Journal 12 | The Benefits of Good Lighting in Your Home

Ever stopped to wonder about the benefits of light? Not only does it bring sight in darkness, but the positive effects that light can actually have on our bodies and our minds are numerous. For one, sunlight can improve our mental health by triggering the release of serotonin, the “happy” hormone, into our bodies. Even beyond that, good lighting can also help to regulate our sleep as well as preventing headaches and eye strain. So with all of the benefits that light can bring into our lives, it's important to get it right within our homes. Here are just a few more benefits that good lighting can have for your life at home.

It enlarges the space.

Any small room is instantly opened up when you provide it with plenty of light. The brightness will break into any dark corners and give the illusion of more space. When you add a mirror to your walls to make the room feel bigger, you are essentially just adding to your light source and bouncing any existing light back into the room. Having light airy curtains and keeping them open during the day will help you to maximise the natural light that is entering a room, but that might not reach every spot. Adding a lamp to an understairs nook, lining a bookshelf with spotlights - where there’s a dark corner, there’s an opportunity to light it up!

It sets the mood.

Whether a midday meet-up or a romantic evening in, having the right lighting can affect and enhance your moments. For example, if you're spending time at home during the day, opening up the windows and having plenty of natural light flooding the space will keep the mood bright and alive. Likewise, having softer tones from a lamp or two will give any movie night just the right lighting for a restful, relaxed feel. The ambience of a space can be changed with the flick of switch if you have the right tools to do so.

It can create a focal point.

Be it in your lounge, your dining room or even your bedroom - stunning lighting pieces can often be used to create a central focus. It may be a hanging chandelier over your coffee table or a few pendant lights that swing above your dining space - these are the pieces that will bring a room together and define its central zone.Choosing lighting that really embodies and enhances your personal style is the key to mastering this lighting perk.

It increases productivity.

When you’re getting on with the day-to-day or even if you’re working from home, good lighting can make a lot of difference to your productivity levels. Ever had a headache after staring at your screen all day? Having a good source of light other than the blue light of your screen will help to prevent this along with eye strain, and it will help to keep you alert and focussed too.

It can add value to your home.

If the home you’re in right now isn’t your ‘forever’ home and you’re looking to sell in the future, adding more lighting pieces around your space can improve your home’s sale potential. When looking around a potential new house or apartment, buyers are more likely to love a place if it is furnished well and kept to a high standard. Seeing potential in a space can be the difference between a yes and a no. So make sure you light up every room, every corner, and really maximise your home with well placed lighting features.

Choose lighting that cares.

It’s no secret that high electricity use and its generation has a negative impact on the environment. Although we can greatly lower our electricity usage by maximising the impact of natural light in our homes, when the sun goes down we still need a source of light to get through the evenings and early mornings (unless you’re a fan of good old-fashioned candlelight!). There are still ways that we can make a difference in these times. LED bulbs, will last longer and cost less in the long run. And when it comes to the style of our lighting and lampshades, there are plenty of sustainable options that don’t cost the earth - literally! 

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Let us know if you have any lighting tips in the comments below or tag us on Instagram with photos of your favourite spots to soak up some natural light!