Lighting can be an overlooked part of a room scheme, often thought of in terms of the decorative aspect of the fitting and functional illumination only.
However, professional lighting designers know that this is missing a trick. Understanding how to light a room properly can transform a space, and flatter its occupants, particularly as we head into the darker months.
A lighting scheme should be properly planned at the outset. Yet, it’s still possible to make a space more attractive, comfortable and cosy just by changing the color temperature and brightness of the light bulbs in existing fixtures.
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Discover the bulb switches lighting designers recommend making today to elevate each of the rooms in your home and why it’s worth doing.
Choosing light bulbs can be challenging. Since the phasing out of incandescent bulbs, it’s all too easy to inadvertently end up with a cold, dull, grey light.
To prevent this, it’s essential to know what types of bulbs to choose for where. Generally, we need to replicate daylight in some rooms on dark days and create a bright, warm glow or soft low light in other areas on autumnal evenings.
“Lumens measure brightness, kelvins tell you whether the light feels warm or cool, and lux measures how much light actually reaches a surface,” explains Luke Thomas, Design Director at John Cullen Lighting.
“For most people choosing bulbs at home, lumens and kelvins are the key figures to watch. I’d generally recommend 2200K–2700K for living spaces and around 3000K for task areas, with a CRI of 90+, so colors, fabrics and finishes appear natural rather than flat or gray.”
1. Living room overhead and accent lighting
2700K is a good balance of brightness and warmth for overhead light bulbs in living areas
(Image credit: Mary Wadsworth)
A modern living room needs to be bright enough to function, with an illumination that’s warm enough to flatter the space and feel comfortable and cosy to hang out in. For this reason, multiple light sources at the right temperature are the best option, along with overhead lighting on a dimmer switch. For the latter, the correct fixture is essential.
“One of the easiest seasonal changes is to swap cooler bulbs for warm, dimmable LEDs,” says Luke. “I’d use around 2700K for an overhead fitting, then go warmer, around 2200K–2700K, for table, floor and wall lamps. The aim is to create several softer pools of light at different heights, rather than relying on one bright ceiling source. This immediately makes a room feel warmer and more inviting.”
Bruce Weil, co-founder and designer at Lighting Design Studio, agrees that for most homes 2700K is a good starting point for overhead bulbs. “It gives a warm white light without becoming too yellow,” says Bruce.
“Dimmers are also hugely important. Being able to reduce the light level allows the same room to change completely throughout the day.”
This porcelain LED dimmable bulb from Etsy has a color temperature of 2700K, a brightness of 420 lumens, and an E27 fitting.
Luke has been in the lighting industry since 2008 and heads up John Cullen Lighting’s UK design team. Working collaboratively with top designers, architects, contractors, and clients, Luke has been involved in a wide range of projects offering design-led solutions which improve our experience of spaces, including new build Wentworth mansions to hotel renovations through to Scottish Castles.
Bruce Weil is co-founder and lighting designer at Lighting Design Studio. Founded in 2009, with Luke Locke-Wheaton the studio creates luxury lighting schemes for commercial and residential projects. Founding directors Luke and Bruce are both respected and renowned industry experts.
2. Bedrooms and bedside lamps
Wall lamps with adjustable directional light and a good bulb choice can provide a soft glow without glare
(Image credit: Mary Wadsworth)
In a bedroom it is essential to have overhead lighting alternatives, as well as to avoid bright white or dull grey light, if you want the room to feel relaxed in the evening. Light bulbs with 2700K color temperature will achieve a sufficiently bright, warm glow. Even better if they operate on a dimmer switch.
“One of the most effective technologies is “dim-to-warm” lighting for LED bulbs,” says Bruce. “The same room should be able to feel bright and functional in the morning, but warm, intimate and relaxed in the evening.
“We also encourage people to think less about simply “lighting the room” and more about lighting what they are actually doing. For example, a bedside reading light should illuminate the book rather than flooding the whole bedroom.”
With the right bulb selection, bedside lamps or wall sconces can provide sufficient illumination to keep the big light off in the evening.
“For bedside lamps, choose a dimmable LED around 2200K–2700K,” says Luke. “This gives you enough brightness for reading while keeping the light soft and warm enough for the evening.”
This globe dimmable LED bulb from Etsy has a screw fitting and is 2500K, so offers a warm glow with up to 480 lumens.
However, check whether your bedside lamps or overhead lights are dimmable. If they are not, you cannot fit a dimmable bulb. Instead opt for non-dimmable bulbs with the same color temperature (kelvin) range.
“Definitely avoid anything around 4000K or above beside the bed,” adds Luke. “Cooler light can feel harsh and overly stimulating when you’re trying to wind down.”
3. Kitchen and Dining
Consider 3000K for bright, clear kitchen task lighting
(Image credit: John Cullen Lighting)
Kitchen lighting obviously needs to remain clear and bright whilst chopping, cutting and cooking. However, you may want to switch bulbs in a dining area for something warm and inviting.
“Kitchen lighting also needs stronger, well-positioned task light onto worktops,” says Bruce. “We also recommend a CRI or Ra of 90+ wherever possible, particularly in kitchens, bathrooms and living spaces where you want food, fabrics, artwork and skin tones to look natural.”
If your lighting isn’t on different circuits or dimmer switches, table and floor lamps are an obvious option to create a softer mood in a dining area.
“Again, 2700K is a very good starting point for overhead lighting in a dining space,” says Bruce. “Color temperature can make a huge difference too.
“In the evening, in spaces where ambience is important, such as dining areas, we often use much warmer accent light, sometimes down towards 2200K or even 1800K, which starts to feel closer to candlelight.”
Pooky
Criss cross table lamp
This Criss cross rechargeable table lamp comes in a choice of either natural or green marble and suits a shade with an E27 fitting.
Holloways of Ludlow
Porta Table Lamp
Designed by Simon Legald for Normann Copenhagen, the classic Porta table lamp is available in five different colors.
Tom Dixon
Stone Portable Light
This white marble portable offers 6–9 hours of cable-free operating time, featuring a universal USB-C magnetic charger.
4. Home Office
Bright lighting in a home office makes work a breeze
(Image credit: House of Hackney)
As the days get shorter and darker, a poorly lit home office can feel gloomy and uninspiring. The right lighting here can make the difference between a productive day and one that’s slow to start.
“A 3000K LED is a good sweet spot for a home office,” says Luke. “It feels clearer and fresher than typical living-room lighting, but avoids the cold, grey quality of very cool white bulbs.”
These 3000K non-dimmable bayonet bulbs from Amazon offer 100W equivalent of bright light with 1500 lumens, suitable for working.
“For a desk lamp, around 600–800 lumens is a useful starting point, ideally with a CRI of 90+ so materials and colors remain accurate and comfortable to work with,” adds Luke.
This non-dimmable Philips LED bulb from John Lewis provides 800 lumens of brightness, 2700K of warm light and has an E27 screw fitting.
When choosing which light bulb switches to make, the most important point is not to just focus on the wattage or brightness of the bulb, but to consider its warmth too.
“One of the biggest mistakes people make at home is choosing a bulb based purely on wattage,” says Bruce. “Wattage tells you how much energy it uses, not how much light it gives out. It’s much more useful to look at lumens, color temperature (kelvins), and color rendering.”
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