Lighting is one of the main tools that we can use to create mood in interior design. Correctly chosen and positioned lighting can completely transform the room, and subtle changes in lighting can have significant impact on the mood and behaviour of people in the room. 

Read on to find out our top tips for using lighting to set the mood of a room in general or for a particular occasion. 

Choose the bulb colours wisely

With a growing popularity of LED bulbs, which use only a fraction of energy of traditional incandescent or halogen bulbs, we have a choice of the light temperature. Warm white, cool white and day light have their applications, but warm white (similar to old fashioned incandescent bulbs) tends to be the most pleasant choice for most interior lights.

Daylight whites and focused task lighting for productivity

Some exceptions to the warm-whites-are-best include situations where you might want to encourage a more energetic mood. “Mood” doesn’t need to mean relaxed or amorous – in many cases you will want to evoke an attitude of energetic and very much awake productivity. Kitchen counters, office spaces and workshops require practical lighting most of all to enable people to carry out their tasks safely and efficiently.

Accent lighting to add interest and character

Accent lighting is light-as-ornament. Use colourful bulbs, shades or lanterns – or even a lava lamp if you have penchant for 70’s retro vibes – to add whimsy, emphasise boho or ethnic atmosphere or simply to help your family and visitors relax in a given space. 

Soft, low lighting for a romantic mood

There is a reason why candles are such a popular fixture for romantic moments and seductive encounters. Warm, low and soft (i.e. diffuse) light is flattering for human skin tones, forgiving of wrinkles and blemishes and makes us feel cosy and relaxed. Humanity spent much longer sitting round a glowing fire than staring at blue screens, and lights that mimic that living fire effect tend to make us feel more relaxed and open to intimate possibilities. 

Dimmer switches and lampshades that diffuse light (fabric and paper work best) also help achieve this effect. 

Vary lighting to add depth to a room

Uniform levels of lighting can make any room appear flat and stark, and not very welcoming. You can avoid this by using a variety of layered light sources. We talk a bit more about the layers of lighting in our article on avoiding common lighting mistakes, but the main rule is to create varied areas of brighter light and darker shade in every room, using several light sources.