Expert Recommends: Create Fairy-Tale Christmas Lights at Home with Simple Tools

Light is the most effective tool for creating a warm home atmosphere, and during the holidays, it can be cleverly used to create a festive mood. Liveni creative director Alina Kester offers good advice on how to make your home cozy during the holidays through the use of light.

"It's natural that when planning a new home, preparing for the holidays and the associated needs may not be the first thing that comes to mind. People forget to add electrical outlets for Christmas lights, or they leave cozy alternatives out of their lighting plan for everyday use. The wisest approach is to anticipate holiday needs right at the planning stage, but it's also possible to create the right atmosphere in your home later with a few simple steps," said Liveni creative director Alina Kester.

In homes, it is recommended to use warm light to create a cozy atmosphere and support your mental health after hectic days in the evenings. The best light temperature for homes is in the range of 2700-3000 Kelvin, which is comparable to sunrise light. According to Alina Kester, even warmer light temperature would be suitable for creating a festive mood – for example, 1000 Kelvin, or ordinary candlelight.

"Candlelight and firelight are the most traditional way to bring Christmas peace into your home, but nowadays this is no longer an accessible option for everyone. The absence of a fireplace or avoiding the use of open candle flames because of children or pets, you can use alternatives such as LED candles and Christmas lights. When choosing Christmas lights, you should also prefer warmer tones, so-called warm light," said Alina Kester.

Floor lamps help create soft and cozy ambient light, while rechargeable cordless table lamps offer the ability to play with light – they can be placed on shelves, windowsills, or elsewhere to highlight different light scenes. Battery-powered light strings and LED candles work well as additional decorations, for example in wreaths or table arrangements, without having to worry about electrical outlets.

If your home is still being built, it's always worth installing dimmer switches so you can adjust the brightness of the light according to the season and mood. In an existing home, you can seasonally replace light bulbs with warmer ones, but more convenient and flexible is to use dimmable or color temperature adjustable LED bulbs – such as Philips Hue or Ikea solutions that can be controlled via an app.

When planning holiday lighting, it's wise to think ahead and create systems that can be reused for many years. Alina Kester would prefer to make one larger investment rather than purchase temporary decorations every year.

"It's natural that when planning a home, the future resident may not yet know all of their future wishes and needs. In this case, flexible solutions are helpful, such as adjustable lights, where the brightness can be changed, as well as rail lights, where the position of the light sources can be changed later if needed," added Alina Kester.