As we continue to spend more time at home, I’ve been trying to make mine as comfortable as possible for everything I do in it. Especially as we approach the winter months and natural light dwindles, I’ve been making moves to prepare my space and try to make it ideal for both working and unwinding. But I, likely like you, am not an interior designer (and if you are, please help). Thankfully, I recently had the chance to talk with Tommy Lei (follow his Instagram @mybelonging), who gave me some tips on how to best light spaces, like a bedroom, a living room, and a home office.
Tommy first mentioned how often overlooked lighting is in creating an ideal space. “Lighting is a great way to add function and aesthetic to a space, especially in the darker months,” he said and mentioned that “with lighting, you are trying to bolster the mood in a space, in order to create ones that are ideal for relaxing, unwinding, or working, but not being too stressed.”
Throughout our conversation, Tommy recommended all Gantri lamps. We love Gantri—if you haven’t heard of them, they make incredible 3D printed lights from top designers, and the lighting is museum quality. They are also sustainably made. Because of this sustainability practice, the lamps will likely be delivered a month after purchase, since the company aims to ensure there is no waste by making them to order. However, if this isn’t for you, don’t fret. To supplement his picks, we’ve thrown in a few of our own, non-Gantri picks.
ADVERTISEMENT
Starting in the living room, Tommy discussed the importance of ambient lighting and layered lighting. If you position two similarly lit lamps in different corners of a room, you can “create a balanced layer of light without having any dark pockets. This creates an ambiance of coziness, of harmony. You’ll have more focused light closer to the lamps, of course, but when you look up, your eye’s won’t need to adjust as drastically.”
For ideal layered lighting, Tommy recommended the Gio Floor Light from Gantri, as well as the Word Table Light. The Gio Floor Light, he said, “is great for sticking in a corner, in order to create a perfect reading nook.” While the Word Table Light is ideal for placing atop a media console. There, it will create enough illumination in a room “without being overwhelming.” It’s also a work of art, so it’s something you’ll want to have act as almost a centerpiece in the room, which is important.
As one little more touch, Tommy suggested placing a candle on the coffee table as a way to add a little more mood lighting.
Scouted Picks
For your home office, Tommy recommended a light that “mimics the sunlight as much as possible.” You want something that is around “800 lumens,” he said, “and not much higher.” That’s because “you’re already getting a lot of blue light from your computer screen, so you need to balance that light out with your desk light.” Here, Tommy emphasized that “lighting is important to create an environment where you’re not stressed, yet able to focus on the details. Too much blue light will make you anxious and stressed.”
In order to achieve this, Tommy suggested the Gio Table Light. This is because “Gantri’s light does an excellent job of balancing out the blue and warmer lights, to create an ideal lighting environment to work in.”
Scouted Picks
Finally, Tommy recommended going with accent lighting in the bedroom. He said “the lighting should be a little lower, a little more moody, and you should be preparing to rest. So you want your light to help you unwind.” He said TVs are a no-no because of blue light, but instead, suggested a light like the Gio Wall Light, or again, the Word Table Light.That’s because “via its diffuser, it creates an accent in the room, while providing just the right amount of illumination. It’s like a spa, a relaxed atmosphere where you can just be.”
Scouted Picks
While some of these might seem like hard and fast rules, Tommy insisted, “what’s great about lighting is how flexible it can all be. Lighting is extremely versatile, and the most important part is to have fun with it and to find out what you like and think works best.”
Scouted selects products independently and prices reflect what was available at the time of publish. Sign up for our newsletter for more recommendations and check out our coupon site for more deals. If you buy something from our posts, we may earn a small commission.
