How couples can solve lighting disagreements for good

Think at-home lighting is no big deal? Think again.

For many couples, getting their lamps, overhead fixtures and task lighting adjusted to their liking is a bit like Goldilocks testing out the beds of the three bears. For some, lighting is too bright, for others its too soft.

Finding that just right light can be a struggle.

I’m a night owl, and I like dim, soft light in the evenings, says Jason Simms, a public relations specialist living in Connecticut.

His wife Jillian, however, is just the opposite.

[She] is often doing something that requires dexterity and the ability to see, Simms says of his wife of three years. She just generally prefers brighter light.

He adds with a touch of humor: We are making this work.

Dillon Johnston, a staffing specialist in New York, has had a similar experience with his wife but in the reverse.

He likes bright overhead lights while she likes things to be more toned down. The pair has been married for two years but have been together more than a decade plenty of time to hash out their lighting preferences.

She would say I like brighter lights because I am afraid of the dark. I maintain that I just prefer being able to see things clearly, Johnston says.

Johnston says that as their relationship has evolved over the past 11 years, their lighting preferences have remained consistent.

I have just given up on trying to win the argument and let her win, he says. Happy wife, happy life.

This division in lighting preferences is echoed by numerous couples across the country. As it turns out, the way we like to light our homes is kind of a big deal.

In a survey commissioned by Philips Lighting and executed by the independent research firm Vanson Bourne, an overwhelming 93 percent of participants said that at-home lighting is something they discuss with members of their household.

Most people (66 percent) think that relaxing in the bedroom is best enjoyed under a cozy, warm glow, while 55 percent think watching TV is also best under this light. On the flip side, most people found that activities like cooking and working are best done under energizing daylight.

But not everyone is on the same page.

In fact, more than half of consumers admit that theyve had disagreements over the lighting at home with other members of their family.

For some, the biggest challenge is when they have specific preferences about lighting that their partner just doesnt understand.

Social media editor Leslie Richin says that disagreements about lighting have been a major part of most of her relationships.

I need dim lighting to function, Richin says.

No one else I have lived with (including my fianc) shares the same interest in lighting. It is simply not something they have cared about, at all.

Lighting characteristics like dimming, brightness and color temperature were the primary reasons for the friction surrounding personal preferences.

Regular bulbs can make you feel stuck leading to the lighting disagreements like Johnston and Simms were talking about.

Heres a bright idea: Resolve to put all your lighting disagreements to rest this year, once and for all.

Philips SceneSwitch LED is a unique light bulb range designed to make multi-purpose homes work harder. Each bulb comes with three distinct light color settings, all captured within the same LED bulb. A simple flick of the wall switch is all it takes to move from one light to the next.

Rather than fretting in the light bulb aisle about which bulb will be best and which will satisfy all the people who live in your home this bulb provides options that will keep everyone happy. You can switch from soft white, daylight or to a cozy warm glow all within the same bulb.

Maybe the solution to all your lighting woes isnt such a big deal after all. In fact, it might be as easy as simply hitting the switch.

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