Each week, Mansion Global tackles a topic with an elite group of designers from around the world who work on luxury properties. This week, we look at how to channel calm with thoughtful lighting.

Setting the tone to your space truly starts with lighting. The color, the temperature, the intensity—all of it contributes to the look and feel of a room. And today’s options for illumination are so much more than one note. They can create a mood for every moment of the day. 

“Light isn’t only something we see; it’s something we feel,” said Cecilia Ramos, Lutron Electronics senior director. “We can create a sense of well-being with lighting when we create a connection to the natural rise and fall of the sun. In the evening, we feel more relaxed with a warm amber tone dimmed down to a lower light level as the sun sets.”

To encourage soothing vibes from day to night, we asked the design pros for their bright ideas. 

More: Painting With Pastels: Using Soft Colors to Create Soothing Spaces

“The best lighting solutions today have the capability to mimic gradual transitions in color temperature and intensity, like that of the sun. The ability to set lighting scenes for different times of day can help us feel energized or relaxed and make our environments look their best. Smart LED solutions like Ketra and Lutron lighting can produce that bright, crisp light of the midday sun and also that warm, amber glow of sunset—all from a single light source operated from a customized wall control or an app on your phone. 

“Layers of light create beautiful and dynamic spaces. Think about using a base layer of ambient light like downlights or wall coves to give a soft glow to the space. Opt for additional accent lighting such as adjustable downlights aimed at a coffee table or artwork for areas or objects you want to highlight. It’s also good to have a mix of architectural light—that which is embedded in the ceiling or walls alongside decorative lighting like chandeliers, wall sconces or floor lamps to create a visually dynamic space.

“Make sure your LED bulbs are compatible with the dimmer you select. Not all dimmers are compatible [with] LED bulbs. Most LED bulbs are not capable of changing color temperature to create both bright white and warm amber from one light source, so look for bulbs labeled ‘warm dim’.” 

— Cecilia Ramos, senior director of Lutron Electronics in New York

“Lighting is one of the key elements to evoke mood in a space. It’s important to layer lighting from different sources. In general, overhead lighting is too one note and bright to set a mood. Think of it more for function. For mood, use chandeliers, wall sconces and lamps. These give different levels and colors of light and when they all come together it creates an ambience. To create a relaxing mood, you’ll want a softer, dimmable lighting source, so it feels more like a candle and less like a bulb. 

“Lightbulbs come in all different shades, from blue light to warm yellow, which evokes a vintage feel. For me, a yellow Edison bulb captures the moody beauty of flame. The warmer the lighting color, the more romantic and relaxing a room can read. And dimmers are critical for creating a relaxing mood—since most light defaults to too strong a setting. 

“Scattering light throughout a room at different levels is the best way to maintain instant mood control of a space.”

— Amy Peltier of Amy Peltier Interiors based in Pasadena, California and Vienna, Virginia.

“Lighting is the visual equivalent of soft music. It can immediately slow your mind, help you relax and create a softened mood in a space.

“Rooms with south facing windows naturally avoid the harsh rays beating in—a great way to capture the softness of filtered daytime light for your resting spot. Nighttime brings the need for dimmers. One of the best ways to create a relaxing space with lighting is to turn off all overhead lighting and soften sconces and lamps with dimmers.  

“If you find your floor lamps or side table lamps aren’t dimming, it could be that your light bulb itself is not dimmable. Some bulbs just can’t be dimmed. Simply replace them with a dimmable bulb or warm bulb rather than the bright white option. 

“Chroma therapy (colored lights) in your shower or tub has beautiful effects both physically and mentally. It appeals to the olfactory part of the brain, which has an overall calming effect on the nervous system as a whole.”

— San Diego, California-based designer Tiffani Baumgart

“Filtered, ambient lighting creates a calm, relaxing atmosphere. It can be achieved with LED bulbs, which are energy efficient, last longer and emit comparable or better light quality than other types. You can use filament style bulbs, also called ‘squirrel cage’ bulbs in fixtures where the bulb is exposed and a more standard GLS shape elsewhere in your decorative lights. If the GLS shape is too large or shows where you don’t want it to, switch to a golf ball-shaped bulb, as long as the light fitting permits. In some cases, this shape of bulb can generate more heat. 

“Wattage is determined by the feel you would like to create with each light. In general, you will want to install high wattage bulbs in pendants and link them to a dimmer, so you have the flexibility to adjust the atmosphere in the room from day to evening. Forty-watt bulbs are usually suitable for table and floor lights, but you could opt for 25-watt if you prefer a soft, ambient glow. On the other hand, if you are using a floor light to help provide light to the rest of the room, you may want to boost the wattage to 60.  

“How lighting is positioned in a space depends upon the overall type and layout of the furniture included, as well as the atmosphere that you are aiming to create. The taller the furniture, the higher the lighting should be placed. The primary goal is to avoid overexposing the bulb, which yields an unsavory glare.”

— Charlie Bowles, director of Original BTC lighting in Oxfordshire, England

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