Lighting has an integral part to play in creating a mood, whether it be indoors or outside. Whether it be creative or focussed, constructive or playful, stimulated or relaxed the lighting you choose can make or break the atmosphere.

Work

When thinking about creating the right mood for tasks related to employment, hobbies or jobs around the house, suitable lighting is an important factor. The main practical considerations are the type of light, the positioning of lamps and the direction and angle of the beam of light emitted.

In terms of office type work, you’ll need to consider what is suitable for reading, sorting or filing paperwork etc. or when you’re working at a computer. If your job entails long periods of staring at a screen, you want to avoid eye strain and headaches at all costs. Avoid direct glare on your screen or in your eyes by using desk lamps that are on an angled arm or have a goose neck that can be adjusted with ease. Situate lamps so that they don’t cast shadows across your screen and don’t reflect on the screen. You want to use bulbs that emit light similar to sunlight – LED and fluorescent (beware of flickering, though) are good choices. Incandescent bulbs, especially low-wattage examples, are not generally suitable. Anglepoise, LED spotlights and down-lighters are all useful types of task lighting available from Lights.

If you’re one of those people who suffer from SAD syndrome, designated office spaces are good places to install daylight desk lamps such as Needlite. They provide a healthy working environment and also provide you with the equivalent levels of sunlight for ongoing mental well-being, particularly during the winter months.

If you’re doing jobs around the house, particularly in areas such as the kitchen, you’ll need good task lighting. Bright, overhead lights such as LED down-lighters are perfect. You could also consider clamp or clip-on lights for those difficult, dark corners. They can easily attach to wall mounted utensil racks or kitchen shelving – and really transform a space, both in terms of practicality and impact. Quite often, kitchens and dining spaces are combined these days, so this is the kind of flexible lighting that will give options for a romantic meal versus chopping veg!

Leisure

You might require bright lights for day to day activities, however, relaxation can sometimes be the priority. In this case, lighting needs to be more subtle and atmospheric. Consider up-lighting that will cast light up towards the ceiling rather than into your eyes. It’s more relaxing to sit in and can create its own sense of drama when thinking of a room scheme.

You might choose to have real candles dotted about, but not everyone is comfortable with the idea of a naked flame. In these circumstances, there are lamps that mimic candlelight – yellow-hued, ambient, flickering even! They provide an alternative to the atmosphere provided by real candles or can complement the ones you already have.

For creating a feeling of opulence and luxury, nothing beats a classic chandelier. Incorporate dimmer switches that allow the flexibility to alter lighting depending upon mood required.

Vintage-style Edison light bulbs produce an attractive, subdued type of light and are perfect for the very on trend vintage industrial type metal cage lights and factory pendant shades.

We love fairy lights dotted about the house – they add such a wonderful atmosphere to rooms, particularly in the darker autumn and winter months when warmth and cosiness are sought – they’re a staple of Scandinavian feel-good HYGGE after all!

Watching television, similar to working on a computer, requires a certain kind of lighting. Have nothing that will produce glare or reflections and place it angled away from the screen.

In addition, there’s outdoor/al fresco living which continues to gain in popularity. There are many attractive solar powered options for lighting on the market. These are usually very easy to install as they don’t require outdoor wiring – and of course, they have eco-friendly credentials too.

And we have to give another mention to fairy lights or festoon lights. They can give a garden a magical quality at night – like fireflies flitting about. Whether you’re enjoying a relaxing glass of wine after work or eating with friends they’ll add another layer to the outdoor experience.

From the magical to the practical, outdoor security lights come in useful to discourage burglars and help you find the keyhole in the door when arriving home in the dark.

Sleep

Many people have a little read (or catch up with social media) before finally laying their head on the pillow. Suitable bedside lights are essential to ensure light falls directly onto the area required such as the page of a book. This will avoid neck or eye strain and make for a relaxing period of winding down – as opposed to a frustrating, stressful or potentially health-damaging final few minutes.

Some people really don’t like the pitch black at bedtime. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, if you feel more comfortable with a degree of light, there are lots of subtle solutions that can be tailored to your needs. Night lights come in all styles. They can be child-friendly taking the form of animals or cartoon characters. Or perhaps a bit more grown up to compliment your existing décor. They can be touch sensitive or put on timers that dim and/or switch off the light after a certain period.

Also, consider guide lights. Install subtle, movement-sensitive track lighting along corridors and hallways to illuminate your path during night-time bathroom visits. This is particularly helpful for guests who aren’t familiar with your house layout and location of light switches in the dark.

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