Five ways to create light layers in a room

Fairy lights and table lamps accentuate floral decor. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

What do you think of when you think of winter? For most of us, the very mention of winter makes us shiver…but there are positive ways to approach the coldest season of the year. 

Over the past couple of years, I have researched a curious Danish lifestyle outlook called hygge. Winters up north are long, cold, and dark…and yet the population is said to be one of the happiest in the world! What a bunch of weirdos, right?! But they seem to have learned a trick to cope with the long winters indoors. At the heart of this whole “hygge” thing is the idea that your life is enriched by surrounding yourself with simple things that bring you joy. Embracing hygge in the home means choosing cozy decor that feels safe, warm, and inviting.

If you want to learn more about hygge, I recommend the book by Meik Wiking called The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living, which you can purchase on Amazon.

Burning candles for a hygge feel. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

​This brings me to the topic of lighting…

Lighting can be one of those decor elements that we don’t think about as much as we should. Lighting (or lack of it) has a significant effect on mood. The best way to harness the ambiance in your home is to provide several sources of light that can be turned on and adjusted as needed. In the interior design world, this is called layering light. A cozy, user-friendly home utilizes adjustable light levels from various light sources-- such as overhead lighting, task lighting, and mid-level lighting on walls and tables. 

Before I get into the five ways you can create multiple layers of light in your interior space, let me first make a quick side note about color temperature and lighting. If your goal is to create a cozy space through lighting, stay on the warmer end of the spectrum. Cool lights negatively affect mood (think of the blue light from computers) and disrupt sleep patterns. Light color is measured with the Kelvin scale—2000K-3000K range is the warmer, more yellow range, 3100K-4500K is the white/blue range, and over 4500K is the “daylight range. Keep these ranges in mind as you’re making lighting choices, sticking to the lower end of the Kelvin spectrum for the softer, warmer lighting that will make your interior glow during the cold winter months.

Image by ohsuriya at Adobe Stock.

Assess natural light & window orientation

All good lighting plans start with having a good grasp of how natural light enters your interior, the idea being to utilize as much free natural light as possible before turning on the lights. Electricity is not cheap these days!

Do you know your home's orientation to the cardinal's compass points? Well, it’s a good idea to find out! All you need is one of those compass apps on your phone, and you’re all set! 

You should be familiar with your home’s orientation for a couple of reasons…First, houseplants need light to grow, so their placement is critical to survival. Second—and the subject of this article—you will need to understand how utilize the natural light in your home to minimize dependence on artificial lights and the electric bills associated with their usage. Natural light is free, don’t forget!

Ponytail palm enjoying natural light by front window. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

In the winter, the sun sits lower on the horizon and travels further into the space, depending on the position of the windows. In the summer, the sun is higher in the sky and won’t penetrate as far into the interior, but the light is brighter and warmer than in winter.

Image by lamyai at Adobe Stock.

The sun also travels through the sky as the day progresses. In the mornings, you will have the sun coming through easterly-facing windows, travel across the southern sky, and end up in the west. 

A home with main windows facing the south is the “perfect” orientation for maximizing passive natural light. (By the way, this also helps with passive heating.)


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Install general/ambient lighting

Every room should have at least one overhead source of lighting. It just makes sense for general functions and traveling through a space. In addition to overhead lighting, lamps and wall sconces can serve as general lighting. This general lighting can be as simple or elaborate as your budget permits and provides light for everyday functions, movement, and wayfinding. Ideally, general lighting should illuminate most of the space as evenly as possible.

Image by murattellioglu at Adobe Stock.

​Assess task lighting needs

Task lighting is exactly how it sounds—lighting that allows you to see without straining when trying to complete specific tasks. For instance, this could be a desk lamp in an office or under-the-cabinet strip lighting in the kitchen. Task lighting--used in conjunction with general overhead lighting--will illuminate a small space better, facilitating work that requires attention to detail.

Image by LIGHTED STUDIOS at Adobe Stock.

​Get dramatic with specialty lighting

Specialty lighting uses a variety of lighting fixtures to create dramatic visual effects. Use this added layer of lighting to illuminate decor or architectural elements and create visually appealing light pools on walls and floors. Examples of specialty lighting include picture lighting for artwork, track and monorail lighting on ceilings, and up-lighting along walls, steps, and columns.

Image by poplasen at Adobe Stock.

Image by Tomasz Zajda at Adobe Stock.

​Make your home inviting with mood lighting

This is my favorite part of the lighting scheme! And I think this is where “hygge” really shines, especially in the darker winter months. This is where you can bring a little magic into your home. 

Mood lighting isn’t a specific type of light fixture but a careful combination of ambient and specialty lighting, natural light, lamps, wall sconces, and decorative lighting options. You could even light up or turn on a fireplace for that additional cozy ambiance. Your main lighting (like ceiling pendants) might have dimmer switches to bring the lights down to a moodier, relaxing level. Lamps might have options for lower light settings. Then there are candles (both real and LED), battery-operated fairy strands, and warm white Christmas light strands. You could even incorporate a variety of special LED lighting options or black light. It all depends on what type of mood you are looking to achieve.

Handcrafted decorative candleholder with LED candle by Di's Studio Designs. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Dining room tablescape with LED candles, fairy light strands, and handcrafted decorative candleholder by Di's Studio Designs.Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

LED candle. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

Returning to the whole hygge theme (this is winter, after all), my way of creating cozy light layering would be to use my warm white accent lamps on a low setting with a few real or LED candles and some fairy strands. I love the soft, warm glow that makes my home feel warm and welcome in the evenings. Sadly, I don’t have a fireplace, but we can’t have everything, can we?!

Burning a homemade eucalyptus candle. Photo by Diane M. Lilly, 2022.

How will you create cozy light layers in your home this winter? Leave a comment below and tell us about it! 


Related blogs you may want to read:
Eight tips for assessing natural light in your home
Six tips to lighten up a dark room
Does bringing nature into the home actually improve your mood?
How to reupholster a dining room chair in 9 simple steps
Eight tips for creating spring vignettes
A spring decor makeover for my small rental bathroom
Small houseplants that love bathroom humidity
How to care for faux florals
Eight health benefits of decorating with plants
11 interior decorating tips that help reduce anxiety and depression
Nine hygge decor ideas
Winter color palette ideas for your home decor
Eight ways to create cozy winter interiors after the holiday decor comes down
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Creating a kitchen coffee bar
Let’s talk about houseplants

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