Without a doubt, the most important factor that influences how I feel in a space is the light. One look at my photographic and design style reveals the extent to which abundant, clean, crisp light is integral to my psyche! The bungalow that Ivan and I first shared together had small windows and was surrounded by tall trees, making for a dim, gloomy interior that seriously harshed my vibe. For that reason, when we were on the hunt for a new house last year, lots of great light was at the top of my list of requirements. And when we found our current home, I took one look at the huge windows in each room and knew I’d found The One! Since signing our lease, we’ve loved having tons of sunlight illuminating our days and elevating our moods—and we’ve carefully selected all our lighting to be a stylish complement to our already bright, inviting home.
Of course, the quality of the light coming from lamps, pendants, and sconces is only as good as the lightbulbs that you place in them. For a while we’ve been using energy efficient LED bulbs for environmental reasons, but I’ve definitely never been a fan of the somewhat dull, artificial light that most LED’s emit. That’s why I was intrigued when I learned about Soraa. The company was founded by a Nobel Prize winner who wanted to create a light source that would match the characteristics of the sun, and their proprietary LED technology has been used for years by commercial designers to light everything from Louis Vuitton stores to SFMOMA and even the Palace of Versailles! Last November, Soraa Home was launched to bring the ame pure, clean light found in museums and high-end stores into our homes—so that we can all enjoy the benefits of LED without any of the tradeoffs.
The first of two bulb types in the current Soraa Home lineup is Soraa Radiant. Whereas standard LED lights leave some color wavelengths out—that’s what gives them that fake feeling—Soraa Radiant contains the full spectrum of light to make every detail in your home pop, for a space that feels vibrant. (The unretouched side-by-side comparisons on their website really must be seen to be believed!) With Soraa Radiant, the light in your home never appears washed-out, moody, or yellow; it’s just clean, white light that feels like you’ve brought in plenty of natural light from the outdoors. The difference is noticeable immediately on making the switch, and I especially appreciate having the Soraa Radiant bulbs in the kitchen while I’m enjoying the colors and textures of the food I’m preparing!
For the bedroom, or other spaces where you typically spend evening and nighttimes, Soraa Healthy is the way to go. You know how doctors and sleep experts discourage looking at your phone in the hours before bedtime bedtime? That’s because the screen emits a blue light that interferes with the body’s melatonin production and consequently makes it harder to fall asleep—and most standard LED bulbs contain the same blue light. I couldn’t believe it when I learned that I’ve been unknowingly illuminating my bedroom with light that inhibits my sleep cycle! Thankfully, Soraa Healthy is here to the rescue. It’s the only LED light that has no blue wavelength, instead giving off a soft white light that optimizes the lighting conditions needed for getting top notch rest. I spent so much time and creative energy designing our bedroom to be a soothing retreat at the end of the day, and now I can sleep easy knowing that with Soraa Healthy, even our lightbulbs are working in our favor!
Images: Esther Lee. Disclosure: I partnered with Soraa Home to concept, style, produce, write, edit, and share this post. All opinions are and always will be my own. Thank you for supporting the brands that enable me to bring you fresh inspiration daily!