Decorating with lighting can transform your space. It creates ambiance, highlights features, and enhances the overall aesthetic of your home. We spoke to Danish lighting designer and co-founder of Nuura, Sofie Refer on how to bring light into your life and decorate with lighting.

Brand images courtesy of Nuura and Hübsch

Sofie Refer’s approach to lighting is deeply rooted in her belief that lighting enhances space, but also enriches the lives of those within it.

‘Lighting is so powerful—it can be bad, but it can also transform a room. Even with simple furniture, wonderful lighting can turn it all around and create a beautiful atmosphere.’

Her fascination with chandeliers and their impact on her led her to a career in lighting. ‘It felt very natural for me to work with light. When I walked into a room with a beautiful chandelier, I would feel happy—it’s almost like getting a glass of champagne,’ she recalls. This passion guided her career, and she emphasises the importance of thoughtful lighting design, stating, ‘You can have five lights in a room, just not five different types. It’s all about having the right shade, bulb, and light source for the specific situation.’

2. Use Dimmers to Set the Mood

Installing dimmer switches allows you to adjust the brightness of your lights, making it easy to set the perfect mood. Sofie emphasizes that dimmers are particularly useful in multi-functional spaces, where lighting needs to adapt to different activities throughout the day.

3. Focus on Functionality in Key Areas

Lighting should meet the specific needs of each space. Sofie advises using bright, focused lighting in functional areas like the kitchen. In contrast, softer, ambient lighting works best in more relaxed spaces like bedrooms.

4. Mix Lighting Styles for Interest

Sofie encourages mixing different lighting styles to add visual interest to a room. However, she warns against overdoing it: ‘Too many contrasting designs can create visual confusion so keep lighting to a similar design to create flow in a room.’

5. Consider Scale and Proportion

The size of your lighting fixtures should be proportional to the room. Sofie recommends considering the room in three layers: ceiling, middle, and floor. This approach ensures balanced lighting throughout the space.

6. Use Colour Temperature Wisely

Sofie highlights the importance of selecting the right color temperature for your lighting. She suggests using warm white light for cozy areas and cool white light for spaces where clarity is important. Additionally, she stresses the importance of a high Color Rendering Index (CRI) to ensure accurate color representation, which she believes is essential for enhancing the quality of life.

7. Add Decorative Lamps for Function and Style

Table and floor lamps serve both functional and decorative purposes. Sofie’s collections often include various types of lamps that can be used throughout your home, creating a cohesive and calming environment.

8. Incorporate Outdoor Lighting to Extend Your Design

Extend your lighting design to outdoor spaces. Sofie believes that repeating certain lighting elements outdoors creates harmony and a seamless connection between your interior and exterior spaces.

9. Experiment with Smart Lighting for Customisation

Smart lighting systems allow you to customise your lighting to fit any occasion. Sofie values this flexibility, noting the transformative power of well-designed lighting in any setting.