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A key element in interior design
Lighting is a key element in interior design – without well-designed lighting, the effect of the decor you have chosen so carefully can be lost. You have probably selected colours, fabrics and finishes in daylight or in a harsh neon-lit store environment – but you'll be living with them under the lighting ambience you create at home. This is particularly true in bedrooms, the areas where you're likely to be using lighting most of the time – bedroom lights are probably the first ones turned on the morning and the last to go out at night.
The same lighting design rules apply here as in other living areas – you should aim to create layers of light, each designed for particular purposes.
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Ambience
Ambient lighting in the bedroom will probably come from ceiling lights that provide even light throughout the room. Options include pendant lighting, glass ceiling shades or recessed downlighting. The style of shades or fittings should be selected to enhance your chosen decor, but be sure to install dimmers on the switch. In addition to reducing energy use and lengthening bulb life, dimmers give you control over light intensity and enable you to set the right mood.
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Mood lighting
Mood lighting in the form of wall fittings or pelmet fittings provide a second layer of light, softening the brightness of the central lighting or replacing it with a subtler ambience.
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Highlighting
Consider including accent lighting to highlight a specific feature of the room – perhaps a treasured artwork or a special piece of furniture. This lighting works in conjunction with other layers rather than alone.
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Reading lights
Task lighting is the next layer to consider. Curling up in bed with a good book is one of life's pleasures – but nothing spoils it more than poor-quality lighting. Whether you prefer bedside lighting as table lamps or wall fittings, remember that your partner may feel like sleeping while you keep turning pages – reading lights need to be directional and individually controlled.
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Big bedrooms
Large bedrooms generally have separate areas for seating as well as a dressing area with mirror. These spaces should be separately lit with an eye to their role – brighter task lighting at the dresser, softer light over the seating area, with the inclusion of a reading light.
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The right bulb
Bulb selection is important – ambient light in the bedroom should be soft and warm. Standard fluorescent lighting may be too flat and hard, but colour-improved fluorescents work well, as do incandescent or halogen bulbs. Depending on the number of fittings, the wattage of bulbs should be chosen to create bright, even light at full strength – then you can reduce the intensity as required with dimmers.
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