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Original poster

Big light people? Or lamp people?

151 replies

greyshelving · 23/12/2023 10:14

Had a few bizarre discussions on this subject recently and thought I'd ask the peoples of Mumsnet.

Are you a 'big light' person or a lamps person?

For context, one of the neighbours opposite has a big bay window so it's possible to easily see the TV on the wall and the big overhead light which is always on at night.

Me, I can't seem to relax if the 'big light' is on and prefer soft, subdued light (lamps etc). In our house 'the big light' only goes on if you've lost an earring! Grin

One of my friends swears it's a male/female thing and in her view, women like atmospheric lighting and men just see lighting as a functional way to see and do things. I don't think you can reduce it to such stereotypes. To me, it's basically just a personal preference.

So, big light or lamps? Which are you?

OP posts:
FairisleFairy · 23/12/2023 11:00

Lamps.
and for some reason I can’t ask DH to turn the big light off without thinking of Peter Kay!

ChocolateCakeOverspill · 23/12/2023 11:00

TheKnittedCharacter · 23/12/2023 10:56

We don’t even have a ‘big light’ in any room of the house. Had them all removed when we first lived here.

I could not function in your house, I’d have to wear a head torch.

Caspianberg · 23/12/2023 11:02

We have plenty of lamps, so it’s can be just as bright as main lamp. Infancy brighter as with lamps you can have a floor lamp directly above where your reading for example, instead of main light in the middle of ceiling which gives you no proper reading light

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Home improvement
camperjam · 23/12/2023 11:02

100% lamps. I don't even have bulbs in the living room and bedroom big lights 😄

CharlotteBog · 23/12/2023 11:06

The big light highlights how grubby the carpet is, so it stays off.

StragglyTinsel · 23/12/2023 11:07

I always just assumed that people
who use the big light are people who don’t (yet) own any lamps.

StragglyTinsel · 23/12/2023 11:09

ChocolateCakeOverspill · 23/12/2023 10:59

Big light all the way. Can’t see a fecking thing in lamp light.

Unfortunately DH is a lamp person so we compromise and if we’re eating (or anything else which require you to actually see something) it’s big light and then lamps for TV watching.

But… you can have a brightly lit room with lamps. Even brighter than just one main ceiling light if you like.

Using lamps can just change the direction of the light so it feels nicer and still be really bright.

you don’t have to have dingy lighting with lamps.

EmpressSoleil · 23/12/2023 11:12

Lamps for relaxing and watching TV. Big light if I'm doing something. But then I'm not a fan of bright light in general, hate light summer evenings. Would also hate to have floor to ceiling windows or those massive bifold doors people have. I find it too much.

CentrifugalBumblePuppy · 23/12/2023 11:12

Lamps, and more lamps, using them to make zones in the living room; dining table, book nook, sofas etc.

The big lights (2, can be controlled separately) only go on if you’re vacuuming, looking for something or one of our elderly cats have missed the litter tray.

All lights & lamps controlled via Alexa, except the toilet & bathroom. I don’t think I’ve flicked a light switch in my house for 8 years (we wrote home automation software & light design, we had to test it somewhere lol).

Orangeandgold · 23/12/2023 11:17

This post has made me feel so normal.

Everyone around me loves big lights.

I like lamps. Or when I had a big light with a dimmer that was perfect as I could control the lighting in the room. It has to be warm over white light (that gives me a headache). I feel more relaxed and I have lamps to light up different parts of the room.

tawitttawoo · 23/12/2023 11:18

EmpressSoleil · 23/12/2023 11:12

Lamps for relaxing and watching TV. Big light if I'm doing something. But then I'm not a fan of bright light in general, hate light summer evenings. Would also hate to have floor to ceiling windows or those massive bifold doors people have. I find it too much.

🤯 I think you'd hate my house, and I'd very much hate yours 😂

Bonjovispjs · 23/12/2023 11:19

Big light all the way. Can't stand sitting in dim light, find it really depressing 😕

CrushingOnRubies · 23/12/2023 11:19

Big light person

I want to be a lamp person but I like to be able to see what I'm doing/ eating/ where I'm going

bobby81 · 23/12/2023 11:19

I hate having the big light on. We have lamps & dimmable wall lights.

longtompot · 23/12/2023 11:46

Both. Big light in the day and side lamps in the evening

Bluevelvetsofa · 23/12/2023 11:58

Task lighting.

I have a lamp behind me for cross stitch and a couple of other lamps to cast a glow. The kitchen has several different areas of lighting, but we usually use lamps in the dining part and spotlights in the kitchen part.

Princessfluffy · 23/12/2023 12:04

I find overhead lighting really uncomfortable and especially those recessed LED spotlights people often have in kitchens
<<shudders>>

CeeceeBloomingdale · 23/12/2023 12:06

Big light. I don't see well in the dark and find dim light rather depressing.

TisTheDarnSeason · 23/12/2023 12:09

Also overhead lighting is sooo unflattering 😆

MoisturiseYourMoose · 23/12/2023 12:10

Big light people here!

My best mate is lamp people and when I go to hers for dinner I feel like I can’t see my food.

KnickerlessParsons · 23/12/2023 12:12

It's a man/woman thing in our house. I like the small lamps. DH likes the big light.

Tessisme · 23/12/2023 12:36

Big light for me. I find anything else very depressing. I can feel my mood drop like a stone when I walk into a dimly lit room. I don't like the big light to be Close Encounters of the Third Kind, but reasonably bright.

MIL has loads of little built in wall lights and table lamps. Not to mention all year round fairy lights. So many sources of light, yet we can barely see each other across the room😆 Every time she buys an ornamental bowl or anything decorative with a bit of space in it, she stuffs it full of little lights. Actually, come to think of it, I don't think she has a big light.

AngelontopoftheTree · 23/12/2023 12:40

Lamps here, for both me and DH. If we're watching TV usually the lamps aren't even on.

This week, Christmas tree lights only in the sitting room 🎄

mrsjg · 23/12/2023 12:43

I'm a lamp person. I always feel if I put the big light on it's an invitation to people to gawk at us as they pass!!

DH is neither a lamp or big light person - he likes to sit in the dark and make do with the light from the TV 🙄

cardibach · 23/12/2023 12:44

DinosaurOfFire · 23/12/2023 10:39

Always the big light. Lamps are only for nightlights, they just cast too many shadows and are too dim. I like the equivalent of 100w bulbs, with a neutral or cool white light.

How dim they are depends on the type of bulb and the number of lamps.