first and casts shadows across your desk, making it difficult to see your work. You end up straining to see and feeling the ill effects of not having adequate lighting on the task at hand. 

A simple desk light, with a beam of light directed on to your work solves this problem. You have the light you need, you feel more productive and are able to complete the task much more comfortably.

Considering how you will use a room is essential so that you can apply the right kind of lighting, supporting you in the way you live and use a space.

A glow up for Autumn