iDesign Lab
Welcome to the iDesign Lab a Podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design hosted by Tiffany Woolley an Interior Designer, a style enthusiast along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott. A place where they explore the rich and vibrant world of interior design and it’s constant evolution in style. iDesign Lab is your ultimate Interior design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and it’s constant evolution in style and trends. iDesign lab provides industry insight, discussing the latest trends, styles and everything in between to better help you style your life through advice from trend setters, designers, influences, fabricators and manufacturers as well as personal stories that inspire, motivate and excite. Join us on this elevated, informative and lively journey into the world of all things Design. For more information about iDesign Lab and Tiffany & Scott Woolley visit the website at www.twinteriors.com/podcast.
iDesign Lab
Dimmers, Kelvins, and Mood: Why Your Home Lighting Matters
Discover the transformative power of proper lighting as we illuminate one of interior design's most overlooked yet impactful elements. Have you ever wondered why some spaces feel instantly inviting while others leave you feeling on edge? The secret might be hanging right above your head.
We dive deep into the science of light temperature, revealing why professionals focus on Kelvins rather than watts. That harsh, headache-inducing light in your office? It's likely around 5,000 Kelvins – a clinical brightness that belongs in hospitals, not homes. For your living spaces, we recommend the warm, flattering glow of 2,700-3,000 Kelvins that instantly creates a cozy atmosphere. This seemingly small detail can dramatically transform how you feel in your space without changing a single piece of furniture.
Beyond temperature, we explore the game-changing versatility of dimmers, the energy-efficient benefits of LED technology, and the revolutionary freedom of cordless lighting solutions. From creating consistent ambiance throughout your home to strategically placing lights for architectural interest, each tip helps you craft spaces that not only look beautiful but feel incredible to live in. We challenge traditional fixture placement rules and encourage creative approaches to layered lighting that express your personal style.
Whether you're renovating, redecorating, or simply wanting to enhance your existing space, these practical lighting insights will elevate your home's design while positively affecting your mood and wellbeing. Take control of your environment by understanding how proper lighting sets the tone for everything that happens within your walls. Ready to see your home in a whole new light?
Learn more at:
https://twinteriors.com/podcast/
https://scottwoolley.com
This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and curiosity meet style and design. Curator of interiors, furnishings and lifestyles. Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, an interior designer and a style enthusiast, along with her serial entrepreneur husband Scott, idesign Lab is your ultimate design podcast where we explore the rich and vibrant world of design and its constant evolution in style and trends. Idesign Lab provides industry insight, discussing the latest trends, styles and everything in between to better help you style your life, through advice from trendsetters, designers, influencers, innovators, fabricators and manufacturers, as well as personal stories that inspire, motivate and excite. And join us on this elevated, informative and lively journey into the world of all things design.
Tiffany Woolley:Welcome to our little iDesign tidbit for today we're going to discuss lighting and how important lighting is, not only aesthetically but in temperature, and where things vary and differ for lighting lighting and residential right mainly residential.
Tiffany Woolley:Residential, yeah, because lighting sets the mood lighting sets the mood lighting and you can actually play with lighting. And nowadays there's so much um really cool opportunity with rechargeable lighting and lamps and all these cute little push-button lamps that I can't remember their name right now, it's one of the things that most people don't think about or forget about, especially in designing and decorating a home.
Scott Woolley:home is, you know, they redecorate a home, but don't put it into the thought of the how and what.
Tiffany Woolley:the temperature of the lighting is going to be in your home right and making sure that your temperature is, you know, cohesive throughout so you don't have, you know, bright white in one area and right.
Scott Woolley:So a lot of people are going out and they're putting in high hats in their home, or they're putting new lamps in their house, or sconces or chandeliers.
Scott Woolley:But not thinking about what's the type of light bulb you're using in that, and most people think about it, I think from a standpoint that I relate to is at work. Relate to is at work In a work environment. Most of the time the lights are very bright and a lot of people will complain that the lights are so bright. I'm getting a headache and that's probably because they're at a light temperature of probably 5,000 or maybe even a little bit more, which gives you that really bright hospital feeling in a room and you don't want that in your home.
Scott Woolley:Correct.
Tiffany Woolley:And when you have clients that are buying a house, purchasing and then moving in a lot of time you have mixed moshed of lighting. You have different temperature, high hats, and then we're putting in beautiful atmosphere lighting and ambient lighting and it's you want the lighting in a room to be all the same. We tend to like 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvins.
Scott Woolley:Which is something that if you walked into Home Depot or walked into a lighting store, you're not really asking them for. Can I get a 3,000 Kelvin light bulb? Most people are used to asking for 100 watt or 60 watt or 40 watt, and as you go down in watts the temperature of that bulb is less. The 2,700 to 3,000 Kelvin is really a nice soft light that sets a mood for a room. One of the other things pertaining to lighting is using a switch or using a dimmer.
Tiffany Woolley:All things should have dimmers. In my opinion, it definitely is a little more pricey to do that and even if you have to switch them out yourself over time or, you know, hire somebody to do it you definitely want to have dimmers Because that's you know, and people also walk into a room and think A certain temperature might make things dark, but it's not the case. You definitely want to be able to bring the light up or down at different times of the day, even when it's like doing makeup and you're doing your makeup to go out in the evening. You definitely want to bring your temperature down in the lighting so that you can match the temperature.
Scott Woolley:Or even watching TV or watching a movie, creating the mood you want to set the mood for.
Tiffany Woolley:Lighting.
Scott Woolley:In the lighting that you have in your house.
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, and like, when you're cooking you raise your temperature, but then when you know you're done cooking and you're sitting having dinner, you can lower the temperature in the kitchen. So it really does set a tone and it's really important for people to take notice and really, you know, take a collection of what they have in the house that they're working with. And if it's, you know, wanting to set a better mood and vibe in your residence, you really should start with lighting.
Scott Woolley:It actually affects you mentally and how you feel and how you look at things from the standpoint of how the lighting is in your home and having a 27 to 3000 Kelvin, which is a soft light, which is what most people you know. Soft light, daylight, bright light are the three main terms you'll find Like, as I mentioned, going to a Home Depot or a store like that, buying light bulbs. But the soft light is what's beautiful and nice in a home and, as what Tiffany just said, having a consistency of the same type of bulbs in a room especially is very important. It's very important and also throughout the house, typically your kitchen or the bathroom, you might want it a little bit brighter.
Tiffany Woolley:Brighter, but the same temperature.
Scott Woolley:Right, but the rest of the house you want a little bit softer.
Tiffany Woolley:Yes, and, like Scott just mentioned, about keeping that consistency. But I really think the important part is adding in these rheostat dimmers so that you can go up in brightness but your temperature stays the same, so you're not losing any light when you want it, and I personally am a big lamp light.
Scott Woolley:you know You're big in sconces and pendants Mood lighting.
Tiffany Woolley:So anywhere and everywhere that you can, you know, add the light and it doesn't need to be in you know, your traditional placement either. They can be juxtaposed. You can do two on one side of a light, of a you know sink vanity. You don't need to stay in these traditional builder special placements, professional builder special placements. You definitely can challenge yourself and update and, you know, juxtapose lighting in some very interesting ways that they take on a more architectural detailing and bring light.
Scott Woolley:Right. And then today, leds are the bulb of choice because of the fact that they don't they're not releasing heat which is helping with the air conditioning in your home.
Tiffany Woolley:Right, they don't have to be as big of units either. They're much more compact.
Scott Woolley:Well, the old incandescent are kind of being phased out and halogen, which are very, very hot bulbs, are being phased out. So if you're looking to change or get the lighting in your home right, you should really be looking at. Leds that are in that 2700 to 3000 Kelvin.
Tiffany Woolley:And a lot of them. Now you can change the range on on site.
Scott Woolley:Well, hi-hats.
Tiffany Woolley:Right.
Scott Woolley:All the new hi-hats that are being sold.
Tiffany Woolley:You can make that adjustment on the hi-hat as they're being installed.
Scott Woolley:Yeah, so lighting is a very, very important part of design and aesthetic within a home, so keep it in the back of your mind when you're redecorating or decorating, add the lamps everywhere. Add them on the nightstand, add them on the desk, add them on the dresser and another really cool thing, which Tiffany mentioned, is the amount of desk lamps and just lanterns and lights that are cordless, that are basically battery-powered lithium battery-powered built into it.
Tiffany Woolley:You do have to recharge them, but it's a great alternative to people who are living in high-rises and have cement ceilings that you're worrying about, or even older, historical-style houses that have plaster ceilings.
Scott Woolley:The place that we've seen these where most people have seen these are restaurants. A lot of restaurants now have them, but now all the lighting companies have come out with all different, outrageous, unique styles.
Tiffany Woolley:Putting them on a bookshelf, using them on a cocktail table as atmosphere lighting again or ambient lighting, and you know, next to your little sink in the kitchen, put them in a powder room Like they just create great little mood lighting. We love to use them when we're entertaining on the patio and by the bar, so they're just great little extra.
Scott Woolley:So think about lighting to light up your life.
Tiffany Woolley:I like that.
Voice Over:That's our iDesign Lab tip today iDesign Lab's podcast is an SW Group production in association with the 5 Star and TW Interiors. To learn more about iDesign Lab or TW Interiors, please visit twinteriorscom.
