The Best Type Of Lighting To Use In Your Home, According To HGTV's Erin Napier

As seen by her work on "Home Town," HGTV regular Erin Napier has a lot of design opinions. However, there's one thing the design pro cannot stand, and that's excessively bright light. Speaking in an interview with People, she shared, "I cannot stand bright lights in a house. I don't know why. I mean, there's a time and place for it. I am a light bulb snob. I cannot handle walking into a house and they've got 100-watt daylights everywhere... Save them for hospital use and operating rooms." Napier also went on to reveal her go-to light bulb — 40-watt and soft white. 

Though it's a strong opinion, the "Home Town" star isn't the only one who dislikes bright lighting. There are heaps of videos on TikTok denouncing overhead lighting, and the unfriendly atmosphere it creates in contrast to soft, warm lighting. There's even evidence that some types of light could be better for situations like working and relaxing. However, before you start replacing all of your fluorescent bulbs immediately, here's everything you should know about why certain types of light give off different vibes.

As mentioned, light can change the vibe of a room or activity, making it difficult to choose the perfect lighting for your space. It has been shown that warm lighting — sometimes referred to as soft light — is ideal for relaxing activities like reading or having a chill day on the sofa, whereas cooler light (or daylight) can improve your energy levels and increase your attention span. With these results in mind, it makes sense that Erin Napier prefers her home to feel inviting, hence her choice of 40-watt soft white bulbs. 

If you want your living space to feel relaxing and cozy, opt for warm bulbs. If you want to feel alert and energized while at home, then opt for cold and bright bulbs. Warm light is ideal for your bedroom and living spaces where you often unwind, whereas cooler light is best suited to your kitchen or study, both places where you might need to see more clearly. 

Aside from warm versus cool, there's also white versus yellow lighting. Warm light tends to be more yellowy, and sometimes that just doesn't fit the vibe of your home. However, you can still find soft white lighting, aka Erin Napier's go-to bulb shade. There is additionally a difference between wattage and lumens — a high wattage doesn't necessarily mean a bulb will be bright. This is determined by the lumens measurement instead. 

You want good lighting in your home, but not at the expense of feeling on edge rather than relaxed, which requires finding the right balance. Moreover, some lights go better with certain colors and decor schemes. If your home is decorated in cool gray, bright white, or blue tones, a daylight bulb will enhance these colors. On the other hand, warm-toned colors such as cream will look best under a warm bulb.