I still remember collapsing onto the couch after a whirlwind morning of school lunches, carpools, and a lost soccer shoe. As a mom in my forties with two kids between eight and twelve, my living room is where the day exhales — homework sprawls across the coffee table, neighbor Mrs. Jensen drops by with too-sweet muffins, and the dog finds the warmest corner. Those small moments made me want the room to feel like a soft hug, a place that calms restless kids and invites friends to linger. Over the years I’ve learned that lighting does more than brighten a…