I’ve recently discovered that I’m a little bit Danish when it comes to my approach to decorating. Whenever I have to buy a new lightbulb for a lamp in my home, I spend a remarkably long time checking out every different option, looking for the exact right warm tone that can provide me with a sense of calm and peace of mind. In the end, I always choose a bulb not based on strength or wattage, but instead by trusting my eyes and my intuition.
The reason why I say I’m a little bit Danish? Because while reading The Little Book of Hygge, by Meik Wiking, I discovered that the Danes are also very particular when it comes to lighting—and they even have a very refined technique to using it in their homes. For the Danish, it’s something bordering on an obsession. All this stems from, according to Wiking, “the relative lack of contact with natural light from October to March”—that is, during the long, dark winters of northern Europe.
It’s little wonder that lighting is such an important concern when sunlight is elusive for so much of the year. Even in the apartments of students on tight budgets, you’ll find Danish design lamps that emit a soft, diffused light that’s more yellow than white. “The Danes select lamps carefully and place them strategically to create relaxing pools of light,” Wiking adds. “Lighting design here is an art form, a science, and an industry.”
Creating a hygge lighting scheme
Hygge light is warm, comfortable, and similar to that emitted by candles (a staple of hygge interiors). The golden rule to creating this sort of lighting is easy to remember: The lower the temperature of the light (as measured on the Kelvin scale), the better; or, to put it differently, the more hygge it is. Wiking says the optimal point is around 1800K, a light similar to that of a sunset or flames from a wood fire (in comparison, a fluorescent light is usually 5000K).
These ratings can be easily checked when buying light bulbs, and you’ll want to pay special attention when choosing bulbs for spaces intended for rest or relaxation. Regarding the shape of the lamps and their shades, those with pleats or overlapping shades are preferred by many Danish designers because they provide a more diffused light.
Lighting and mental health
Although followers of hygge have long been aware of the connection, those outside of Denmark are increasingly realizing that light can greatly impact our mood and overall mental health. For example, neurologists have long known that migraine sufferers are often especially sensitive to light and can experience worse headaches in environments with bright lights. All of this is related to the common recommendation—especially in areas of a home that are focused on rest—to choose warm lights (with light that is more red and yellow than blue). These warmer lights are often intended to recreate the effects of natural light.
During a recent talk by Xavier Carretero from Barcelona’s Regenera Clinic, he discussed how a sunset can relax us precisely because the light is warm, while a sunrise energizes us with its cooler, more blue light. “We should replicate what nature does in our own homes,” he said. “In addition to improving our emotional well-being, light can improve our performance and our periods of rest. Warm, soft lighting generates calm and relaxed feelings, while cool lighting favors activities such as studying or working as it stimulates energy.” This is precisely why exposure to blue lights is discouraged in parts of a home that are focused on rest, as bluer light increases cortisol, glucose, and insulin levels. As is so often the case, it turns out the Danes were one step ahead.
