CREATING LIGHTING AMBIANCE FOR YOUR KITCHEN OR BATH REMODEL

Wellness Living Isn't Just About Eating & Exercising For Your Health (P6)...

Wellness living includes creating an environment that nurtures and stimulates restorative growth. There are patterns found in the natural environment that humans can mimic in the built environment to increase health and well being. This in turn can stimulate personal evolution if the conditions are right. Scientists have narrowed down the variety of biophilic patterns found in nature to 14. This article explores pattern six P6, Dynamic and Diffused Light. 

In the past, lighting research has been primarily focused on how it affects performance, mood and wellbeing rather than biophysical impacts. The former studies have been revealing in understanding how motivation and optimism are linked to quality daylight. To translate this into something tangible sales, workplace performance, and classroom performance are significantly higher with good daylighting. That said, performance is not the whole story, which has prompted further study into the biophysical effects of lighting.

In the quest to discover why performance is so significantly affected by daylight, we have discovered some amazing physical reactions that are just as important to one's well being as behavior and attitude. A concentrated effort on understanding how yellow (morning), blue (mid-day), and red (evening) light affect one's chemistry has revealed artificial techniques to improve problematic conditions that have plagued society. Thanks to increased use in computers and cell phones, we have conclusive data that links serotonin to blue light and melatonin to the exclusion of blue light. By balancing our exposure which then creates a balance between serotonin and melatonin, scientists can find solutions to sleep disorders, mood disorders, breast cancer and other health conditions. 

For those of us who would like to approach life from an empowered standpoint, taking personal health and wellbeing into one's own hands, understanding how lighting impacts mood and bodies is worth investing in. Read on to discover how different types of lighting and lighting disbursement, can improve your disposition and overall physical prosperity. 

Setting the mood for a change in attitude: The psychology behind lighting is multi-faceted. First, one needs to consider that when one enters a space, the brain is designed to search memories that relate to the space. With that in mind, when creating filtered light, do it in such a way that it conjures good memories. Dappled and filtered light can give a sense of sanctuary, coziness, intrigue and romance. What are your favorites and which do you prefer to experience?

Fractals: Have you found yourself drawn to repeating patterns that are exactly the same or similar but don't know why? Humans are hardwired for identifying repeating patterns in nature. They address the need for order in a complex world. You may see them in nature as leaves on trees, flower petals, or snow flakes. In the built environment it is easy to recreate them with lighting on a grand scale with little effort or investment. 

So why are fractals so important? It isn't just that they display organization amongst seeming chaos. Scientists have discovered that exposure to fractal patterns in nature reduce stress levels up to 60%.

The brain is designed with fractal complexity. Without a sufficient amount of fractal stimuli, one can experience degenerative conditions. One's vision, the way sight is processed, is set up on a fractal structure. When one is  visually introduced to complex stimuli, it keeps the neuro pathways healthy and flexible. 

Consider an area of your home where you might want to introduce a fixture that will cast a soothing pattern across your walls and ceiling. Not only is this type of lighting beautiful, it can actually begin to heal organizational deficits and degeneration of the cognitive functions. Consider placement carefully based on your lifestyle and any visual limitations you might have. For example, if you struggle with shadows making it difficult to detect transitions in floor levels and textures or counter heights, this type of lighting could make it even more challenging to see transitions. 

"Diffuse lighting on vertical and ceiling surfaces provides a calm backdrop to the visual scene. Accent lighting and other layering of light sources creates interest and depth, while task or personalized lighting provides localized flexibility in intensity and direction. These layers help create a pleasing visual environment (Clanton, 2014)."

LED & Chromotherapy: This is a great time to talk about LED lighting and chromotherapy. LED lighting will create the diffused light that was mentioned above. The applications are endless throughout the home for layering. The notion of chromotherapy has been around since Newton and then followed up by Einstein. The idea is that colors from the visible spectrum can galvanize a variety of healing strategies that coordinate with specific colors. With a rise in Wellness Living, a spotlight has been refocused on chromotherapy. LED lighting is a cost efficient and abundant option to include this in residential projects.

LED strips and recessed can lighting is an excellent way to create layers of diffused ambient light. Layers are important to create diversity keeping the eye and mind engaged. At the same time, unlike dynamic lighting which shifts and gives us a sense of time and place, ambient lighting gives any interior space a general illuminance. 

When layering, one can control zones of illuminance. Maybe one would want the overall lighting dimmed in a room but needs have a better view of pathways. Layers allow the room to be dimmed but LED strips under cabinets and baseboards can be kept brighter. 

Use chromotherapy where and when it makes sense for you. Understandably, the lighting can feel a bit disco but, there is quantifiable value to colors in a biophysical sense. For example, in studies done by Edwin Babbitt, red is a stimulant that could be used to treat paralysis, chronic rheumatism, and physical exhaustion. Conversely, blue and violet act as anti-inflammatories assisting in soothing sciatica, headaches, irritability and sunstroke to name a few. Yellow and orange also served significant purposes such as a laxative. 

Circadian Lighting: Along those same lines is diffused and dynamic lighting that is circadian based. A favorite "Go To" company is Healthe Lighting for the bulbs that are often times compatible with fixtures. If not, they have fixtures that are contemporary and transitional in appearance. 

Americans struggle greatly with sleep deprivation which results in a variety of physical and emotional conditions and adds an extra layer of unwanted stress. Circadian lighting helps trigger our body's natural sleep and waking cycles for better overall health. Some of the best applications are in recessed can lighting and strip lighting. That said, they also carry task lighting and portable lighting so you can take P6 with  you on the go. It should be noted that entire housing developments are being built with this lighting designed into the standard specs. Wellness Real Estate is on the rise. P6 adds to the value of your home. 

With so many opportunities available to us to live healthier, more well balanced lives, why wouldn't we include biophilic patterns in home improvement projects. Granted, there is a bit of education and skill involved with learning about them, how to layer them, which make the most sense for our lifestyle, and which products most effectively translate them. It isn't anything that can't be discovered with a bit of time and research. On the other hand, should the process become overwhelming, there are interior design specialists, like Lynn Wallace of Kitchens and Baths By Lynn, who know how to navigate those waters in style. Your living space will be functional, healthy and likely more beautiful than you imagined. 

PREVIOUS   |      NEXT