ACNH Screenshot
Image: Nintendo Life

Everyone has opinions on the Big Light. You know what the Big Light is, even if you don't — it's the main overhead light in a room, and people either love it (it's bright!) or hate it (it's loud!).

For those who can't stand the Big Light, there is a solution: mood lighting. This is achievable in real life with lamps, coloured bulbs, and dimmers — and it's also achievable in Animal Crossing: New Horizons Happy Home Paradise, the new DLC.

You can already change the light level in your rooms individually, but with only three options (on, dim, off) it's not particularly customisable. In New Leaf, you could change the colours and the levels, but the colours depended on what colour the lamp was.

With Happy Home Paradise, and the new 2.0 update, that's been changed even more: now you can pick brightness and colour on a slider.

Animal Crossing Happy Home Paradise House Lighting Guide

When do I unlock the lighting changes?

Complete 12 Happy Home Paradise designs to unlock the ability to change the lighting in your homes (including back on your island!). On your 13th design, Niko will tell you about your new ability.

How do I access the lighting menu?

Go into "decorating mode" by pressing down on the D-Pad, then press left on the D-Pad to open the lighting menu (it's the same one that lets you change the entryway pattern and the windows).

How can I change the light colour?

In the menu, go to the tab called "Lighting" and make sure the cursor is over the colourful bit. You can then move left or right to select a colour, which will automatically show in your room.

How do I change the light brightness?

The slider at the bottom goes from off to on, with varying degrees of dimness in between. You can move the slider from left to right to select your ideal brightness.

How does this affect lamps in the room?

Lamps can be turned on or off manually to add to the effect.

What are the light colour options?

The colours you can pick from are:

  • White
  • Yellow
  • Orange
  • Red
  • Pink
  • Violet
  • Purple
  • Blue
  • Light blue
  • Teal
  • Green
  • Lime green

And the lighting level is a slider, so now you can choose from multiple degrees of dim for each one!

Here are all the colours displayed (in order!) in the same room, for comparison:

Why would I want my room to be a weird colour?

Some applications are relatively obvious: a warm, dim orange makes a room look a lot more cosy, for example. But a green light would work in a creepy laboratory, a red light could make for a great dark room, and a purple light makes a nightclub look really cool. Experiment with the colours and brightness to see if they inspire you!


This article is part of our Animal Crossing: New Horizons walkthrough, which includes a Complete Fish List, Complete Bug List and Complete Sea Creatures List. If you're looking for specific fish or bugs, we can tell you how to catch the elusive Coelacanth, Mahi-Mahi, Giant Trevally, Stringfish, Golden Trout and all the Sharks and Beetles, along with a full list of critters leaving at the end of the month (unless you visit Kapp'n's Boat Tour islands, of course!).

We can also help with How to Spot Redd's Fake Paintings and Statues, How to Make Bells Fast, How to Breed Flowers, How to Get more DIY Recipes, How to Upgrade Nook's Cranny, where and when to find special characters like Gulliver, Sable, Label, Wisp, Celeste, Pirate Gulliver and Jack, plus tips on using the Star Wand, Tool Ring, Rock Trick, Cutting Down and Moving Trees, using amiibo on Harv's Island, How to Back Up Your Island Data, How to Time Travel, How to Get a 5-Star Island Rating and a whole lot more.

If it's new content you're looking for help with, we can help you find gyroids, unlock Brewster's café, use the new Pro Camera App for selfies, enact new ordinances, get the beloved Froggy Chair, and even learn How to Cook.

And finally, Where to Buy Animal Crossing: New Horizons on Nintendo Switch, if for some reason you haven't yet picked up the game, and How To Buy The Happy Home Paradise DLC, too!