Bedroom Lighting Guide: How To Light Your Bedroom
Lighting your bedroom isn’t something to joke about if you want a proper rest, which, in turn, sets the tone for a productive day. As such, you want to invest in choosing the best lights. While there are rules of thumb, you can always tweak them to suit your preferences. What matters is creating a balance among the types of lights you choose.
Typically, three types of lights are used for the bedroom: ambient lighting, task lighting and accent lighting. You need to layer all three to create the ideal ambience for your bedroom.
Use Ambient Lighting
Ambient lighting, also called general lighting, makes the room bright enough to aid general activities like making your bed or arranging your shoes. Floor lamps and chandeliers are common examples.
Use Task Lighting
Task lighting is required for more detailed, focused tasks such as reading, knitting, arranging things in your cabinet, etc. Types include bedroom table lamps and cabinet lights.
Don’t Forget Accent Lighting
Accent lighting, also called directional lighting, is your go-to if there’s a feature of your bedroom you would like to highlight such as an artwork. It is three times brighter than ambient lighting and used to direct your attention toward a part of the room. It usually comes in adjustable forms like recessed spotlights.
What is the best way to light a bedroom?
“When it comes to lighting a bedroom, the most important tip is to layer your lighting.”, says Alina Enache, a registered architect and head design consultant at Scotlight Direct. “By combining lighting sources such as ceiling lights, bedside wall lights, floor lamps, and table lamps, this provides greater flexibility and helps to create a warm ambience within your bedroom.” In short, you need to perfectly combine ambient, accent and task lights to create the perfect atmosphere.
Also, consider the peculiarities of your bedroom. For example, you can’t use low-hanging lights in a bedroom with a low ceiling. You may also want to consider the size of your bedroom before you plan the lighting. It would seem awkward to use big lights in a bedroom with barely enough breathing space.
What temperature should bedroom lights be?
Each light on the light spectrum produces different energy and wavelengths. The shorter the wavelength and lower the energy, the less melatonin, the hormone controlling our sleep-wake cycle, is produced. For example, blue lights have faster wavelengths, which increases our alertness, while red lights have slow wavelengths, making the atmosphere cosy and inducing sleep.
Architect Alina Enache also states. “Warm white LED light is always best for a bedroom. When choosing a warm white light bulb, you should make sure the colour temperature of the LED is between 2700k -3000k(Kelvins). A higher colour temperature means that the LED can produce blue light, which can affect sleep.” In light of this, warm colour temperatures are the best for your bedroom.
How do I light a small bedroom?
Not all lights are suitable for a small bedroom since you need to maximise space while creating an ambient atmosphere.
- 1. Pendant lights or giant chandeliers are a no-no if your bedroom ceiling is low. Instead, go for flush ceiling lampshades to make your ceiling appear taller or recessed downlights.
- 2. Use task lights such as table lamps for focused activities. If you don’t have enough space for bedside tables, wall lights can come in handy. If you want to add more lights but there’s no space, you can install floor lights. In addition, you can also use mirrored walls to make light reflect around the room.
- 3. Ensure you let in as much natural light as possible. Take away every obstruction from your windows. Besides, natural light reduces stress and helps clear your head, which sets the tone for a good night’s sleep.
How do I light a bedroom with a low ceiling?
Lighting a room with a low ceiling requires combining the three types of lights without being dramatic while making the ceiling look taller. Being dramatic here would mean using lights like giant chandeliers or long pendant lights that almost collide with your head. Below are tips on how to do so.
- Avoid low-hanging lights: Low-hanging lights make a room with a low ceiling look smaller. Use recessed lights such as semi-flush or flush ceiling lights for such rooms as they maximise the visual space and highlight essential features in the room, thereby drawing attention away from the ceiling.
- Opt for floor and wall lights: All hope isn’t lost if you can’t use your favourite pendant lights. If there is no room for ceiling lights, floor lamps and table lamps are okay. Go for floor lights with warm colour temperatures that beam upward to give height to your ceiling. Remember that the size of the room should determine the size of the floor lights. For wall lights, ensure they are placed at least five-six feet from floor level to avoid glaring into your eyes.
- Layer the lights: For the best lighting effect, use different types of light. Don’t focus on only one; it won’t get to the dark corners. For example, you can combine multiple table lamps with flush and wall lights. You don’t have to use all lights simultaneously since they have different switches.
- Use a variety of different lights: Another way to make a bedroom with a low ceiling seem more open is to use different lights. Go for different themes. Your table lamps can be traditional while your wall lights are modern. Besides, such lights beautify your decor, whether classic, contemporary, or both.
Final professional expert tip and remember to check out our video below…
Steven MacDonald, Managing Director of SM Electrical Supplies, an electrical supply company based in Scotland, says – “Lighting levels are especially important in a bedroom, and your lighting should be connected to a LED wall light dimmer, or if you are using smart lamp bulbs you can dim via a phone app. This will help you control lighting levels and set different moods in your room based on your needs.”
Here are our top expert 5 tips on lighting your bedroom
Author Profile
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James is an experienced professional with over a decade of experience in the lighting industry. His expertise in the field makes him a valuable asset to Scotlight Direct.
James has a deep understanding of the technical and creative aspects of lighting. He is passionate about staying up-to-date with the latest innovations and trends in the field, and he is always looking for ways to apply this knowledge to his work.
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