Bedroom Lighting Ideas: 5 Ways to Turn Your Space into a Sanctuary
Inspired by bedroom lighting ideas for a cosy atmosphere, you take a moment to enjoy your newly decorated space. Realising the time, you draw your curtains against the winter darkness and climb into bed, your head sinking into a pile of plumped cushions. Your bedside table light bathes the room in a gentle glow, cocooning you in your tranquil sanctuary.
Transform your space into a restful retreat with bedroom lighting that creates a relaxing atmosphere.
Read on to discover bedroom lighting inspiration tips from our design experts. Find out how to choose the right bulb temperature and explore the key colour schemes that help you drift into a peaceful night’s sleep.
Bedroom lighting ideas for styling your interior and staying snug
Wrapped in a fluffy dressing gown, you pull on your thick socks and settle down for a peaceful evening. You’ve been picturing this exact moment all day – your reward for an especially productive week. With a contented sigh, you let yourself melt into the mattress.
Your bedroom is a space that’s unique to you. It’s where you get ready for the day, catch up on your favourite series, and doze off listening to a podcast.
Flexible lighting will help you to strike the right balance between productive daylight and cosy evening ambience. Create a layered scheme with softer lighting like bedside table and standing lamps to use during the evenings.
At Dowsing & Reynolds, we have a wide selection of lighting for every style of bedroom.
Feel sleepy with ambient lighting
Warm white light is the most relaxing, making it the best choice for your bedroom. A good tip is to recreate sunset shades or golden tones that prepare your body for sleep, sympathetic to your circadian rhythm.
To enhance your warm bedroom lighting, opt for lamp shades in natural materials like feathers, wood, and rattan. When layered with other organic textures in soft furnishings, this style of bedroom lighting will give a homely look. Think cotton bedding that brings comfort to cold mornings and oversized rugs on top of wooden flooring.
It’s all about the bulb temperature
Not all light bulbs are the same. Light has a colour temperature that is measured in Kelvins, ranging from cool to warm.
To introduce cosiness to your bedroom, look for bulbs labelled warm white or warm glow. These yellowish bulbs will have a colour temperature of 2,700 to 3,000 K, whereas the cooler, blue-toned bulbs will be over 5,000 K.
Product pick: The milky globe light bulb features a spiral filament, creating a comforting glow that’s perfect for cosy nights in.
Wind down for the evening with a dimmer switch
Dimmer switches are a practical addition to any bedroom, allowing you to adjust the brightness levels. Slowly, the mood shifts from vibrant to tranquil, mimicking the gradual dimming of natural light as the sun sets.
Dimmer switches are a practical addition to any bedroom, allowing you to adjust the brightness levels. Slowly, the mood shifts from vibrant to tranquil, mimicking the gradual dimming of natural light as the sun sets.
Not only does this create a serene ambience, setting the scene for a self-care night, but it also promotes better sleep quality.
Gold, copper, or brass switches work well in cosy spaces, elevating the room’s décor with a quality metallic finish that reflects the warm-toned light beautifully. Try pairing with ornate mirrors and door and drawer handles in a similar shade.
Set the mood by layering your lighting
There are plenty of bedroom ceiling lighting ideas out there. From cluster lights for a bold look to sleek designs that elevate minimalist-inspired interiors, you can create a room you love with decorative lighting.
The light cast from a single ceiling feature in the bedroom can be too bright for the evenings. Instead, create a cohesive space by dotting a variety of lighting fixtures around your room. The result is a softer glow that doesn’t dazzle you or cause glare, helping you to relax before bed.
The light cast from a single ceiling feature in the bedroom can be too bright for the evenings. Instead, create a cohesive space by dotting a variety of lighting fixtures around your room. The result is a softer glow that doesn’t dazzle you or cause glare, helping you to relax before bed.
- Place lamps on your bedside table and chest of drawers
- Wrap fairy lights around your bedhead
- Fit down-facing wall lights next to your bed for a balanced look
- Light essential oil or vanilla-scented candles for extra cosiness
- Diffuse the light with stylish lampshades
Style tip: For a modern bedroom lighting idea, try swapping your bedside reading lamps with low-hanging bedroom pendant lights – which will also create more space on your bedside tables.
A colour palette to soothe the senses
When paired with lighting, the colours you choose for your bedroom will significantly affect how the space makes you feel.
Earthy shades and warm neutral paint colours have a soothing quality. Typically, these include cream, ivory, blush pinks, muted reds, and peachy oranges. You can undoubtedly find warm blues, greens, and greys, but they require more skill to achieve the desired effect.
Another cosy room idea is to replace your plastic sockets and switches with quality designs that add detail to the space. There are plenty of beautiful finishes to choose from, including chrome, black, white, copper, and gold.
Style tip: A handful of tints, tones, and shades of the same colour will feel the most restful.
Show us your dreamy bedroom lighting
We’d love to see how you’ve used our lighting to cosy up your bedroom. Tag @dowsingandreynolds on Instagram – we can’t wait to see your ideas!
