Blog posts of '2018' 'October'

Many people don’t think about temperature and lighting when they think about what affects their productivity levels, but both can have a considerable impact.

Consider what it’s like to sit down in an environment where the temperature is too hot or too cold, and the lighting is too intense or too dull. It’s not comfortable, is it? And when you’re not comfortable, focussing on anything much can be difficult.

These are just some of the ways that productivity levels can be negated;

Temperature and Productivity

If you had to choose between a cold and warm working environment, which would you go with? If your answer is “cold”, you might be hindering your productivity levels.

While cold environments can seem far more pleasant and even comfortable to many people, and may seem the obvious choice with offices everywhere running air conditioning constantly throughout the workday, your body requires more energy expenditure to keep warm in such environments. This can take away from the energy you can use for work. Without this energy, it can be harder to concentrate and be inspired enough to work to your full potential.

When it comes to warm—but not hot, which can be as draining as the cold—working environments, this isn’t a problem. In fact, it has been proven that physical and psychological warmth are often connected in the brain, meaning that being in a warm environment can increase productivity, job satisfaction, and even happiness levels.

Lighting and Productivity

When it comes to lighting, there is artificial lighting and natural lighting. Typically, offices have more artificial than natural lighting or a combination of both. But have you ever wondered what is best for productivity levels?

Light and circadian rhythms are linked. Circadian rhythms are the biological processes that function as an internal clock for sleep, alertness, and relaxation, as impacted by cortisol production.

Natural lighting is the far better option for productivity, simply because it can stabilise your body’s cortisol levels and keep them in balance. This means that natural lighting can improve your overall health and well-being, such as mood, energy levels, alertness, and levels of productivity.

Poor or artificial lighting in a workplace doesn’t have these benefits and can lead to more stress and less energy and focus. The result of this is feeling sleepier by the evening than would be the case with natural lighting.

Of course, working in natural lighting may not be an option all the time. When this is the case, it’s a good idea to spend time outside in the mornings and during breaks. You can also change the setup of your workspace to include more natural light.

For your office setup, you may wish to maximise the natural light that filters in through windows and pair this with artificial lighting. Choose large windows and glass furniture like the Lincoln desk to open up your space and let light spread further.

Contemporary modular shelving options like the  Yet bookshelf add subtle lighting to complement the natural light entering your space, while also providing storage.

The addition of desk or floor lamps can ensure that anywhere natural light can’t access can still be well-lit. The Kelvin desk lamp and the Articulo floor lamp are flexible and adjustable, so they can be angled to light up dark spaces while also adding a modern look to your office.

Be creative and brighten up your space with light and beautiful furnishings and decor.

Conclusion

Knowing what the ideal temperature and lighting is for you to stay focused, and making sure your workspace fits those needs, can ensure that your future work or study sessions will be more productive than any before.

In June 1997 the world was introduced to, and fell in love with, a young orphan that lived in a small cupboard under the stairs. Almost immediately the Harry Potter books took the world by storm; children and adults all over the world queued for hours to get their hands on the Harry Potter books for years to come.

We all know the story: Mistreated by his family, Harry was whisked away to the wonderful wizarding world of Hogwarts and we were captivated by the delights and devastation that he encountered during his epic feud with “He who shall not be named”. During the books, Harry lost loved ones but most importantly found a family and friends that he would never have had the opportunity to if his circumstances had not changed.

Unfortunately, not all orphans get to experience the love that Harry found and it’s only through these books that many parentless children learned to escape their dire circumstances all over the world.

J.K Rowling, the author of Harry Potter, become deeply involved in charities and orphanages all over the world in order to try and improve their lives.

Lumos is a charity that she founded to set about the change in finding every child a loving home by 2050. The name Lumos is actually a light-giving spell in the Harry Potter books and Rowling used the name to shed light on the plight of orphans in institutions all over.

From October the 18th walkway between Millennium Bridge and St Paul’s Cathedral, Peter’s Hill, will be given a “Wizarding World makeover” when nine massive wands are installed to increase publicity to the charity that is so close to Rowling’s heart.

Each wand will be 15ft, or over 4 metres tall, and will illuminate the walkway a month before the release of the eagerly anticipated second installation of the Fantastic Beasts movies. The wands belong to Newt Scamander and the bevvy of much-loved characters found in the movies and London residents can look forward to a little bit of magic making waves on their streets soon.

The installation, called Fantastic Beasts: Wizarding World Supports London, has been developed and created between Lumos as part of the famous City of London Arts Initiative for public art.

Josh Berger, president and managing director of Warner Bros Entertainment UK, Eire & Spain, and president of Harry Potter global franchise development, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Lumos on this landmark installation, which is sure to delight fans and the tens of thousands of commuters and tourists passing through Peter’s Hill each day.

London has played a huge role in the on-screen legacy of the Wizarding World, from King’s Cross Station to Millennium Bridge, not to mention the nearby Warner Bros Studios Leavesden – which has housed countless iconic sets across all 10 films and nearly two decades – providing a major boost to the UK film industry.”

Mr Berger added that the initiative “is emblematic of this unique relationship, celebrating the magic of Harry Potter and Fantastic Beasts here in London while raising awareness for the vital work being done by Lumos on behalf of some of the world’s most vulnerable children.”

This beautiful tribute is something that people all over the UK will flock to and is an amazing accolade to the books that have captured our imaginations for the past two decades.

More importantly, however, it highlights the struggles and injustices that orphans all over the world are facing and it gives them the hope that they too will be swept up into a world of magic, love, friendship and family.

In Denmark, they have a special word dedicated the joys of “acknowledging a feeling or moment, whether alone or with friends, at home or out, ordinary or extraordinary as cosy, charming or special.”

Hyggae (pronounced hue-guh) is a word unique to the Danish language that is simply dedicated to the warmth of both a psychological and physical feeling of comfort, enjoyment and cosiness that is experienced at times through life.

Given that the average temperature in Denmark is 7.7 degrees Celsius, we’re going to believe that they know a thing or two about being snug in some pretty cold winters, which are normally freezing or below. Hyggae is a word that has been making waves through the interior decorating world, with homes all over the globe trying to replicate the feeling of utter contentment and bliss in cold temperatures.

Autumn is upon us and the days are becoming shorter, the nights colder and the trees are in the midst of bidding farewell to their leaves for the winter season. However, getting our homes winter-ready can always be a bit of a tough one, especially if you have no idea where to start.

That’s why we’ve put together a list of our favourite ways to give your home a cosy glow this autumn that will make you never want to go outdoors in winter.

Here are our 5 autumn décor and lighting trends to give your home a cosy glow:

1. Supersized knits

There is just something about knitted textures that oozes cosiness. It brings to mind a picture of our grandmothers sitting by a warm fire and knitting together childhood blankets that saw us through the coldest of winter nights. To make your home extra snug this winter, invest in some oversized, chunky knitted blankets, throws and pillows that will give your home an extra feeling of warmth this autumn.

2. Warm metal lighting fixtures

Lighting fixtures have come a long way in the last couple of years and there’s now a plethora of unique and exciting designs and material to choose from. Lanterns, in particular, can give you the warm glow that you are looking for.

Try and go with warm metal fixtures such as brass that will give you the extra glow to your room that will make your home seem like the perfect spot to spend the cold evenings. These lights aren’t simply for seeing but can make an amazing aesthetic signature piece that brings the whole room together.

3. Deep wall tones

If you’re thinking about going the whole hog in updating your home into a winter wonderland, then think about painting your walls deep tones like winter blues, forest greens or warming dark reds. These kinds of colours will make the room feel even cosier and the rich brass or other metal lighting fixtures mentioned above simply pop out with these kinds of backgrounds.

4. Update your furniture colour scheme

Updating the colour scheme on your furniture doesn’t mean that you have to completely recover your couches and chairs, but that you should simply invest in some richly coloured accessories that will give your room that extra Hyggae feeling.

Think about rustic fireside reds and tartan hues in the form of pillows, blankets and throws that will make you feel like you are perched by a fireside in a cosy cabin in the middle of the woods.

5. A reading nook

We don’t know about you, but autumn and winter to us mean evenings spent by the fire watching TV or reading a good book. Take your autumn décor to the next level with a richly decorated reading nook in which you can snuggle into and lose yourself into your favourite books with a steaming cup of cocoa.

These are just some of the ideas that you can use to transform your home into a cosy autumn escape. If you have anything else you think can add an extra layer of warmth to your décor please leave a comment, as we’d love to hear from you.