Welcome to this month’s installment of Dear Urbaneer, where I tackle real estate questions from my inquisitive readers. With the shortest days of the year in December, one reader is recognizing the link between lighting and mood, and wonders how interior design choices can help.
Dear Urbaneer,
One of my favourite parts of the holiday season is the warm, cozy glow of all the twinkling and decorative lighting. Every winter, once the holiday lights come down, my home suddenly feels dark and heavy. I know that lighting affects how a space looks, but I am increasingly aware of how it also makes me feel. What’s the connection between lighting and mood, and how can I use lighting design in my home to feel better during the darker months?
Signed,
Seeking Light & Bright
Here’s my response:
Dear Light & Bright:
Great question, and one that certainly ‘comes to light’ in December. The month is a bit of a paradox when you think about it. It’s the holiday season, which, among other things, is all about the soft glow of twinkle lights, decorations, exterior lights, and candlelight. However, this is the month that literally is the darkest, with the shortest day falling on the winter solstice.
And you are absolutely correct. Lighting (and by extension lighting design) has a significant impact on both physical and mental health. I’ll dive into the science behind that shortly.
Creating spaces that foster mental and physical health is quickly becoming a force in interior design, as homeowners are increasingly prioritizing health and wellness at home, and are understanding how our homes, and how we design them, can help or hurt health. In fact, I write an ongoing Healthy Home series that addresses a variety of health-related topics for your household.
The trend toward wellness awareness began years ago, though most agree it accelerated during the pandemic. During those tough couple of years, folks were not only obsessed with making their domestic spaces more functional but also prettier and healthier. Here I wrote about the benefits of literally bringing the outside in: Dear Urbaneer: What Is Biophilia And How Can I Use It In Home Design?) More recently, we’ve seen an increase in designing for neurodivergent persons, with a focus on sensory comfort and enhanced functionality; this sensibility is shaping home life too, which I wrote about here: Dear Urbaneer: What Is Neuro-Inclusive Design And How Will It Improve Our Living Environments?
As for lighting, have you ever noticed that the emotions you feel in a room depend a lot on the lighting conditions? Simply put, light and bright feels cheery, while dark and shadowy can feel gloomy.
And given that we live in Canada, weather dictates that we spend a great deal of time indoors, especially in the colder months, limiting our access to natural light, which makes interior lighting design even more important.
How Lighting (Or Lack of Lighting) Affects Mood & Health
While light conditions affect us year-round, they are more noticeable in winter due to shorter days. Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), a type of depression that is triggered by seasonal changes in the light, affects 2-3 percent of Canadians according to the Canadian Psychological Association, while an additional 15 percent report having mood changes with seasonal differences, due to shorter days and fewer hours of natural light- also known as the winter blues.
According to this Healthy Debate article – “Feeling blue? It’s Not Just You” – Canadians live in a winter depression hotspot. The presence of natural light plays a significant role in producing melatonin and serotonin, both of which help in regulating mood. Moreover, lower levels of vitamin D are associated with SAD (seasonal affective disorder).
Beyond more serious depressive disorders, light and access to it are intrinsically linked with health and wellness. Light is key to the circadian rhythm, which signals our internal clock and influences hormone production (mood). It also affects appetite and energy levels. Circadian rhythms operate as they did in humanity’s hunter-gatherer days; optimally, we naturally follow the sun, waking when it rises, with energy levels cycling up, then winding down and seeking shelter as light retreats and the sun sets.
When the circadian rhythm is interrupted, it can cause a host of health problems, including sleep disorders, obesity, gastrointestinal issues, and contribute to mental health problems.
There are many studies linking mood and light conditions. This study – “Enlightening Well-Being In The Home: The Impact Of Natural Light Design On Perceived Happiness & Sadness In Residential Spaces” – found that people were happiest in homes where 40 percent or more of the wall space was dedicated to windows. Interesting, eh?
On a similar wavelength (forgive the pun!), a study in Scientific Reports found that evening lighting in your home can adversely affect circadian rhythm and sleep, demonstrating that excessive exposure to the wrong kind of lighting can cause wakefulness and sleep interruptions, throwing circadian rhythm out of whack.
Lighting Design For Health & Wellness
Ideally, indoor lighting should closely replicate natural light to support a strong circadian rhythm. It’s not as simple as flipping a switch on in your home, though. Here are some ways to approach lighting design to make your home as functional as possible while being mindful of health and wellness.
💡Maximize Natural Light
The easiest way to replicate natural light conditions is to let as much natural light into your home as possible. The size, number and placement of windows matter, but there are also other ways to usher in natural light, including skylights and light wells.
Keep the flow of light through windows unfettered, or with minimal window treatments. Or, if you’d prefer to go high-tech, think about smart glass, which senses and tints on demand to light conditions. You still benefit from mood-boosting light without glare or additional heat.
Choose lighter colour palettes and consider reflective materials, from metallics to lacquers, to give the natural light extra movement.
💡Layer Lighting
Layering lighting is a designer trick to ensure you’ve got functionality covered and that lighting plays the proper aesthetic role in a home. To layer lighting, combine ambient, task, and decorative lighting. Ambient lighting is natural light entering through windows, while task lighting is usually task-oriented and strategically placed, such as recessed lighting in a kitchen, which is helpful for prep, or vanity lighting in a bathroom. Decorative lighting is just as it sounds- light fixtures that create focal points and elevate the aesthetic.
The benefit of layering lighting is that you can respond to natural light conditions as they shift throughout the day in a more natural way. Another must? Dimmable lighting lets you control the amount of light you need on demand.
💡Choose The Right Lighting Temperature
Did you know that lighting has a temperature, which affects how you see it and your mood? Light is measured in Kelvins, which describes the colour of light bulbs or other light sources.
Cool lighting (approx. 4000-6000K) is blue-tinged, while warm lighting (2200-3000K) is yellow-tinged. Neutral lighting falls in between.
Different temperatures serve different functions and should be allocated accordingly.
For example, blue lighting is energizing, so it’s best to use it in the mornings and in rooms where clarity and focus are required. Warm lighting is cozy, so it’s a good choice for unwinding at the end of the day and is great for bedrooms. Blue lighting is better for tasks and most closely mimics full daylight, but it can be harsh indoors, which is why layering light is important. Warm lighting, meanwhile, is comforting, but it isn’t always appropriate and can create safety hazards where brighter lighting is better.
💡Use Smart Lighting To Mimic Circadian Patterns
There are a number of smart lighting products on the market that are designed to closely align with the natural light and light temperature patterns you’d experience from the sun, providing a “circadian experience” with cool, blue light in the morning. As the day progresses, the light automatically shifts to warmer lights, cueing your internal clock to wind down.
Some well-known systems include Philips Hue Smart Lighting, NORB Smart Circadian Lighting, and TUO Circadian Healthy Light.
💡 Give The Light A Path To Travel
Open-concept floor plans tend to be the brightest, because the light flows freely without obstruction. However, even when space is physically divided, you can still promote the flow. French doors, glass walls, and transom and clerestory windows on interior walls are effective.
💡 Lighting for Aging in Place
Beyond mood and mental health benefits, proper lighting design is necessary for health and safety, especially when designing to age in place. The key is to have the right kind of light in the right places and to make it integrate with the decor rather than look clinical.
Use lighting for way-finding. Illuminate stairs, hallways, floor edges, and baseboards, and reduce fall risk. Use lighting to mark transitions between steps, or between different types of flooring.
Reduce shadows, which can make depth perception difficult for aging eyes. Avoid harsh overhead lights that create glare and shadows. Layering light sources can help maintain consistent lighting in a room.
Motion-activated lighting is a good idea, especially in hallways, bathrooms, and closets. This is especially helpful at night.
Pay particular attention to lighting in bathrooms, the room where most falls happen. Ensure the toilet, tub/shower, grab bars and any seating are properly illuminated. Avoid glare with diffused shades. No one likes glare, but it can be even more problematic for aging eyes.
Everyone is unique, and lighting design should reflect that truth. Above all, your health and mood should be supported by your lighting.
Thank you so much for your excellent question! (This will be a great addition to my Healthy Home series!)
At Urbaneer, we don’t just want you to find the home of your dreams; we want you to live your best life in it, which includes mindfully considering health and wellness design. With decades of experience in Toronto’s real estate trenches and a keen eye for design, I’m here to help!
Sincerely,
Steven
If you enjoyed this, here are some additional posts you may find interesting and helpful:
Dear Urbaneer: What Is Neuroinclusive Design And How Will It Improve Our Living Environments?
Dear Urbaneer: What Is Biophilia And How Can I Use It In Home Design?
About Universal Design: Applications For Aging In Place & Toronto Real Estate
Dear Urbaneer: How Do We Establish Our Interior Design Style?
Design Innovations For A More Affordable Canadian Housing Future
Dear Urbaneer: How Do I Best Equip And Furnish My Home? (+ Design Tips!)
The Benefits Of Living Near Water
Post-Pandemic Housing Trends To Watch For
Since 1989, I’ve steered my career through a real estate market crash and burn; survived a slow painful cross-country recession; completed an M.E.S. graduate degree from York University called ‘Planning Housing Environments’; executed the concept, sales & marketing of multiple new condo and vintage loft conversions; and guided hundreds of clients through the purchase and sale of hundreds of freehold and condominium dwellings across the original City of Toronto. From a gritty port industrial city into a glittering post-industrial global centre, I’ve navigated the ebbs and flows of a property market as a consistent Top Producer. And I remain as passionate about it today as when I started.
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