Mariah Carey well-known for her melodious tunes has recently stirred up a debate about a topic far removed from her musical prowess - overhead lighting. The pop diva voiced her strong dislike for this type of illumination during a podcast appearance roughly a week ago.
“Listen I cant with overhead lighting“ Carey stated on “Las Culturistas“ (a podcast) She jokingly added that she felt “tortured by the hideous lighting in every elevator doorway‚ gyms. … Shut the lights Turn them out I dont want to see them.“ Her comments struck a chord with many listeners.
David Warfel‚ a lighting expert from Madison Wis. agrees with Careyʼs sentiment. He explains “Overhead lighting is a curse that most of us live under‚“ and suggests that disliking it is a natural human reaction. The reasons behind this aversion are multi-faceted: bright light from above can create an unpleasant atmosphere and cause discomfort.
However the term “overhead lighting“ has become a catch-all phrase for various ceiling-mounted fixtures that people find unappealing. These include:
- Recessed lights
- Boob lights
- LED wafer lights
- Other out-of-fashion ceiling fixtures
Interestingly lighting designers donʼt have a consensus on what exactly constitutes overhead lighting – some debate whether chandeliers and pendant fixtures fall into this category.
Carey isnʼt the only celebrity to criticize overhead lighting. Drew Barrymore‚ the usually upbeat actress and talk show host‚ expressed her frustration with it about a year ago. Additionally‚ Australian TV host Gemma Driscoll gained viral attention on TikTok for her stance against “the big light“ – a term often used to describe the main ceiling fixture in a room.
The rationale behind this widespread dislike is straightforward: direct overhead lighting tends to cast shadows and create glare. Whats more‚ light coming from above typically falls into our glare-sensitive peripheral vision.
Dave Konstantin‚ founder of Konstantin Lighting Design points out that the prevalence of overhead lighting often stems from cost-cutting measures and a lack of expert input during construction. “Ive gone into multimillion dollar homes that are brand new just built‚“ he notes. “And the builder has just put very cheap recessed lights throughout the entire house. … A lot of people are totally immune to bad lighting.“
Lighting designers advocate for a more nuanced approach‚ emphasizing the importance of layered lighting. Kristin Harrison principal designer at Bungalow 10 Interiors in Virginia‚ advises clients to use a mix of floor lamps table lamps‚ wall sconces and a pendant or chandelier to “really make you have the right type of light.“
The temperature of your lightbulb is a big deal
Harrison also highlights the significance of choosing the right LED bulbs‚ recommending a warm color temperature of 2700 kelvins. She suggests that peopleʼs aversion to overhead lighting might be due to incorrect bulb choices rather than the fixtures themselves.
As for Carey – Harrison notes that if anyone would be aware of the difference between good and bad lighting it would be her: “She knows what kind of light makes her face look good.“