17 Bedroom Lighting Ideas to Set a Serene Mood
Those who cherish a calming ambiance are likely monitoring bedroom lighting ideas closely, with an eye toward outfitting their chambers with mood lighting for optimum relaxation. Gone are the days when a night-light seemed like sufficient decor for such a significant space. “Bedrooms are used for more than just sleeping,” says Boston interior designer Gary McBournie. “It’s nice to have a ceiling fixture to provide overall lighting, but you might want a pair of bedside lamps or swing arm lamps for nighttime reading.” Bedroom designs that include lounge chairs, desks, or side tables all have more specific illumination needs, ranging from floor lamps to task lighting.
Planning your bedroom lighting design can make for a fun treasure hunt at lighting stores, but it might feel overwhelming to scan through a bevy of chandeliers, lamps, and wall lights. That’s why we narrowed down the search to 17 striking bedroom lighting ideas.
What is the best lighting for a bedroom?
The wrong bedroom lighting can completely ruin a space, if you ask Kevin Chan, cofounder of the Toronto design studio Nivek Remas. “The best interior design can be completely ruined with terrible lighting,” he warns. When it comes to planning out your space and researching bedroom lighting ideas, Chan advises zeroing in on accent lighting and furniture lighting, including pieces like bedside table lamps, pendants, and wall sconces. Indirect lighting and lighting options with dimmers can help you create that coveted soft glow. “Accent lighting would include integrated LED lights in a headboard or somewhere in the interior architecture,” he explains. “You’ll also want to look for soft and indirect light on a dimmer, not [architectural spotlights] that are harsh and not suitable for bedroom design.”
Which light is best for bedroom at night?
Since lighting in a bedroom is usually focused on evening use, McBournie likes “pools” of light to create ambiance. Control lighting should be separately switched on a dimmer. Table lamps should also have separate high/low switches so they can be adjusted to one’s taste.
You’ll also want to consider the height and scale of the bedside table. It should be approximately the same height as the bed and placed no more than four to five inches from the bed to make it convenient when you turn the lights on and off. Table lamps should be between 25 to 29 inches tall and should use a dual bulb, so that the level of light can be adjusted. The lamp itself should have a soft shape—such as a gourd or urn style—to further play up relaxation, McBournie suggests.
You can also bring in floor lamps, eclectic hanging pendant lights, and delicate flush mounts—especially in a small bedroom.
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Photo: Nivek Remas1/17Go for globe lights
Use bedroom light fixtures to create a focal point. Nivek Remas used a cluster of small globes that balances the space between the bed frame and bedside tables to make the bedroom feel cohesive yet full of textural elements. Pairing the plush velvet on the headboard with the equally curvy light source brings it all together.
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Photo: Sarah Linden2/17Dress up your overhead lighting
Sure, a fancy chandelier looks good in a dining room, but it is equally glamorous when considered as a bedroom lighting idea. This Arhaus chandelier imbues the overall ambiance of the room with sophistication and elegance. “The glass texture of the piece casts [light] patterns and shadows, fostering a romantic and cozy atmosphere that is perfect for relaxation,” says April Littmann, founder and principal interior designer of Neighbor Interiors in Southlake, Texas. “Paired with the design are Kelly Wearstler for Visual Comfort stained black metallic table lamps to complement the overall moody aesthetic of the room. The off-white linen lamp shades provide contrast against the deep-hued plaster wall finish.”
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Photo: Zeke Ruelas3/17Keep visual interest eye level by skipping ceiling lighting
Brad Ramsey, principal and founder of Brad Ramsey Interiors in Nashville, used wall-mounted Cedar & Moss wall sconces just above a bedside table to provide texture, complementing all the other layers in the room—like the buckles on a headboard and a knitted throw.
Photo: Dustin Halleck4/17Nod to decor themes referenced throughout your home
Devon Wegman, principal and design director of Devon Grace Interiors in Chicago, brought in Pottery Barn Arvin table lamps to tie in the industrial nature and architecture of the entire space into this bedroom, making the lighting a subtle statement piece that isn’t going to take over the entire room. “The kitchen cabinets are made with the same wood as this headboard wall and all the cabinet hardware is a warm, aged brass, so these lamps create a cohesive, unified aesthetic,” Wegman says.
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Photo: Sarah Linden5/17Consider some contrast
Try flanking the bed with accent lighting that contrasts with its surrounding decor, like this bold black-and-white juxtaposition. “This architectural light fixture from Shades of Light resembles alabaster and acts as a sculptural art piece, popping against the dark and moody wall colors,” says Brett Seidl of Lewis & Rose Interiors in Frisco, Texas.
Photo: Courtesy of Hattie Sparks Interiors6/17Embrace a small bedroom with chic, minimalist overhead lighting
Hattie Collins, principal of Hattie Sparks Interiors, added a “sculptural and fresh” Visual Comfort light fixture to a somewhat small room in order to give it an interesting focal point that wasn’t overpowering.
Photo: Jenifer McNeil Baker7/17Juxtapose vertical and horizontal lines
When choosing bedside lighting, think about juxtaposing visual lines. Using wood paneling makes for a contemporary bedroom lighting backdrop, creating rippled lighting that further enhances the bedroom design. “This Visual Comfort pendant brings sculptural softness to the space,” says Eddie Maestri, principal architect and owner of Maestri Studio in Texas.
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Photo: Jason Varney8/17Sneak in a reading light
Interior designer Ghislaine Viñas knows that having multiple lighting options is a treat. “Having a pendant light next to a bed looks absolutely stunning but most do not work as well as reading lights,” she says. “Once you’ve experienced the ease of a reading light, which throws just the right amount of direct light on the book you’re reading, you consider it a daily luxury. I always try to camouflage these little luxuries so that they remain as innocuous as possible.”
Photo: Kirk Davis Swinehart9/17Maximize your bedside table
In planning out his own apartment, interior designer William Cullum of Jayne Design Studio knew that standout decor ideas at every turn were a must, especially on the bedside table. He used a pair of Napoleon III oil lamps in orange, black, and gold, adding trimmed cobalt silk shades to create “the most beautiful light” which reflects off the metallic gold curtains and an 18th-century mirror plate. To balance the statement-making bedside table, Cullum mounted discreet mod task lights from Viabizzuno.
Photo: Tim Lenz10/17Keep it simple
Instead of going grand, interior designer Joan Enger of J. Patryce Design opted to keep the existing George Nelson Saucer pendant her clients had in their bedroom. “The diffused glow and the simplicity of the light fixture paired well with the clean lines and subtlety of the space,” she says. The vintage Bostlund ceramic table lamp on the stone table is used as a reading light.
Photo: Paul Dyer11/17Amp up the drama with a sculptural element
A bedroom chandelier can look just at home in a grand chamber as in a nursery. Marea Clark of Marea Clark Interiors opted for a sculptural chandelier in a nursery so the babies can look up to a chicer sort of mobile—you can’t start too young with feeding little ones decor ideas to encourage great taste.
Photo: Dustin Halleck12/17Opt for a geometric pop
The white finish on this sculptural pendant light from Burke Decor allowed Wegman to create a soft touch that didn’t compromise the upholstered headboard wall. Its transparency adds a serene aesthetic to the primary bedroom.
Photo: Muriel Silva13/17Balance your space with matching lighting
Connie Riik, principal of CSR Interiors, used bed drapery the width of the bed rail that pushed the nightstand a bit further than normal. So she added a reading light that’s both functional and beautiful—it matches the brass table lamp with an off-white linen lampshade. “The two fixtures contrast with the floral pattern,” Riik says. “Together, these features provide visual balance and rhythm in this space.”
Photo: Marc Maudlin14/17Free up bedside table real estate with a lamp-like sconce
Elle Cantrell of Elle Du Monde in Atlanta selected wall sconces instead of table lamps to give visitors more nightstand space in a guest bedroom. “The selenite body adds a soft natural element to juxtapose the mirrored nightstands,” she says.
Photo: Tracey Ayton15/17Bring on a bold focal point
Victoria McKenney of Enviable Designs chose a Made Goods rattan chandelier to bring in an organic element that isn’t exactly linear. “Including a focal point is so important to emphasize the architectural features in a room with a vaulted ceiling,” she says.
Photo: Brian Wetzel16/17Go for two
Brittany Hakimfar of Far Studio is all about the rope-wrapped lantern with multitiered pendants that create welcome asymmetry in a room with a raised ceiling. “It is neutral and not too loud, yet tasteful and iconic,” she says.
Photo: Muriel Silva17/17Stick with a flush mount
For a guest bedroom, Riik decided to reference the room’s floral wallpaper with the lighting fixtures. “The circular scallop detail is present on both the flush mount and the table lamp,” she says. “The gilded interior of the Visual Comfort ceiling fixture pulls the warm tone—present in the wallpaper and bed—to the ceiling and draws the eye up.”
