In “Light” of…
Lighting has a powerful effect on color. Truly, you can’t have color without light, and therefore we must consider how to work with lighting in every part of design and color theory. Consider this: you look at a paint chip inside of a store with fluorescent lighting and fall in love with it, and then see that same paint chip you loved so much look completely different inside of your house, and then walk outside with it and, again, it looks completely different! The type of artificial or natural light you are viewing color in will directly affect your perception of light - even the direction of light coming into a room will affect how you see it!
But today, I want to talk about light sensitivity and some concepts on how to deal with this common issue. I was working with a dear friend of mine on a home-improvement project in her art studio, and she is quite sensitive to light. Both large lighting and smaller, bright task lighting give her a terrible headache. When she approached me on how she might go about this so she can continue her art and work after the sun sets, we began to brainstorm ideas. First, we talked about the idea of working in ceiling lighting in multiple places instead of one intense overhead light. This disperses light throughout the room and into the four corners of a bedroom. You can do this with pendant lighting or softer lamps. However, for her, I recommended no open lamps that expose the bulb because they have a tendency to feel intense to the eye. This is also why I recommended the dispersal of softer lighting throughout the corners instead of one large bright lamp in the middle. It is a little easier to avoid needing to be under one bold lamp when the whole room is softly lit. A way to achieve this is to look at nursery lighting! Babies and children need to be in rooms that are not harshly lit, and we seem to cater to their needs in lighting better than we do for adults with light sensitivities. You can find ceiling lamps and floor lamps that are enclosed without an open bulb if you’re willing to do a little digging. For her task/desk lighting, I recommended a long rectangular lamp that has a series of small LED lights pointed downwards. Again, it is less intense than an open bulb, but is bright enough to allow for a downward cast. She told me that for her this, in itself, made all the difference in the world to her eye strain! I know this might be too bright for some, but unfortunately there are only certain ways you can go about working with lighting for specific tasks that require high visibility. Pulling in as much soft lighting from around the room will help you to be less dependent on task lighting until you need it. Mirrors are also a great way to incorporate light into the home; as they will take the light and bounce it back throughout the room. With a little bit (or a lot- if it is a very dark room) of artificial lighting, the mirrors will trick the eye into perceiving more light!
As always, be gentle on yourself and your body. When your eyes are telling you that there is too much or too little light, pay attention. We tend to not consider the light from our phones and computers count in this as well. Noticing and adjusting light is an important, yet often overlooked, practice in self-care.