Light is one of the primary driving forces behind our circadian rhythms. It has a major impact on our general health and happiness. Bedroom lighting, on the other hand, is frequently disregarded when planning a home’s lighting design. After all, it’s a room where darkness is usually the goal. However, it’s important to manage light properly in your bedroom to make it easier for you to wake up in the morning and fall asleep at night. To help you, we have come up with this ultimate bedroom lighting guide.
Ultimate bedroom lighting guide
Layering light
Layering the three basic types of lighting will help you make the most of your bedroom lighting options. Moreover, it is the key to creating an effective and efficient lighting design in your bedroom.
1. Ambient lighting
Every room in your home requires a general level of ambient lighting to ensure it’s safe to move around in. In addition to embracing any available natural light, there are a couple of ways to create ambient or general lighting in your bedroom:
- Central overhead lighting casts even light around the entire room and can be wired to a dimmer switch.
- Floor lamps are a good alternative if you don’t have an overhead fixture. You may need multiple floor lamps, depending on the size of your bedroom.
- Lamps that cast indirect light can help create soft ambient light.
2. Task lighting
If your bedroom doubles as a workspace or dressing room, you’ll need to layer in directional task lighting to help you with these activities.
- For dedicated workspaces, you’ll want a directional table or desk lamp. The lamp should have a cooler colour temperature to help you stay alert and focused on the task at hand.
- For wardrobes and vanities, wall sconces thoughtfully positioned by your mirror can provide task lighting that will help you get dressed or put on makeup without casting harsh shadows.
3. Accent lighting
Accent lighting is typically used to highlight your favourite things, such as a piece of art, a piece of furniture, or architectural features. In your bedroom, accent lighting functions a little differently:
- More than ambient or task lighting, accent lighting can help you set a mood. One of the easiest ways to use lighting to set a mood is to use dimmers.
- Accent lighting can also help you diffuse light and draw your eye around the room. This makes your space feel larger and more balanced.
- Bedroom accent lighting may also be primarily decorative. Opt for pendants or lampshades that complement the look you are trying to achieve.
Lighting zones
If your bedroom functions as more than just a bedroom, you’ll want to add even more flexibility to your lighting design by creating zones. In addition to layering light, creating designated lighting zones for different areas of your space can make it easier to plan and control light levels. Here are some of the most common bedroom lighting zones to keep in mind:
Bedside lighting
Bedside lighting is often used for reading, so it functions similar to task lighting. However, unlike task lighting for a bedroom workspace, bedside lighting should avoid melatonin-producing blue light.
Wardrobe lighting
Proper lighting around your wardrobe can help you get dressed while you wake up in the morning. Keep these guidelines in mind for lighting this zone:
- Bright bulbs with a cooler colour temperature that mimics daylight.
- Aim light fixtures downwards so that the light is aimed at your wardrobe and not into your eyes.
Work area
Experts generally don’t recommend combining work and sleep in your bedroom, but sometimes it’s unavoidable. Creating a designated work zone using lighting can help keep your workspace separate from where you sleep. Look for task lighting that is bright and cool to keep you alert and prevent eye strain, and select a fixture with directional light so that you can aim it directly at what you’re working on.
