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A Livingetc report features Norwegian designer Gudbjørg Simonsen’s advice for lighting homes during dark winters. Her approach favors varied, layered light and seasonal design over making every corner uniformly bright.
Livingetc has published advice from Norwegian designer Gudbjørg Simonsen on lighting homes through short winter days, recommending varied, layered lighting rather than an even wash of brightness. The report draws on her experience designing for Norway’s seasonal shifts, where winter daylight can be limited and conditions vary sharply by location.
Simonsen says a home should be designed for changing light throughout the year, not treated as if daylight stays constant. In her view, the goal is not to eliminate darkness but to work with it: light, shadow, color and materials can all feel different as the seasons change. Her design work considers both the surroundings and the routines of the people who live in a home.
One practical recommendation is to avoid trying to make every part of a room equally bright. Simonsen argues that variation creates depth, pointing to nature’s brighter areas, soft transitions and shadows as a model. A room with contrasts can feel less flat than one lit uniformly, she says.
The report also recommends layering lighting according to purpose. Simonsen describes technical lighting as serving practical needs, such as illuminating a work surface, guiding movement or drawing attention to art. She prefers fittings that can be concealed or integrated when possible, so the effect of the light takes precedence over the fixture itself. The supplied report excerpt ends during this discussion and does not provide the full set of recommendations.
Designing for Winter’s Changing Light
For readers planning winter lighting, Simonsen’s advice shifts the aim from simply increasing brightness to shaping how a room functions and feels. Task lighting can support activities, while softer or more focused sources can add contrast and atmosphere. Her suggestions are design guidance, not evidence that a particular lighting setup improves health or mood.
The approach also offers a way to make lighting more responsive to how people use their homes. Rather than installing one solution for every hour and season, residents can use separate sources for work, movement and relaxation. The report’s broader point is that lighting affects both visibility and atmosphere, although individual preferences and rooms differ.
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Norway’s Seasonal Design Challenge
The Livingetc article says Norway can have a maximum of six hours of daylight per day in December, while its northernmost areas can experience periods with no daylight. Those conditions are not the same across the country, and the article does not give a location-by-location breakdown. The contrast helps explain why seasonal light is a recurring consideration in Simonsen’s design practice.
Simonsen is based in Stavanger, according to the report. She says her work is informed by the environment around a home, the needs of its occupants and traditional Norwegian architecture. Her seasonal approach is not limited to winter: she says homes should also be ready for brighter summer conditions.
“I don’t think we can design homes as though light remains constant throughout the year. Nor do I think the answer is to fight the darkness.”
— Gudbjørg Simonsen, Norwegian designer, quoted by Livingetc
Limits of the Published Advice
The supplied Livingetc material ends partway through its section on layered lighting. It does not show the remainder of Simonsen’s recommendations, name specific products or provide a complete room-by-room lighting plan. The report also gives no publication year, and its daylight figures are presented without a detailed methodology or regional breakdown.
Simonsen’s comments are professional design guidance, not a controlled study of lighting’s effects. The article does not establish that a particular approach will affect every resident’s mood or make a home feel welcoming to everyone.
Applying the Ideas at Home
The source reports no scheduled follow-up or new development. For readers using the advice, a practical next step is to identify the room’s main tasks, add appropriate task lighting, and then consider softer sources and areas of shadow. The key is to test the arrangement in the actual space rather than assume one brightness level suits every activity.
Because the supplied article excerpt is incomplete, readers seeking Simonsen’s full set of suggestions would need to consult the complete Livingetc report. The material provided does not confirm further guidance, product recommendations or updates.
Key Questions
What is the main lighting advice in the report?
Norwegian designer Gudbjørg Simonsen recommends using varied, layered light instead of making every corner uniformly bright.
Why does the article focus on Norway?
The report says December daylight can reach a maximum of six hours a day in Norway, with no daylight during winter periods in its northernmost areas. Conditions vary by location.
What does layered lighting mean here?
It means using different light sources for different purposes, such as task lighting for a work surface and other lighting to guide movement or highlight art. The supplied excerpt does not include the full advice.
Does the report say to remove dark corners?
No. Simonsen argues that shadow and variation can add depth, and says rooms do not need to be evenly illuminated.
Is the advice backed by health research?
The supplied material presents design advice and personal observations. It does not provide research establishing health or mood effects from a specific home-lighting scheme.
Source: rss
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