The Hidden Difference Between Average and Exceptional Lighting

Monday, 26 January 2026

Feeling the Difference

Most people think good light is about brightness—but the truth is, it’s about how a space feels. When you walk into a home, there might be a sense of warmth, spaciousness, and life, or you might feel as if you just stepped into a cold, uninviting place—sterile, cramped, and uncomfortable.

Were the design choices and color palette the key factors? Actually, in many instances, it was the light.

Here, we’ll explore the profound effect a home’s lighting has on us and how to elevate average illumination to exceptional through today’s lighting design.

Light & the Human Body

Light has a profound effect on the human body. It affects our mental, emotional, and physical states. It regulates hormone production, sets circadian rhythms, and improves mood. Given its significant impact on us, one would think we would pay more attention to the light that illuminates our homes.

So, what is average versus exceptional lighting, and can we tell the difference by how we feel?

The answer is a resounding, “Yes!” While the CRI and fixture quality are essential ingredients, one of the best ways to determine where your home’s lighting stands is to wander through the rooms and tune into your feelings.

It’s All in the Feeling

Exceptional light helps you feel happy, comfortable, and focused. Instead of harsh, glaring fixtures, this lighting is carefully designed to highlight your home’s best features and support the activities that occur in your space, from waking up to preparing dinner.

When you walk into the living room, accent light enhances your artwork’s vibrancy and color. When you step into the kitchen, warm lights make this space feel like the heart of the home. When you enter the office, the cool blue lights elevate productivity and focus.

On the other hand, basic lighting design can feel harsh and unsupportive. There’s no inspiration, only a sense of lethargy. Harsh glare and deep shadows can even create a sense of foreboding.

The Technical Details

High-quality lighting fixtures include a high Color Rendering Index (CRI). A CRI measures a light source's ability to reflect the true colors of an object as compared to natural light. The light from the sun contains the entire visible light spectrum. When artificial light sources lack a full spectrum, their ability to reveal an object's true colors is diminished.

Low-CRI lights can make the colors in your home look washed out and dull. This unnatural environment can even make your skin tone look unhealthy and, for some, result in headaches or eye strain. High-CRI lights feel natural and create a vibrant, comfortable atmosphere.

An excellent CRI is greater than 90%, while a poor CRI is less than 70%.

The Difference Between Good and Great Lighting

Good lighting is functional and supports your everyday tasks. Great lighting is inspirational. It dynamically shapes your mood, reduces stress, and orchestrates emotion through color temperatures, full-spectrum lighting, and tunable fixtures.

Tunable illumination can mimic the changing sunlight, shifting from bright light to a soft, warm amber hue, like the setting sun. This creates the impression that your home is part of nature rather than separate from it. Today’s high-quality lights can be set to automatically transition from the cool, white-blue of daylight to the soft, shimmering warmth of dusk. Not only does this type of light help you feel better, but it’s also incredibly beautiful.

Lighting Design as an Art Form

Are you ready to transform your home with the power of light? At Pacific Audio & Communications, our lighting design and automation experts enhance a home's overall aesthetics with high-quality illumination. But more importantly, we elevate your home’s feeling. Colors ring true, artwork comes to life, and illumination seems to come from an unseen source, as if glowing from within. It's hard to imagine the difference it makes in everyday life until you experience it.

To learn more about transforming the look and feel of your home through exceptional lighting, contact PAC.