The Best Ways To Light A Modern Bedroom
Out of all the rooms in your home, you probably spend the most time in your bedroom. It is also the room where you are likely to relax at different times of the day: bright in the morning, dark at night, and somewhere in between. Studies show that your bedroom’s lighting can significantly affect your sleeping and waking patterns. Therefore, you must ensure that your bedroom has the right lighting design to make it a comfortable place to spend time in. Here are a few basic tips to help you keep your bedroom well-lit, functional, and comfortable to be in.
1. Layer your bedroom lights
The key to creating an excellent lighting system in your bedroom is by knowing how to layer your lighting. This means you need to find the perfect balance between task, ambience, and accent lighting. You can access different lighting styles to suit any activity with a simple switch when you successfully create a balance. Most home décor experts recommend beginning your layering with ambient lights. Ambient lighting includes natural lighting (if you have large windows or skylights) or artificial lights like chandeliers and pendant lights. Generally, ambient lighting should provide you with a decent amount of light to help perform basic bedroom tasks like making the bed or cleaning.
If you spend a lot of time in your bedroom doing activities that require more concentration, like reading or applying makeup, your next layer should be a task light. These could either be bedside lamps, sconces, or wall-mounted task lights. Accent lighting is typically used to bring attention to a stylish light or highlight statement pieces in your bedroom’s décor. They also give minimum lighting and can create a cosy atmosphere. Finally, you can tie in your light layers by including dimmers. These multifunctional light fixtures allow you to control how bright or dim you want your bedroom lights to be.
2. Select the right bulb
As you layer your bedroom’s lighting, you must consider the type of bulb you’ll use for each layer. The type of bulb you use, including its lighting intensity and the colour it produces, can affect how your bedroom looks and how it affects you. When it comes to colour, warmer lights like yellow are best for activities such as relaxing, reading, or watching TV. On the other hand, white and blue light colours are best used for activities that require a lot of focus. If you’re unsure about the wiring or installation of different types of bulbs and lighting systems, you can speak to your local electrician for expert advice.
3. Place the lights correctly
You must be more strategic in light placements in your bedroom. Where you place your floor lamps, for example, should depend on where your source of natural lighting comes from, especially if you want both lighting systems to mesh well together. Properly placed bedroom lights can enhance your mood, make you more productive, and help you relax.
Many modern bedrooms today are no longer used for just sleeping. They also double as multi-use spaces for many activities such as exercise, home office, or entertainment. You must ensure that you have the right lighting to help you get the most out of your personal space.
14 Comments
Samantha Donnelly
May 16, 2022 at 1:34 pm
Lighting is so important in any room, especially the bedroom we have a variety of different lighting in ours which helps especially when I need to apply make up
Sabina Green
May 18, 2022 at 1:44 pm
I love different lighting options as they can completely change the look and feel of a room.
Heather
May 16, 2022 at 3:57 pm
Lighting is important! We have a couple rooms that could use better lighting!
Sabina Green
May 18, 2022 at 1:44 pm
It’s surprising how a simple change in lighting can completely transform a room.
Talya Stone
May 16, 2022 at 5:12 pm
Great tips – we are all about ambient lighting and usually use lamps as opposed to overhead lights to achieve that. I also love using a red light bulb for warmth and depth.
Sabina Green
May 18, 2022 at 1:45 pm
We always opt for lamps too, overhead lighting can be so harsh!
Lisa
May 17, 2022 at 7:19 am
I really like your tips, we’re in the middle of redecorating and lighting is important for us. I’ll share this with my husband!
Sabina Green
May 18, 2022 at 1:45 pm
I’m pleased you have found the tips useful – for your husband 😉
Natasha Mairs
May 17, 2022 at 12:27 pm
I really love the idea of layering the bedroom lights. I work in the day in my bedroom so I like a lot of light then, but I like it to be cosy at bedtime.
Sabina Green
May 18, 2022 at 1:51 pm
Absolutely, that’s two very different uses for your space.
Tammy
May 17, 2022 at 3:08 pm
I didn’t even realize light placement…that is such a fantastic tip! I definitely need to move some things around more but this has been such a helpful post since the back of the house doesn’t get too much light.
Sabina Green
May 18, 2022 at 1:52 pm
It’s surprising what tricks you can use to brighten up a dark space using lighting and mirrors. I love a bright space but not too bright.
Yeah Lifestyle
May 18, 2022 at 1:44 pm
We don’t have many bedroom lights, but having layered lighting with different bulbs does give it a unique feel to the room, will be looking at implementing this
Jupiter Hadley
May 20, 2022 at 10:51 am
I honestly had no idea there was a difference between lightbulbs! We recently changed all of our “old” lightbulbs (which came with the house) into newer lightbulbs, and the light is just so much brighter! My partner says the new ones also are more energy efficient too.