Bedroom Lighting

A good bedroom lighting plan should take into consideration all of the ways we use the room - including relaxation, sleep, romance, reading and morning preparation.

Addressing all of these needs can easily be done with a little thought.

Obviously one of the main uses of our bedrooms is for sleep. A first consideration of a good lighting plan for this room is to make sure it is easy to turn off the lights from the bed.

Bedroom lamps that can easily be reached from the bed are important. That usually means having lamps on side night tables. You may also want to consider a master switch at the bedside, that controls all the lighting in the room.

If you are someone who loves to read in bed, avoiding eye strain is essential. Installing the right bedroom light fixtures in the proper places is a major step.

Getting the color correct is important too. Color used in this context means color temperature. Good reading lights are designed to emulate the range of wavelengths given off by natural sunlight, which is the most comfortable reading light for us. Using bulbs and bedroom lamps that provide that type of light will ensure you enjoy a good reading environment.

You probably want to create a more pleasant ambiance in your bedroom as well. This is easily accomplished with the selection and placement of bedroom lamps. Select bedroom lamps that will sit about a foot higher than your eyes. The light will reflect off the surfaces below it and provide a more subdued atmosphere through indirect lighting. This type of lighting is very calming and helps to create a relaxed atmosphere that is perfect for a bedroom.

Morning is the time most of us need the brightest light in our bedrooms, as we are going about preparing ourselves for the day. Orientation of the bedroom in the house, heavy curtains, time of year and exterior overhangs or trees may mean that your bedroom doesn't get the illumination you need.

To provide the light you need to select clothing, brush hair, put on makeup or do other daily tasks, place bedroom lighting appropriately. Here again, keep the light above the eyes, letting it shine directly down. Raising lamps too high can create shadows that hinder makeup application or make it difficult to judge clothing colors. Placing them too low can cause the light to shine directly into your eyes. Select a pleasing mid level.

Broad ambient interior lighting provides overall illumination. Entering the room, vacuuming and other common daily tasks require a level of overall lighting. A central light fixture is the best source for this kind of light. Here is where your decorative lighting flair can really make a room.

Choose a simple ceiling light fixture that suits your needs or rev up the room with an elegant chandelier or hanging light fixture. Designer lighting has made its way to the bedroom and there are hundreds of beautiful choices that can help create the look you want to achieve while providing the level of light you need.

If you have a large bedroom, you may also require supplemental lighting fixtures to light corners, nooks and other areas of a bedroom that can have deep shadows. Smaller lamps or recessed lighting may work well in these areas.

Consider installing a dimmer switch, or at least using multi-level bulbs, for finer control of light and shadow. Using a dimmer or lower levels of multi-level bulbs when brighter light is not necessary can save you money and be part of your personal going green campaign. Have a look at the new, more eco friendly bulbs available now.

If you consider all the ways you use your bedroom and design your bedroom lighting plan accordingly you can create a relaxing oasis that helps to relieve the strains of the day