Q: I would love to know more about "mood lighting" in my home. I have heard that it is the latest trend to hit the Interior Design world but I am finding it very difficult to find information about it and where it is available so I can have it installed in my home.
I would be grateful if someone could point me in the right direction and possibly advise me on who I should use.
A: If I weren't so anxious, I'd fly to wherever you live and help you choose mood lighting for your home, but right now, my anxiety level keeps me close to hearth and home.
Mood lighting - like choosing color, placing furniture, and deciding on artwork - falls within the purview of a professional interior decorator, and if you really want to do it right, you should find yourself a decorator in your area. You can probably even find someone who specializes in lighting.
But there's nothing to say you can't try your hand at creating mood lighting yourself. Here at the Sheffield School of Interior Design, we have an entire lesson on lighting; that's how important it is in design, and that's how many different ways there are of doing it.
Mood lighting, essentially, just begins when you start paying attention to lighting and its effect on the mood of a room. Obviously, a room with a ceiling full of florescent lights feels clinical, and perhaps a little harsh. It's good for a room where work needs to be done, whether it's reading small print or performing open-heart surgery, but it doesn't create a warm and cozy home atmosphere.
- Tip: If you're designing an office or other workspace, you would do well to invest in bright lights, whether they're global lights designed to light the entire room or task lights, designed to illuminate a concentrated area.
However, if you're designing a home, you want to think differently about lighting. In a living room, you want the light to be dimmer than in, say, the bath or the kitchen, but ideally you would have several levels of lighting available, so that the room could be brightly lit when you're vacuuming but more dimly lit for romantic after-dinner relaxation.
When thinking about how to light a space, remember to consider all the options available, from floor lamps or table lamps to canister lamps or recessed ceiling lamps. The best way to get ideas is to go to a large lighting store and give yourself time to really look around and become familiar with all types of lighting.
Bear in mind as well the differences among types of bulbs: incandescent, florescent, and quartz-halogen. They all have give off a different color as well as differing amounts of light. And don't be afraid to play around with the different kinds of lighting. Try moving lamps around, try turning one off and another one on, and try using bulbs of varying wattage until you achieve the mood you want.
Mood Lighting Part 1 - Mood Lighting Part 2
Reprinted with permission by the Sheffield School of Design
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Questions of a Do It Yourself nature should be submitted to our
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We are in the process of building a sauna and steam roon. In between the 2 rooms there is a space of 6 feet wide and 9 feet deep, with a cedar bench. Our purpose is to create a natural setting and the appropriate lighting.
It has been very difficult to get any advice, since sauna's are not that common in this country. what do you suggest?