There’s no place like home – and nothing captures the true essence of home than your bedroom. It’s your space to unwind, relax, and enjoy alone time. It’s more or less your hub and the space you spend most of your time in.
Understanding that, decorators and homeowners alike are constantly on the edge with making the bedroom seem as appealing and comfortable as possible. From a comfortable bed to functional units and right down to lighting – everything has to be perfectly in sync, yet stand its ground.
When we talk about lighting, we come across more than just an element meant to illuminate. We’re talking about form just as much as we are about functionality and in many aspects of those two terms.
There are many ways through which you can uplift your bedroom lighting. Here, we’ll be looking at some of the simplest yet most effective ways to achieve an impressive lighting theme.
Bedroom Lighting Ideas
Layering Lights
Credits: Renopedia, Ace Interior Design
When it comes to making the most out of lighting, nothing comes close to the effect layering would have. Think of it this way, you don’t just sit around on your bed all day in a bedroom even though it’s in the name. Similarly, you don’t just need one particular light to illuminate.
Layering refers to a process of going from general purpose lighting to specific purpose lighting. There are three broad categories of lighting: ambient, task, and accent. With layering, you have to create a balance between all three for a fully functional living space.
Pro Tip* Layer lights in this order: General, Task, and then Decorative.
Ambient Lighting
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Ambient lighting or general-purpose lighting is typically overhead fixtures or large floor lamps designed to give a general illumination. Ambient refers to a lighting solution that can illuminate a large chunk of your room.
If you’re cleaning your room or looking for something you dropped, you switch on ambient lighting. Typical fixtures include ceiling lights, pendant lights or chandeliers. Portable ambient lighting solutions come in the form of floor lamps such are torchiere lamps.
The purpose of ambient lighting is to provide a diffuse glow throughout your bedroom, and not have light confined in one particular space.
Pro Tip* Ceiling fixtures such as chandeliers or pendant lights have to be at least 40 inches above the top of your bed if not higher for a higher ceiling.
Task Lighting
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As we move on in layering lights, we go from general-purpose ambient lights to more task-specific lights – task lights. Task lights, the name probably gives it away, are lighting solutions for reading, doing your makeup, stitching, or to perform any particular task.
They create a hot-spot of concentrated light over a particular area where you’re meant to perform the task at hand. Given the intensity, task lights aren’t normally used on their own.
Tip: Task lighting should not overwhelm general lighting. Only incorporate task lighting where you know you’ll be performing a dedicated task.
Accent or Recessed Lights
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With ambient lights, you have a general, diffuse glow and with task lights, you have a concentrated focal point of light. Accent lights or recessed lights combine both elements to give a diffuse yet area-specific light.
Pro Tip* You don’t necessarily have to have an art piece in your room to have accent lights to complement it. Architectural features can be highlighted with accent lights just as well.
As such, they are best used to complement design features or art pieces. They could be used to bring attention to any element in your bedroom.
Make It All Work With Dimmers
Credits: Renonation
Dimmers aren’t lighting elements, rather, the provide lighting solution. They’re electrical switches that control the intensity of light. When layering lights, it’s difficult to make an immediate transition from high intensity to low intensity without causing strain. Hence, your best bet is to go with a dimmer which subtly decreases intensity to make the transition between waking up and going to bed easier.
Incorporating Your Style With Lighting
Credits: Renonation, Fused Concept
There might have had been a time when the lighting was seen much less artistically than it is today. It might be safe to say that lighting has transformed into an art form in today’s market. As such, there are many ways through which you can incorporate your style through your lighting choices.
The most obvious way is to spruce up your lampshade. Most lampshades are made to be ivory or white. However, they don’t have to be boring designs just for function. There are several forms of shades you can choose from that are equally functional as well as decorative.
Similarly, you can spruce up the lamp completely by having a contemporary or artsy one. Bold colors for lamps against a beige or neutral backdrop are easy and effective ways to make them stand out. You could also ditch the traditional lamp for one made out of metal. A combination of chrome, Nickle and copper is sure to hold its own.
Adjuncts to Natural Lighting
Credits: Renonation
There’s nothing quite the same as natural light coming in through a large panel window. This is because, even if natural light is available in abundance, there are only so many ways for it to reach your bedroom.
Designers and decorators always keep natural light as their top priority when incorporating lighting elements. Most of them become adjuncts to natural light, such as recessed lights around bedsides, low hanging pendant lights, or track lights.
There are many other ways through which you can enhance the natural light in your bedroom. For example, you could add a mirror or reflective elements in your room to bounce light coming in from the window around the room or incorporate sheer curtains to allow maximum light.
Conclusion
And there you have it! Impressive ways you can enhance bedroom lighting. It is important to know that lighting isn’t a simple and straightforward element. Because there is a plethora of design styles available, it is important to choose them carefully!
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With these effective means, you can enhance, dim or alter the lighting in your home according to your preference. The key here is to allow nothing to become too overwhelming and nothing to be too under.
