Looking For Good Mood Lighting For My Apartment

May 24, 2019 12:26 PM

I am looking to create a nice serene environment at home. Aside from fairy lights, what are my options for mood lighting....

I am looking for ideas on soft lighting for my apartment. I love the light that a Christmas tree gives off. I am looking for a way to achieve this year round. I am middle aged, and concerned that fairy lights may look juvenile. I like the way that they look lit, but I'm also not crazy about the way that the wires look when they aren't lit.

I prefer a minimal, modern decor....

I like the design of the Casper Glow
https://assets.pcmag.com/media/images/542442-casper-glow.jpg?width=810&height=456

Someone recommended Muji
https://www.muji.com/img/relax/bnr_bg_light_en.jpg
but all I see that they offer are infusers...

I want a nice glow at night so that I can unwind and read and meditate

I have also thought about putting lights behind the couch. I'm not sure why some lights "glow" and others are stark

I am open to all ideas - fairy, Christmas lights or other...

Thank you

posted by kbbbo to Home & Garden (15 answers total)

Are you open to salt lamps? Truly the ultimate soft glow. Too dim to read by, but they lend a lovely ambience if they’re not too hippie dippy for you.
posted by elke_wood at 12:32 PM on May 24, 2019 [3 favorites]

I think fairy lights on copper wire look classy. I have a bunch in my house and everyone says how nice they look
posted by ananci at 12:41 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

Here's an excellent read about which types of bulbs create more warmth than others, and here's a good if brief breakdown of the types of lighting a room needs and how to achieve that (more here). You can also install dimmer switches on overhead fixtures and even lamps if you already have sufficient lighting but just want it more ambient. I really like the idea of putting lights behind the couch, too!
posted by stellaluna at 12:43 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

Paper lamp shades (especially in the natural rice paper, like from Japan) are great for this.

I also have quite a few sets of lights hanging in my house, which I change out seasonally. Having a charming style for the set, and keeping an eye of how the wires either hide against trim or interact with the decor makes them look intentional instead of juvenile to me.
posted by past unusual at 12:44 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

Paper shades are cozy too (IKEA has some, like this), or there are classic Isamu Noguchi lamps, etc.
posted by pinochiette at 12:46 PM on May 24, 2019 [2 favorites]

I have a bunch of Philips Hue light bulbs and a light strip and they are fabulous. Until I received some as a gift I thought they were sort of silly and overpriced but now I can’t imagine life without them! The full color bulbs are great for setting a sexy mood (pink, low lighting = so flattering, not harsh, intimate) or for winding down in the evening (you can program them to basically mimic a sunset) or watching a movie (we favor deep blue light for this). Bonus: you’re not stuck with any one lamp as the bulbs fit in essentially any fixture. They’re a lot more grown up than fairy lights but also a LOT of fun to experiment with, as the Hue app gives light “recipes” for different moods so if you have a couple bulbs in one room you can set each to a different color to achieve what you want.
posted by the thorn bushes have roses at 12:46 PM on May 24, 2019 [6 favorites]

I too have mod/min sensibilities. What I do is have three 40W lamps in my front/main room, each in a corner (more or less). One is on all the time (thanks LEDs!) and the other two are on a switch. I just leave the two off if I want a more subdued environment, while at the same time having all three on isn't insanely bright.
posted by rhizome at 12:53 PM on May 24, 2019

I have a lamp almost exactly like this that I got from a home goods store many years ago. It might not fit with “modern, minimal” but turning it on when I get home never fails to make me feel cozily happy.
posted by tan_coul at 1:53 PM on May 24, 2019

Thirsting Hue bulbs. I thought I’d get sick of the color feature after about a week, but nope. It’s great. And you can create your own color schemes, too.
posted by Autumnheart at 4:29 PM on May 24, 2019 [1 favorite]

The ikea nymo lamp with a clear bulb achieves that Christmas tree feel. This is what mine looks like.
posted by geegollygosh at 5:36 PM on May 24, 2019 [5 favorites]

Personally, I use LIFX bulbs for this because they have a wider color gamut and have a somewhat higher maximum brightness than the Hue bulbs, but Hue is good too.
posted by wierdo at 9:52 PM on May 24, 2019

I've always had a handful of strategically-placed Ikea Grono lamps around for that glowy feel. They come in a few different colours other than frosted white so you can use them to create a sort-of-custom colour palette that's like a poor-man's Phillips Hue and Colour setup.
posted by blerghamot at 8:21 AM on May 25, 2019

i have one of these here and it is wonderful.
posted by Pastor of Muppets at 8:05 PM on May 25, 2019

Simple uplights from Lowes and the like. They're super cheap. Put low power bulbs in them and put them in corners or behind furniture.
posted by bongo_x at 1:55 PM on May 26, 2019

I had a salt lamp foisted upon me despite my protestations. I left it in a corner for over a year, and then plugged it in on a whim about a week ago. I haven't turned it off since. The health benefits remain dubious at best, but they can't be beat for ambience.
posted by brook horse at 8:20 PM on May 26, 2019