Alongside all the product launches and exciting showroom events, there’s another reason I love visiting 3daysofdesign so much, and that’s for the fascinating talks that take place. Open to all and free to attend, hundreds are held at venues across the city, but when it comes to choosing which to go to there’s one name I always recommend: Nuura.
Taking their cues from nature and creating designs that celebrate the beauty and importance of light, this leading Danish brand never fails to leave me informed and inspired. So, before I headed back to Copenhagen for this year’s festival, I caught up with their Creative Director, and co-founder Sofie Refer to find out more about her own upcoming talk, ‘The Power of Light’ and what her top tips are for enhancing our daily lives through designs such as hers.
Here’s what Sofie had to tell me:
1. Layer your light
In Scandinavia, where winter brings extended darkness, light plays an essential role in creating balance and comfort. But by effectively layering different light sources you can create both functional and atmospheric illumination.
For example, primary lighting such as ceiling fixtures, recessed lights or chandeliers create a warm, inviting mood while ensuring a great all-round light. Task lighting, meanwhile, like wall lights and track lighting focuses the light into zones so you carry out specific activities such as cooking or reading. Finally, decorative lighting like floor and table lamps produce softer ambient and accent lighting, bringing out the best features of your room, highlighting architectural details, artwork, or furniture.
2. Control your light
The latest science tells us that as humans we need much more light to support our health and wellbeing than we first thought, so when choosing the right light for your room don’t think in watts but in LUMEN, Lux, and Kelvin.
By controlling the LUMEN which measures brightness, Lux which determines how much light reaches a surface, as well as the colour temperature of light which is Kelvin you can create a environment that keeps you feeling positive, focused, and mentally strong throughout the day. A living room for example typically requires 150–300 lux, offices need around 500 lux, and task lighting may go up to 1000 lux. Whereas 2700–3000 Kelvin creates a warm, cosy glow for evenings and 4000–5000 Kelvin a cooler, daylight-like light more suited for concentration.
3. Balance your light
Light also influences our biological clock, regulating sleep-wake cycles and our overall well-being, so by thoughtfully combining both natural and artificial light together we can help maintain a healthy circadian rhythm.
Fine-tuning the balance of light we are exposed to positively affects us in multiple ways. In the short term, using lighting that mimics the natural blue-rich light we see in the morning can enhance alertness, focus, and overall mood. In the afternoon when the light becomes warmer and slightly less intense soft lighting helps you stay alert and attentive, while when the sun sets in the evenings warmer dimmable lighting can help you unwind, reduce stress, and signal to your body that it’s time to rest.
During this year’s 3daysofdesign, alongside Sofie’s talk Nuura also presented a number of breathwork workshops with Pernille Lotus, founder of metal health and wellbeing platform Beyond Breath, ‘Solara’ a sensory light installation designed by the Danish artist Søren Lyngsø Knudsen, as well as served afternoon tea for everyone who needed a moment to pause and recharge. Safe to say the Nuura showroom was a hive of activity throughout the week, and I for one always enjoy visiting.
Find out more
Thanks again to Sofie for taking the time to chat with me, if you’d like to find out more about any of the lighting products featured or further details of Nuura’s 3daysofdesign programme, visit their website.
All images courtesy of Nuura.
Enjoyed reading this post? Then read my previous chat with Sofie or my interview with Jessica Vedel, the designer behind Nuura’s Florii collection.
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