5 creative ways to light up your bedroom

Well-chosen bedroom lighting designs will complement the home’s inner sanctum as much as a fine piece of art. Creative bedroom lighting will accentuate the chosen interior décor, create the perfect mood lighting, and ensure the space is just right for winding down in the evenings.

What is the best way to choose bedroom lighting?

The first consideration for bedroom lighting should always be the size of the room itself. The fixtures need to provide adequate lighting for more task focused activities such as reading or dressing. Chandeliers and pendants should be proportional to the room size to ensure they don’t overly dominate the décor.

What type of lighting is best for bedrooms?

A bedroom requires both functional and mood lighting, so consider these top 5 creative ways to cast the perfect mix of light and shadows:

1. Floor lamps and standing lamps for style and substance

Floor lamps come in a multitude of shapes, sizes and designs to suit any design scheme or taste. Use a multi-head floor lamp to ensure extra brightness on those dark winter mornings, or consider an arc floor lamp in place of headboard light fixtures.

2. Personalise the room with rope lighting

Easy and low-cost to install, rope lighting can inspire and delight. Whether back-lighting a headboard, making statement ‘light-art’ on the wall or just creatively lighting a darker recess in the room, rope lighting provides an opportunity for individual flair.

3. Inject elegance with swing arm sconces

Swing arm sconces are a perfect addition to a vintage theme, choose shallow shades and bare filament bulbs to really set it off.

4. Get creative with over-the-bed lighting

From repurposed ornaments and decorations, to clustered globe lights or chandeliers -  with a little creativity and thought the lighting itself can become the statement of the room.

5. Use hanging lights for elegance and subtlety

Hanging lights are timeless bedroom fixtures, but their modern descendants offer so much more style than the traditional staid lampshade housing an orange glow. Think strong lighting, or pendant lights to inject a modern vibe and great aesthetic appeal.

How low should a pendant light hang in a bedroom?

Bedroom pendant lights, usually placed to either side of the bed, often double as a reading light – so they should hang low but allow a clearance of at least 30cm from the bedside table. 

Learn more about lighting: What is the best lighting for a bathroom?

Top banner image credit: Kaiteriteri, Motueka, Nelson by BSW