How To Light Your Home Like A Norwegian — The People Who Know Short Winter Days Best

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A Livingetc report on Norwegian designer Gudbjørg Simonsen’s approach to winter lighting recommends designing for changing daylight rather than trying to eliminate darkness. Her advice includes using varied light and combining practical lighting with softer, decorative sources.

Norwegian designer Gudbjørg Simonsen has shared guidance on lighting homes through short winter days, recommending that people work with seasonal changes instead of trying to make every room uniformly bright. The advice, published by Livingetc, focuses on variation, layered lighting and the atmosphere created by light and shadow.

Simonsen, whose design practice is based in Stavanger, Norway, says a home’s lighting should respond to changes in daylight throughout the year. She argues that the same room can feel different in summer and winter, as light, shadow and materials change in appearance. Her approach also takes account of the surrounding environment and the lifestyle of the people who live in each home.

One recommendation is to avoid aiming for even illumination across an entire room. Simonsen says variation can make a space feel more natural, with brighter areas, softer transitions and shadows. Instead of treating every dim corner as a problem, the approach is to use contrast deliberately, while still providing enough light for the room’s practical uses.

She also advocates layering different kinds of lighting. Functional or technical light can support tasks, help people move through a space or draw attention to artwork; decorative or accent lights can add warmth and intimacy. Simonsen says practical fittings should solve the room’s needs without becoming the main focus, favouring concealed or integrated sources where appropriate. The supplied Livingetc excerpt ends as it begins to describe this approach, and does not include the full set of lighting recommendations.

How layered light changes winter rooms

The advice matters because it treats winter lighting as more than a way to raise overall brightness. For people spending long evenings at home, the choice and placement of light can shape how a room supports everyday tasks and how welcoming it feels. Simonsen’s distinction between light for seeing and light for feeling gives readers a practical way to think about both functions when planning a space.

Her recommendations are design guidance, not evidence that a particular lighting scheme will improve mood or health. The report does not provide research findings or quantify the effects of lighting. It presents Simonsen’s professional perspective: a mix of useful task lighting, softer sources and intentional shadow can create a room with more depth than a uniform wash of light.

Norway’s seasonal daylight shapes design

The Livingetc article frames Simonsen’s advice around Norway’s marked seasonal changes in daylight. It says that in December some parts of the country can receive up to six hours of daylight, while the far north can experience periods with no daylight. Those conditions differ across the country; the article does not specify a location or measurement method for the six-hour figure.

Simonsen says her work draws on the climate and geography of Norway as well as traditional Norwegian architecture. Rather than designing for a constant level of natural light, she says, homes should be allowed to change character with the seasons. Her comments position lighting as part of the home’s atmosphere, alongside shadow, colour and materials.

“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, in Livingetc

What the lighting advice leaves open

The supplied article excerpt does not include the complete discussion of layered lighting or the full list of techniques promised in its headline. It also gives no specific product recommendations, brightness levels, colour-temperature guidance, budgets or room-by-room plans. The advice is attributed to Simonsen, but the excerpt does not provide independent research comparing lighting schemes or measuring their effects on mood.

The daylight description is broad: the article gives a maximum of six hours for Norway in December and says daylight can fall to zero in the country’s northernmost areas, but it does not identify exact dates, locations or how long those conditions last. Readers should not assume the same daylight pattern applies throughout Norway.

Apply the principles room by room

The report sets out general principles rather than a schedule of upcoming events or a product launch. Readers applying the advice can start by identifying where a room needs focused light for tasks, then add softer or decorative sources and decide where a degree of shadow is acceptable. Simonsen’s guidance is to consider how the room will be used and how its light changes through the seasons, rather than relying on one bright source for every purpose.

Livingetc’s supplied excerpt does not say whether it plans further coverage or publish a follow-up. Any additional recommendations, including the rest of Simonsen’s discussion of layered lighting, remain outside the source material provided here.

Key Questions

What is Gudbjørg Simonsen’s main advice for winter lighting?

She recommends designing for seasonal changes and using variation, layers and shadow, rather than trying to illuminate every part of a room evenly.

Does Simonsen recommend getting rid of dark corners?

Not necessarily. She says some contrast and shadow can make a room feel less flat, while functional areas still need suitable light for their use.

What does layered lighting mean in the report?

It means combining sources with different purposes, such as task lighting for practical activities and decorative or accent lighting for atmosphere.

How much daylight does the article say Norway gets in December?

The Livingetc report says some parts of Norway can have a maximum of six hours of daylight per day in December, while the far north can have periods with no daylight. The excerpt does not give specific locations or dates for those figures.

Source: rss