Lighting Up Your Home to Beat the Winter Blues

It’s happened – the clocks have now gone back and so the evening are now noticeably darker. For those of who work from home, the chances are that we may see very little natural daylight during the dark winter months. But did you know that making the most of our home lighting can make this period of the year a lot more bearable.

The Light Company’s lighting expert, Judy Davison, has come up with some simple ways to optimise your winter lighting.

Replace Your Light Bulbs

This may sound like an obvious thing to do but its important to replace any broken or blown light bulbs. If you have a light fitting housing multiple light bulbs, you might not be in a rush to replace a light bulb if only one of them blows. Even if you have enough light to see by, though, you could be straining your eyes without realising, which can lead to tiredness, headaches, and a general rundown feeling,

Instead, be proactive and replace all the faulty light bulbs in your home as soon as you can. If you install LED light bulbs, you won’t have to worry about them blowing again, thanks to their low wattage and extra reliability.

Understand Light Bulb Colour Temperatures

The colour temperature of a light bulb can make a significant difference to the look and feel of a room. By getting it wrong, you may be unwittingly causing yourself some unnecessary discomfort and make a room either too bright or too dark.

Colour temperature is measured in Kelvins, which is abbreviated to ‘K’ on light bulb packaging. Lower ‘K’ numbers mean warmer, yellower light, while higher numbers denote cooler, bluer light.

While there is no strict rule for which colour temperature you should look for, each type has its place. If you want your living room or bedroom to be a cosy, relaxed place of sanctuary, a harsh, cool white light is not going to have the desired effect. Instead, you should look for warm white light bulbs, with a colour temperature anywhere between 2000K-3000K. The soft, yellowy light that these light bulbs emit will make you feel much more at home.

You’ll definitely want to increase your overall illumination scheme to make up for those lost daylight hours. Add table and floor lamps throughout your home, and swap out low-wattage bulbs with brighter, energy-efficient ones. Dimmers are great in the evening hours to transition to bedtime when you’re ready.

Brightening Up In Winter

Maximizing the natural light in your home during the winter months is very important. Keep heavy curtains or blinds open until nightfall and hang mirrors on walls opposite large windows to multiply those precious rays.

You can also brighten up dark corners and niches with floor lamps especially during the shortest days, when nightfall seems to start mid-afternoon.

If you normally eat dinner alfresco or bathed in early-evening light, it’s a great idea to amp up your dining room light in autumn and winter. Place higher-wattage bulbs in the chandelier, sconces, and overhead lights and use table or desk lamps on sideboards to illuminate your spread with a warm, soft glow.

Festive Lighting

Winter celebrations give you the perfect opportunity to get creative with your lighting. Whether it’s Christmas, New Year, or any other celebration, mark the occasion with some decorative lighting. The versatility of LED lighting means that there is now something to suit any taste, whether it’s understated warm white lighting for the home and garden, or some eye-catching colour changing light bulbs that will stand out. The energy efficiency of LED light bulbs also mean you won’t have to worry about your electricity bills after you have draped your house in fairy lights for Christmas!

Outdoor Lighting

A reliable outdoor light is a must during the winter. They provide extra security and act as a deterrent for opportunistic thieves, and also provide extra safety for homeowners who need to see what they’re doing after the sun sets.

At the Light Company we have a wide selection of outdoor lighting for any size home and garden. Ideally, you should look for outdoor lights with the appropriate lumens output. For example, you don’t need to waste money on a high-powered 22,000 lumens floodlight just for a small garden or patio.

You should also decide how you would like the light to activate. Do you simply want a light you can manually switch on and off from inside the house, or would you prefer a more sophisticated motion-activated light?

The Light Company

The Light Company stocks a huge range of lights for every room in the house which can help you to beat the winter blues. Take a look at our ranges online here https://thelightcompany.co.uk/ or pop into our showroom in Craddock Street, Swansea for a first hand view.