How to Light Your Home Like a Norwegian — The People Who Know Short Winter Days Best

It may only be October, but I'm already planning for winter. No, I don't mean buying Christmas presents; I'm talking about how I'm going to be tackling those long, dark days ahead. Every year it creeps up on me, and then suddenly I'm waking up to pitch-black skies, and leaving the office to them too. It's easy for these limited sunlight hours to get to your head, which is exactly why this year, I'm turning to the experts for some advice.

Living in the UK, it's hard to imagine our winters being much darker than they already are, but compared to the folks over in Norway, we've got it positively easy. In December, Norway can expect a maximum of 6 hours of daylight per day, dropping to zero in its most northern points, where winter pretty much entails months of complete darkness. So, it's safe to say they know a thing or two about planning a lighting scheme for dark days.

For Norwegian designer Gudbjørg Simonsen, every aspect of her design is informed by her country's climate. With such dramatic shifts from season to season, every home Gudbjørg designs needs to be as prepared for a bright summer as for the dark months of winter. "I don’t think we can design homes as though light remains constant throughout the year. Nor do I think the answer is to fight the darkness," she explains. "We have to design with it. A home should be allowed to change character with the seasons, and light, shadow, color and materials will all be experienced differently throughout the year."

Once you know the right techniques, these dark months don't need to be approached with fear and apprehension. In fact, Gudbjørg says, "In many ways, darkness makes us more aware of light."

Gudbjørg Simonsen

Based in Stavenger, Gudbjørg's approach to design is informed by both the environment surrounding the home, and the person living within it. Every project she embarks on begins with a careful consideration of how this space can reflect and support the lifestyle of her client. This holistic design style is coupled with her love for traditional Norwegian architecture, something she honours in her designs. The climate and geography of her country is also integral to her designs - as she says: "Light and the changing seasons become part of the atmosphere."

Why Home Lighting Is So Important In The Winter Months

"Lighting is absolutely essential," argues Gudbjørg. But light, to her, is a multifaceted thing: "There is light that allows us to see, and there is light that makes us feel. I am interested in both, but especially in the latter."

Understanding how lighting can affect your mood is the foundation of designing a space that supports you through those cold, dark days. Just a little bit of light can completely shift your whole mindset. "On a dark Nordic winter evening, seeing a warmly lit window from a distance can give an immediate sense of warmth and human presence," she says. It's not just about how your brain reacts to light, though; it's about what the light signifies, too. "It says: someone is home. I think there is something very deeply rooted in us Norwegians about that."

This approach goes far beyond a purely functional understanding of lighting. It's about what lighting means, and how it makes you feel in your space. "Good lighting is therefore not simply about making a room brighter. It creates intimacy, depth, contrast and atmosphere. For me, the best light is the kind that makes a room feel inhabited, warm and welcoming — almost as though the light itself is saying: come in."

1. Play With Variation

You may think you want your room to be evenly lit, with a smooth wash of light coating the entirety of your space. But according to Gudbjørg, this is exactly where so many rooms get it wrong.

"Variation is very important to me," she says, stating, "I don’t want a room to be evenly illuminated."

We've been taught to watch for dark corners and make sure every little nook and cranny of your home is equally illuminated. But, in reality, this can make your space feel flat.

Instead, look towards how light acts in nature, and try to replicate that within your space. "Nature never gives us completely uniform light; it gives us brighter areas, soft transitions, and shadow. I want to bring some of that same variation indoors."

So instead of frantically searching for ways to brighten dark corners, try embracing them instead, allowing your home to benefit from the same variation in light that you'd find in the outside world.

2. Layer, Layer, Layer

If there's one thing any lighting designer will tell you, it's the importance of layered lighting, and this only becomes more integral when lighting for winter.

At the core of this approach is the understanding that different lighting fulfils different needs. First, you'll want to think about your functional, task lighting. As Gudbjørg explains, "Technical lighting should solve the practical needs of the room while remaining as discreet as possible. It might provide precise light over a work surface, guide us through a space, or draw attention to a piece of art. Here I prefer concealed or integrated fittings, so that you experience the light rather than necessarily seeing its source."

Then, you can begin to think about the more decorative, accent lighting. These are the things that build warmth and character in your space. "Pendants, wall lights and floor lamps can be visible and become part of the architecture and the interior itself. They add character, create focal points, and make the light part of the expression of the room."

For the best results, you'll want to use a blend of both. "In some places we need precise, functional light; in others, perhaps only a soft glow in a corner or across a wall."

3. Think About Your Materials

"Materials are very important," Gudbjørg tells me. This doesn't only pertain to the purely aesthetic qualities of the material and what kind of mood and atmosphere they will bring to your home, but also to how they respond to light. Different materials can work to either intensify or dim any existing light, so in homes where you want to maximize the light, you'll want to think carefully about your materials of choice.

"I am drawn to natural materials because they reflect, absorb, and transform light in such a living way," says Gudbjørg. For example, "Wood can appear pale and almost cool in clear morning light, then become much warmer and deeper later in the day. Natural stone may seem quiet in even light, then suddenly reveal its veining, texture and lustre when light strikes it from the side."

This is just as true when it comes to your soft furnishings as well. More tactile finishes, like wool or linen, will receive light in a softer, more diffused way, bringing more depth to your room, even when the light levels are low. Even limewashed walls can help create a greater sense of warmth and light in your space. The tactile, textured nature of these materials and finishes allows the space to shift throughout the day, responding to the available light.

"It is precisely these changes that I love," says Gudbjørg, "I don’t want a material to look exactly the same throughout the day or throughout the year. A living interior should be allowed to change with the light."

4. Adjustability is Key

Another lighting tip that's useful year-round, but will really become transformative in the winter months, is the importance of an adjustable lighting scheme. So, if you've found yourself questioning whether dimmer switches are worth it, the answer is always yes.

As Gudbjørg explains, "The ability to dim the lighting and create different lighting scenes is important, so that a room can respond to the season, the time of day, and the situation — whether we need energy and activity, or calm and stillness."

This becomes especially important in dual-purpose rooms, like a living room-dining room combo, where you'll need the atmosphere to shift depending on what you're using it for. It's also ideal for dark evenings, when soft, warmly lit spaces help add some coziness to your life.

5. Call On Curtains

"Curtains are also important," shares Gudbjørg. We can often overthink our window treatments, especially in colder, darker climates, but oftentimes, the simplest approach is the best one.

It may seem counterintuitive to block the light, but in reality, they can actually make your space feel more considered.

"They do not create more daylight, of course, but they can make a room feel far softer and warmer when natural light is limited," Gudbjørg explains.

However, this is not to say that every window in your home should be covered up — you'll want to consider where a curtain will add, and where it will detract. As she explains, "At the same time, they should be planned so that they do not unnecessarily take away the daylight that is available."

The shorter, darker days can take some adjusting to, but with the right tricks, they don't have to feel quite so unbearable. We have plenty of ideas for coping with the lack of sunlight, including helpful tips on how to wake up when it's still dark outside.

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