I can't remember a day when lighting wasn't something I thought about. Even as a child, I wanted multiple lighting sources ("Mom, I need this overhead lamp for my Star Wars figure display!") and window shades to control the amount of natural and artificial light that illuminated my Iron Maiden posters and collection of little league trophies. Yeah, I was an unusual kid.
Years later, I'm still very particular about lighting, especially since I'm on the computer all day and work with photos/Photoshop, a task in which working in direct and even indirect sunlight can hinder and harm the eyes. Glare is my enemy, roller blockout shades are my weapon of choice, providing a very effective and decor-invisible way to block out the radiant Southern California light.
I've also used privacy window film not only to block out the view from the apartment dwellers across from us (there's nothing as uncomfortable as knowing someone may be looking over your shoulder), but also to diffuse the incoming light. During off hours I welcome sunlight and all its beautiful effects on our mood and our apartment. But during work hours I prefer to work with a moderate amount of diffused, indirect sunlight coming only from other rooms.
All this wasn't an issue till our recent move to a new apartment, where previously a separate small office kept lighting preferences a non-issue. Emily works half the week at home now in a section of the living room across from my closet-turned-office, her preference strongly leaning toward all the windows being wide open from the first chirp of the morning on. She's affected by seasonal affective disorder, so her preference is not just an aesthetic one, but medical, and she also just happens to really, really love sunlight.
Unfortunately, this has presented a lighting dilemma in our modest sized apartment, where Nosferatu the Blogger and Little Miss Sunshine find themselves at odds of how the room should be illuminated. For now, we've worked out a scheduling compromise, as I'm fortunate enough that Emily tends to be an earlier riser than I, and has been kind enough to lower the shades when I rise from my crypt to get started on my day over at Unplggd.
An approximation illustrating the difference in lighting preferences between Emily and I.
It's not much different at night either. We often laugh at how differently we set the lighting after the sun has set (don't get me started on our interior temperature preferences!). Where I tend to enjoy soft, multiple sources of light to set a mood, Emily likes to use what I like to refer to as "North Korean interrogation lighting", harsh and bright enough to evoke visions of burgers under heat lamps. I'm investigating a miner's cap as a future birthday gift for her, but she's been wonderfully accommodating to let me occasionally dim down the overhead lights from the "supernova" setting to "Harry Hamlin tan mode". I'd love to hear about how other couples have worked out (or perhaps not) solutions between differing lighting preferences.
They say love will light the way...but can I interest you in a dimming option, my dear?
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Comments (24)
That's so funny - my husband and I are the same. While I love to throw open the windows and blinds in the morning, he prefers to leave them closed. At night, I like to turn on the overhead lights and he wants to only turn on a lamp or two. We keep joking that he is half-vampire.
hah, i love it. i'm always switching off the harsh recessed lighting left on by my wife in favor of softer light from lamps. to me, light is something i can't ignore. to her, it's just a light.
I thought we were the only ones!
It's weird with us because one night, I'll want soft lighting and he'll be wanting bright lights... the next night, it will be reverse.
Lighting has always been an important element through out my life. My father was a light artist, and so had a number of sources via lasers, spots, black lights, overhead projectors, slides, etc...all used in our house in various ways. I realise how much it can influence my mood, especially if the light is glaring, overhead, and florescent.
let me echo the other posts: my husband likes low lights and accent lamps, but i love lots of natural light and the occasional, soft overhead. it's a source of regular, lighthearted conflict.
Gregory, your posts are awesome! You really bring a personal, endearing quality to your portion of this blog. Keep 'em coming!
Lighting is so underrated. Bad lighting throws of even the most well-appointed rooms.
Laura really opened my eyes to the value of proper illumination and I haven't looked back.
Is that a still from Barry Lyndon? Talk about lighting...that movie was incredibly beautiful.
Barry Lyndon it is. Kubrick was a master at lighting.
I know I prefer a couple lamps on instead of one glaring overhead light - something that bother the guy. He'd rather have one blaring light on that is so bright I want to wear sunglasses than a few lamps to put light in just the right spots. Luckily we both love natural light so opening the blinds first thing in the morning is something we both do.
Loved this piece Gregory we need more like this on AT
Yes! We do!
My husband wants an overhead light in every room; however, I love a beautiful lamp...
Laura @ Bright Bold and Beautiful
http://brightboldbeautiful.blogspot.com/
Thankfully I live alone so no fighting about the lighting. But my parents used to make me angry on a daily basis because of their lighting choices.
My mom turns on the evil (overhead) light in the living room which makes me really uncomfortable and droopy eyed. My dad draws the shades and would sit in the dark for life if he had the choice.
I prefer lots of low warm light throughout the house. And candles!
My partner is an electrician and a good one at that, so actual lighting installation choices are usually left in his capable hands.
The one thing I do put my foot down about is LED lighting anywhere near the bedroom. It gives me migraines and interrupts with my sleep patterns, so we've had to sacrifice a lot of gadgets.
We were having this debate in our house last night. I am a sustainability manager and my husband is a cinematographer. While I look at lighting as an opportunity to utilize innovative technologies, he looks at it as away to set the mood. This came to a head when we finally bought a nelson bubble lamp and I installed a CFL in it. Well, it didnt last long. We agreed on an eco-dimmer and a traditional bulb (which, admittedly, casts a much more beautiful color light throughout the room.)
a resounding yes! we have everything on dimmers & my wife runs around adjusting what seems like too many lights to me. in our living room/dining room, which isn't that big, we haveall kinds of lights from overhead, floor, task lamps, to uplighting. also i like to keep the lights off while a movie & she wants them on low.
Love this article.
Yes, we do disagree. If it were up to me, we'd use only lanterns and candles after sunset. I love low, flickery light at night.
But he's one for bright, bright lights.
We generally agree about electric lighting, but we disagree on candles - I say, the more the better and you can never have too many, while one or maybe two small ones is pretty much my husband's limit. Also, I can't stand to leave lights on in rooms that I'm not in - for instance, I can't comfortably eat in the dining room with the kitchen light still on - while my husband doesn't even seem to notice. He leaves the light on in his closet all day sometimes, I'm afraid!
Us too. My husband tends to like pretty low light levels and I need quite a bit of light to read. Luckily, we both like sunlight (and live in a climate where it is not usually strong enough to burn your eyes) and we both hate overhead lights. So it is lots of lamps for us.
Oh boy yes! My boyfriend LOVES the "North Korean Interrogation Lights"! The brighter, the whiter, the merrier.
I much much prefer the soft yellow lights. Thankfully you can't even find white light bulbs these days that are energy efficient. When I pull out the "save money" card, he can't argue, and I win!
I'm a photographer and understand light in ways my boyfriend doesn't. Fortunately, he isn't too picky about letting pick out the lighting. :]
My lighting issue is slightly different in that my husband thinks that the overhead light that came with the ceiling fan in our rental home is sufficient and no additional lamps are needed. I on the other hand, avoid using the overhead ceiling fan light at all costs. I would rather have an several well placed lamps to create a nice glow and so that I can alter the amount and position of the lighting to my preference in the evening. During the day (when I am actually home that is) I prefer to open the blinds and use natural light.
I cant stand dim, and I cant stand incandescent or incandescent substitutes in warm white.
Previous flatmates liked pathetic 10 watt warm white lamps which made me feel tired as soon as I walked in the door. Im back on my 23 watt daylight ones, only because they are the biggest that fit or I would have some 30's
I thought this was only in my house!! How funny. I prefer it bright...I like to see what I'm eating!
My partner would sit in the dark all night, dimly lit!
I also hate anything that light down, like can lighting. I think the lights should wash the walls, illuminate art and bounce around the room. That way no one is harshly lit!