Gen Z and designers show disdain toward ceiling lighting due to its inefficiency, harsh illumination, and outdated aesthetic.
Trim the tension between the average TikTok populace and the well-heeled world of interior designers frequently collide when the subject of overhead lights, fondly referred to as #thebiglight, arises. Despite their differences, there’s a common ground: Both camps think this lighting catastrophe is a no-go. A scroll through "the big light" on TikTok will uncover a horde of Gen Z creators scolding the guilty fixtures, claiming they’re a blast to the senses, cold and sterile, even ugly. While all this may sound like an overreaction, many interior designers concur that overhead lighting can be a pain in the butt when it comes to creating that warm, cozy atmosphere we all hunger for our homes.
Here's a lowdown on the battle of the big light and some nifty suggestions for capturing the perfect lighting vibe in your home.
6 Lighting Mistakes That'll Wreck Your Home Vibe-and How to Fix Them
The debate about overhead lighting is rarely black and white. Aesthetics in design are mainly subjective, but lighting design weighs emotional impact as well.
"I appreciate the younger generation's focus on mental health," says interior designer Galey Alix of Galey Alix Design. "It's nothing surprising they've taken note of something designers have always known: lighting influences your emotions." Alix champions the darkness, advocating against flipping the big light switch after sunset. "In the evening, most of us are trying to unwind and let our cortisol levels recalibrate from the day's chaos," she explains. "If someone turns on my recessed ceiling lights at full brightness past 7 pm, it feels like a full-on assault on my nervous system."
The big light has its time and place, and even some admirers, such as designer and content creator Fariha Nasir, who suggests the disagreement leans more toward cultural biases than anything. "I'm from Pakistan, where we have enormous white tubelights on the ceiling in addition to other light sources, so turning on 'the big light' is a given—it's ingrained in us," she explains. "When I moved to the US, every home seemed dark. However picturesque and soothing soft ambient light sources seem, for meals and awake evening hours, we always have the big light on."
Jourdan Fairchild, an interior designer in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, agrees that overhead lighting is useful in certain situations. "The big light is perfect for game nights," she says. "It also adds a bit of pizzazz to the ceiling."
In conclusion, the overhead light debate doesn't call for an all-or-nothing stance. You can mix things up as you see fit.
Alternatives to Overhead Lighting
Here are five designer-approved strategies for evoking ambiance, fostering coziness, and taming your nerves by ditching the big light.
Go Dimmer
Every designer on board for this piece concurred on one point: "If you have overhead lighting, it must be on a dimmer, no question," says designer and stylist Emily Henderson. Dimmability allows you to tweak your hardwired fixtures (including recessed lights, ceiling fans, and chandeliers) for brighter work hours while softening them for relaxation. Take it from Alix, who insists that warmer light bulbs, combined with a dimming switch, takes the game to a whole new level: "It transforms your home into a warm, cozy haven that effectively soothes your nerves."
Keep Lighting Below Eye Level
With a few exceptions (shaded chandeliers and decorative pendant lamps), design content creator Deema Tabbara Lopez loathes ceiling fixtures. "They drive me up the wall," she says. "I'm at my happiest when the light is coming from eye level." Remember, lower lighting often signifies intimate settings, though take care when setting up task lighting (like a reading nook) to ensure the light source is a bit above eye level to prevent glare and eye strain.
Layer Your Lighting
When a designer discusses layered lighting, they mean incorporating light into a room from various sources, such as table lamps, floor lamps, and wall sconces. (Sconces are a favorite tool of Thea Bloch-Neal, founder and lead designer at Curated by Thea.) "With the proliferation of rechargeable LED options that don't necessitate constructing new wiring, you can add plug-in lights to the outlets in areas such as hallways and stairwells,erve for abundant, functional illumination without spraying your passage with harsh overhead rays," recommends Alix.
Keep Stackin' The Lamps
Tabbara Lopez's preferred tactic involves a Nancy Meyers-inspired bravado—a veritable amphitheater of lamps. "I have poor eyesight and prefer my home lighting to be bright, but I don't appreciate the gloom," she jestingly admits. "What's the compromise? Both? A lit yet unobtrusive space? I currently have three lamps in my living room, and it's still not enough. I have lamps on my kitchen counter, in the bathroom—everywhere."
Plug-In Lamps for Traffic Spots
There are some spaces in the home where overhead lights seem inevitable for navigation, such as hallways and stairwells. However, Alix suggests another alternative for orchestrating functional illumination without deploying glaring high-hats: "Employ soft white plug-in lights in the outlets where you'd typically turn on high-hats to light your path. Plug-in lights put light closer to the ground and provide a delicate, soothing atmosphere in the evening without denting your wallet for running new electrical in the walls for sconces." You can even find options that activate automatically when the sun goes down or when you're in close proximity, making them even more convenient, Alix adds.
- Interior designer Galey Alix, from Galey Alix Design, appreciates the younger generation's focus on mental health and acknowledges that lighting influences emotions.
- Alix champions the darkness and advocates against flipping the big light switch after sunset, explaining that it can be a full-on assault on the nervous system.
- Fariha Nasir, a designer and content creator, suggests that the debate over overhead lighting may lean more toward cultural biases than anything.
- Jourdan Fairchild, an interior designer in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, agrees that overhead lighting is useful in certain situations, such as game nights and adding a bit of pizzazz to the ceiling.
- Emily Henderson, a designer and stylist, concurs that if you have overhead lighting, it must be on a dimmer, no question.
- Deema Tabbara Lopez, a design content creator, loathes ceiling fixtures and prefers light coming from eye level.
- Thea Bloch-Neal, founder and lead designer at Curated by Thea, favors wall sconces as a tool for layered lighting.
- Alix suggests utilizing soft white plug-in lights in outlets to orchestrate functional illumination without deploying glaring high-hats.
- In the realm of personal growth, embracing the art of layered lighting in your home can foster coziness and provide emotional benefits.
- Social media platforms like TikTok can serve as a platform for learning about alternative lighting techniques to create a warm, cozy atmosphere in your home, contributing to the larger discussion on pop-culture and lifestyle trends.
