Your Guide to Bedroom Lighting
Bedroom lighting design is crucial in creating a multifunctional space. With the right lighting choices, from luxury bedside lighting to functional task lighting, you can craft the perfect mood for rest and relaxation.
What lighting does a bedroom need?
A well-lit bedroom relies on three types of lighting used in combination: ambient, task and accent. Together, they make the room both functional and genuinely comfortable to be in.
- Ambient Lighting: In most homes, it’s the light that sets the overall mood. You can achieve this with ceiling fixtures or recessed lighting that offer a comfy level of brightness.
- Task Lighting: This is for those activities that need a bit more focus, like reading. Bedside lamps, wall-mounted reading lights, or pendants work wonders to provide localised light without straining your eyes.
- Accent Lighting: This can be used in larger bedrooms to highlight architectural features, artwork, or furniture, creating depth and dimension.
What is the best ceiling light for a bedroom?
The right central ceiling fitting depends on the size of the room. Larger bedrooms can accommodate a chandelier or statement pendant that holds its own as a feature; smaller rooms are better served by something more flush to the ceiling
Whichever you choose, the ambient ceiling light is rarely the one you will use alone in the evenings. That is where the bedside lighting becomes the more important decision.
What are the best bedside lighting options?
Table lamps, pendant lights and wall lights all work well as bedside lighting. The right choice depends on the size of your bedside table, the scale of the room and the aesthetic you are working towards.
- Table lamps are the most traditional choice and still one of the most versatile. If you are using a table lamp on a bedside table, the shade should be no wider than the surface of the table itself. A shade that overhangs the table will look out of proportion and can be knocked over easily.
- Pendants/Wall Lights: Space-saving solutions that add a modern touch. Ensure they are placed at an appropriate height for reading when seated in bed. Ideally, the bottom of the lights should hang around 70cm above the top of the bedside table
Where should bedside lights be positioned?
Bedside lights should be positioned so that the light source sits at roughly the right height for reading when you are seated in bed. For pendants and wall lights, the bottom of the fitting should hang or sit approximately 70 centimetres above the top of the bedside table.
This is a detail that is easy to overlook at the planning stage and difficult to correct afterwards, so it is worth confirming the measurements before installation. At the right height, a bedside light provides comfortable reading light without casting shadow across the page or shining directly into your eyes.
Place the light switches where you can reach them easily from bed. Having separate switches for the bedside wall lights and pendants on both sides of your bed means you can control each light independently without having to get up.
Should bedroom lights have dimmer switches?
Yes, install dimmer switches where possible – especially for your central, ambient light source. As we know, exposure to bright light before bed can impact our sleep and dimmer switches allow you to modify the brightness of your lights depending on the mood you want to create. If you are using table lamps as bedside lights, we can customise these to include dimmer switches too – just leave a note when placing your order.
Top tip… factor in three circuits to create a flexible lighting scheme – one for your ambient light, and two for your task light (or bedside lighting).
What colour temperature is best for bedroom lighting?
For bedrooms, we recommend bulbs with a Kelvin rating around 2,700K .This produces a warm, soft light that is well suited to rest and relaxation. The lightbulb you use will have a drastic impact on how your scheme all comes together. Cooler lights have a higher rating on the Kelvin scale and can feel quite harsh in a bedroom hence why we suggest something a little warmer - perfect for a place to unwind and drift off to sleep. Make sure that you use the same bulb throughout the room otherwise, the layers will clash.
A well-thought-out lighting scheme that takes into account the size of your bedroom and your personal needs can really boost the comfort and functionality of the space. Remember, lighting is not just about visibility; it's about creating an atmosphere that adds to the room's purpose and your well-being.