The three major rooms on the bottom floor of our house all have chandeliers in them. How classy, you say? How retro? How elegant?
How awful.
I hate these chandeliers. A lot. There are five light bulbs in each chandelier--the bulbs are those smallish ones that are supposed to look like candle flames or something, but actually do not in the least look like candle flames--and not one of these light bulbs has a cover over it. So we're talking five light bulbs blazing forth with no dimming whatsoever.
No lights hidden under bushels in this house, no sirree!
I can't really express to you how much this bothers me. I never, ever, ever turn the chandeliers on, instead opting to go around the rooms and turn on all the individual lamps. Cubby, however, tends to turn on the chandeliers for the simple reason that the switches are easily reachable by him. If I'm sitting on the couch and the chandeliers in the living room and adjacent library are on, that means two glaring light fixtures right in my eyes.
It kind of makes me crazy.
No one else in my house seems to be bothered by this, but then, bright lights are a particular issue I have. Along with loud noises. And repetitive noises. And scratchy fabrics. And strong scents. And . . . okay, yes, I am highly sensitive to physical stimuli. It's very annoying.
Anyway.
A. is the opposite about light. He rampages around rooms turning on every available fixture and switching out 60-watt bulbs for 100-watt bulbs all over the place. Yet another way in which we are so well matched.
But enough about us! Let's talk about you. Where are you on the light spectrum, my lovelies? Do you prefer to hide out in nicely dimmed, soothing rooms, or do you light your house as if it were an airport landing strip?
in winter, before the sun comes up, i turn on every light in the rooms i'm in as well as the adjoining rooms.
ReplyDeleteonce i leave he house to go play i turn them off and then until the sun goes down it's natural lighting and then maybe one lamp near where i'm working and then- MY FAVORITE!: bed.
You may have motivated me to get classy little shades and LEDs for those lights--which I have been thinking about doing for, well, years.
ReplyDeleteBright, bright, bright!! Mary in MN
ReplyDeleteOh, and don't forget about the wind you hate so much!
ReplyDeleteAirport landing strip, here!
Sandy Shoes in NC
I'm currently sitting in a dark living room typing this; the only light is from the computer screen and the light in the kitchen where the boyfriend is making dinner.
ReplyDeleteI don't really like super bright lights and I especially dislike light fixtures in which you can see the bulbs. Pet peeve.
Dark rooms, lights off, loud music (or TV). Which is the complete opposite of your sister...
ReplyDeleteIt's really cool to be able to learn something new about you through the blog.
ReplyDeleteAs you know, no problems with light during the day in this house. At night, the less the better.
I need enough light to read, and I prefer to leave the overhead lights off whenever possible. I'm frustrated with this neverending winter because I want to be outside in the natural light! Gah! But anyway, light enough to read, and that's it.
ReplyDeleteI'm afraid I am of the landing strip set! I think it has something to do with getting older and eyes need more light to see well.
ReplyDeleteJoanS
I'm afraid I am of the landing strip set! I think it has something to do with getting older and eyes need more light to see well.
ReplyDeleteJoanS
Holy shit. I didn't think that, of all the things you and I share in common, that lights would be one of them BUT OH. OH HOW I HATE UNNECESSARILY BRIGHTLY LIT ROOMS.
ReplyDeleteSeriously.
We go on vacation with friends every year and over the years they've come to call me Crazy Lights Lady.
I like rooms to be "specifically and appropriately lit".
Like, during the day time hours, there is no reason, in my mind, to have lights on. Open the damn blinds/curtains/move shit from the windows so that you can enjoy natural light.
At night, I only want lights on in the rooms that are in use and the lights in those rooms should be warm, comfortable and not in my damn eyeballs.
Light sets the mood for rooms, so I have different wattage in different rooms, different types of bulbs and so on.
I won't go into further detail, since I'm starting to feel just a wee self conscious of my Crazy Light issue, but yes. I'm with you.
I'd never turn on those chandeliers either. Until they were all put on dimmer switches so that I could have them at *just* the right levels.
I am SUPER sensitive to light - even how the light looks outside. There are certain days that the light outside just makes me feel...bad. And other days when the light is "perfect" (to me) I am totally energized and almost elated!
ReplyDeleteI've accepted this ridiculousness.
And inside? I fiddle for hours with lighting to get it just so. Even in my therapy practice, I have to have dimmed lamps spaced just so to my comfort level, otherwise I'm completely distracted during session.
Overhead lights, unless in the kitchen or bathrooms, are strictly off limits.
And don't even get me started on smells...