Tips on Lighting a Bedroom

Choosing the right lighting for the bedroom can be difficult. The room should be calm and dark enough so that you can sleep in it, but it should also be functional enough for reading and all other activities (a lot of people use the bedroom as a study as well). The best solution of course, is to have enough windows and natural light. However, this isn’t an option for most apartments and balancing enough light sources is the second best option.

The size

The size of the room is the most important factor in getting the lighting right. Before you decide on any lamps of fixtures, measure the whole room and get an idea how much space the large furniture will take. There’s a basic formula (but it can be changed if the room has curved walls): the square footage of the room x 1.5 = the amount of wattage needed. Also, have in mind that bedrooms typically have lower ceilings, which is why you should avoid fixtures with longer bodies.

Wall sconces

Wall-mounted scones are an excellent solution for smaller and crowded rooms since they take up least space. Lighting fixtures could be categorized as ambient, task or accent. Scones could be used as both task and accent lighting, depending on the type and placement of the light. Crystal wall sconces could be used to add accent to artwork or other memorabilia. They are a bit more sparkly than the average light, which means they won’t go well with all wall colors, but yellow and beige could be a good match. Also, a sconce with a wide rim could also be used as reading task light and it fit in with both modern and classic room design.

Hanging lights

String lights are a more decorative solution and they leave you with more space for the furniture. It’s also a good idea for those who like to rearrange the furniture often because they can work well with any setup and they don’t interfere with the moving. Sydney Local Electricians could help you set these up in no time and the work won’t leave a mess. It might be a good idea to position the large pieces of furniture before you get the light installed, just to see how they work with the room.

Floor lamps

Floor lamps are mostly decorative and they are designed to create a mood and atmosphere in your bedroom.  Think about the placement of these lamps only once you’ve placed large (or at least most important) decorative pieces. Also, with decorative lights – shadows are as important as the illuminated areas. They should add drama and tension to the décor. The top of the floor lamp should be about 40 inches from the floor and if the lamp is more than 15 inches wide it could be used for reading like any other task light.

High tech

This may not be an option for everyone, but wireless technology can be a great addition to bedroom lighting. Turning the lights on and off from your bed makes things easier and more comfortable, but there’s more to it than that. You can set up different levels of illumination and have pre-prepared mood option that can also be activated from your phone or a mobile device. There are also gadgets that turn off the lights when the room is empty for a while and turn them one when someone enters, but these take a while to be installed and fully operational.

Choosing a perfect lighting can make your bedroom infinitely more cozy and pleasant to be in. Plan the lighting as carefully as all other aspects of the design because it is equally important. In the end, consult a professional electrician for any work that you might find overwhelming.

Guest Contributor, Diana Smith