We all know that colour can affect our mood, but so can lighting. Choosing the appropriate lighting is key to creating the desired atmosphere, writes ANL marketing assitant Michelle Vandenberg.

The human brain translates light into stimulating messages for the nervous system; the more intense the light, the more messages are sent and the more active we feel. Lowering the intensity of the light will result in a calming effect, with less messages being sent. This explains why a sunny day makes us feel more energetic, while a cloudy, rainy day makes us feel tired and want to stay indoors.

Different light outputs are influenced by brightness, measured in lumens, and colour temperature, measured in kelvins (K). When the lumen output is low, the intensity of the light will be dimmer, but when the lumen output is high, the luminosity is increased. The lower the kelvin measurement, the ‘warmer’ the light output – producing yellow to red colours, and the higher the kelvin measurement, the ‘cooler’ the light output – producing blue to white colours.

Some standard colour temperatures are:

• 2700K or Golden
• 3000K or Warm White
• 4000K or Cool White
• 5000K or Natural White
• +6000K or Daylight

Studies have shown that in a working environment, lighting can influence the task performance, comfort and well-being of employees. If the lighting is too dark or too bright, staff mood, attention and performance can be negatively affected. Workers are able to focus for a greater period of time (up to 8 hours), in areas with optimal lighting conditions.

Natural daylight is generally preferred over electric light, so creating an environment with similar lighting, could produce the best results.

Various applications require different atmospheres. Setting the lighting for a restaurant, would not commonly consist of many brightly lit fittings. Feature lights, wall lights and downlights with a softer, warmer feel would be selected. However, in an office building, brighter lights with a more daylight feel would be chosen. Similarly, when producing movies, lighting sets the mood and tone of each scene; creating the right ambience is important when trying to capture the desired response from the audience.

So when you are looking to upgrade your lighting or start with a fresh look, these factors are worth considering. These tips can also be applied to the home, for studies, bedrooms and kitchens etc.