With the holiday season in full tilt and your closest friends and family soon arriving at your doorstep, lightening up the home is no easy venture when daytime becomes night so quickly. There’s nothing more seasonally demoralizing than arriving to a dark, dungeon-like cave environment – in what is supposed to be a celebratory time.
Here are a few ways to make a difference to quickly take things from cavernous to marvelous.
1. Bring smart lighting into your home
For those who want to bring a more pop to their home during the festivities, get guests talking with Phillips Hue. The fact alone that you can control your lighting from any location in the world is a conversation starter. From the ability to shine at any colour of the spectrum based on your preference, Philips Hue is even capable of welcoming you home (making that scramble to hit the lights upon entry a thing of the past). Talking points aside, it’s fun to drive by your condo on the highway and be able to pinpoint the Green and Red rooms to help guests find the party.
2. Upgrade your dingy light fixture
Anyone will tell you that the quickest way to correct the issue is lighting, but we all know that the wrong fixture or bulb can really make things look dreary. The best lighting answer is to source an inspiring multi light fixture in your home to make you happy. Keeping it modern and stylish gives the room life, we suggest the 8-Light Retro Pendant available at Home Depot. The combination of open angles and subdued gold trim gives it a very refreshing yet easy look that will practically declutter the room. This fixture works best with clear retro LED bulbs, and will also work well with dimmer switches. Installation was a snap at my condo as it was up and running within an hour.
3. Mirrorify your living space
When it comes to bettering your environment, why not use what you already have – already existing light or a beautiful window scenery can be reflected into the room with a large mirror. Style of course is based on the surroundings, but it always helps to have unique items that also work as talking points.
4. Get happy with full spectrum lighting
How to keep yourself pumped while prepping the home for others is another question. Seasonal affective disorder during these months can get the best of anyone, and apart from pumping the vitamin D into ourselves, there is something that will change your life and maybe even that of your guests when they see it on – the Verilux Happy Light. Not only does it provide full spectrum light that mimics natural daylight, but it helps people with the winter blues. Light therapy has been undoubtedly beneficial as it has been used for decades – so we shouldn’t forget the importance of natural daylight.
Honourable Mention: Wow your guests (and avoid overnight mishaps) by installing the Biobidet A8 Serenity on your toilet. It adds a beautiful glow of blue, lighting up the bathroom in the most compelling way. Nobody has walked by my washroom without doing a double-take. Also, there’s a built-in seat heater for your frosty winter bottom!
