July 5, 2023 – Homeowners are overwhelmingly demanding modern, high-quality lighting solutions, with 91% of U.S. homeowners saying that quality lighting is important to their home design, and 75% expressing that lighting is one of the most important design choices for their home.

“Light brings atmosphere and can enhance not only the aesthetic of a home but how we look, feel, and live within it,” said Cecilia Ramos, senior director, Lutron Electronics.

Lutron recently published its first-ever “Lighting Trend Report”, which is informed by a survey conducted by Lutron/Harris Poll in the U.S., coupled with additional expert insights.

The report shows lighting’s importance to everything from supporting wellness and sleep routines to creating ambiance, connecting to nature, incorporating sustainable design elements, and more.

“With the launch of our first trend report, we’re excited to dig into first-hand consumer sentiments about what’s motivating the demand for innovative new lighting solutions, and to explore the shift in thinking about lighting as a utility to light as an amenity that can truly shape our experiences within the home.”

Connecting with nature

82% of homeowners say it is important to have a connection to nature, while 87% believe a connection to nature is important in their home design. This trend toward bringing the outdoors in has been on the rise in recent years, says Lutron, adding that one of the most organic ways to support this connection is through natural light: both sunlight and LED solutions that mimic the changing colour temperature of sunlight.

The control of light through windows is critical as well, with 89% of homeowners reporting that window coverings that optimize views/access to nature (e.g. semi-transparent blinds) are important.

Homes as relaxing retreats

The majority of respondents (90%) say it is important that their home help them relax and disconnect from work and/or the outside world.

For many, the key to relaxing at home is creating the right ambiance; lighting has emerged as an important factor toward achieving this, with almost four in five homeowners (78%) saying the ability to adjust lighting is one of the most important factors for creating the desired ambiance.

Wellness on the rise

68% of homeowners wish they could integrate wellness into their home design “in a bigger way”. Design elements like lighting can help build healthy habits into daily routines through tailored settings that support anything from an invigorating workout to a relaxing yoga session.

What’s more, a majority of respondents (75%) say light control is important to their sleep routine, “acknowledging the impact of lighting and shades on one of the most important daily wellness habits—our sleep cycle”.

Closet and bathrooms

While the majority of homeowners say lighting is one of the most important design choices in their home, nearly one in five (19%) are unhappy with the lighting in the rooms in which they get ready for the day.

84% believe that bad lighting in a closet, dressing room, or bathroom can make getting ready an unpleasant process. This supports the idea that homeowners see a connection between light and their self-perceptions of beauty and style, and that “the routine activity of choosing clothes and making oneself presentable is positively impacted by a well-lit space”.

Lighting as a must-have

About 3/4 of homeowners would not purchase a new home without “good, natural light”, even when it checks the other boxes on their home search.

According to respondents, priority rooms or areas for high-quality lighting:

72% Kitchen
69% Living/family room
61% Bathrooms
56% Bedrooms
41% Home office
32% Entryways
32% Closets
24% Basement
18% Home theatre
3% Other

Prioritizing environmental choices

Over four in five homeowners are willing to invest in eco-friendly options; 76% say they would prioritize the purchase of products that help reduce their environmental impact.

Lutron says a home can be optimized to save energy and reduce waste with proper smart and automated lighting. 78% of respondents would invest in LED lighting or automated shades to help limit their carbon footprint.

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