Indoor Design  / Private Home

9 tips to light up the bedroom


Posted On 20 January 2023

When you enter a home, you expect to enter a small world of its own, intimate, comfortable, and personalized in every respect.

Light is one of the key factors that profoundly characterizes its surroundings. It has a decisive influence both on the creation of the desired atmosphere and on the visual comfort necessary for doing various activities.

This means that each room should have customized lighting.

In particular, bedroom lighting deserves specific care and attention.

At the end of the day, the bedroom is a haven of relaxation, a way to get away from the frenetic and stressful rhythms of our daily routines. 

Therefore, it is essential to know how to create a welcoming and regenerating atmosphere through a carefully thought-out lighting project and with the use the perfect lighting fixtures in terms of design and functionality.

In this article, we will explain how to light up the bedroom to simultaneously satisfy both the aesthetics and comfort of the most "intimate" room.

In particular, we will take a look at: 

 

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Moby Dick

9 tips to illuminate the bedroom in an optimal way

The bedroom represents a symbol of privacy and tranquility.

Because it is such a special place in your home, choosing the right decorative lighting solutions is essential for the environment to be perfectly balanced and harmonious.

On the contrary, solutions that are not suitable for the style or are not very functional could completely undermine the aura of peace and intimacy.

So let's take a look at the 9 best practices to avoid making mistakes and to light up the bedroom correctly.

1. Match the bedroom lighting with the style of the furnishings

Matching the lighting to the style of the furnishings is a rule that is always valid for every room.

The keyword is consistency.

This means that, to light up the bedroom, it is important to establish a mood and carry it forward in the style of the furniture and the choice of light installations.

However, we shouldn't limit ourselves to considering only the aesthetic component. We should make sure that the lamps chosen are able to fulfill their purpose 100% in terms of functionality to avoid, for example, ending up with an insufficient or excessive amount of light.

2. Introduce several solutions to guarantee lighting levels in every corner of the room

When it comes to lighting up the bedroom, you don't have to choose just one lamp, for example, between a chandelier or a wall light.

In fact, choosing multiple solutions is the turning point for creating a successful lighting design project.

This means introducing lamps for:

  • Ambient lighting, i.e. the general lighting of the room. In fact, large or small, the bedroom needs direct and uniform light. In this context, you should know that not all lamp models are suitable for lighting up the bedroom as a whole.
    From this point of view, recessed lamps arranged around the entire perimeter of the ceiling or suspension lamps could be the most suitable solutions for the bedroom.
  • Accent lighting, i.e., to highlight, for example, architectural details, decorations, plants, ornamental vases, design elements, frames, paintings, and photographs that deserve to be enhanced with the right light.
    This level of lighting can be achieved through floor and wall lamps.
  • Task lighting, i.e. the lighting for activities. Reading a book under the covers, moving around safely at night, working on the computer, changing clothes, etc. are the most frequently performed activities in the bedroom that require optimal levels of functional light.
    In this case, wall lamps or floor lamps can be the right solution to light up the bedroom area, while table lamps are perfect for a desk.

The only way you can ensure the comfort and ease of activities is by providing these three levels of lighting.

3. Take advantage of natural light

Natural light plays a fundamental role in lighting up the bedroom. For this reason, a well-done lighting project must guarantee the perfect integration of natural light and artificial light.

Before selecting the most suitable solutions for lighting up the bedroom, it is important to evaluate the brightness of the room without artificial lighting

Large windows, balconies, and terraces are potential ways of accessing the sun's rays.

Natural light, added to lamps with the right temperature, will create a fresh and light atmosphere.

 

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Sherwood e Robin

 

4. Identify the best location for the bedroom lamps

Choosing the right location for the lamps is particularly strategic for making the most of the room and guaranteeing the right level of light where needed.

If the size of the room allows it, for general lighting, the chandelier is an evergreen with a spectacular effect that should be placed on the ceiling in the center of the room.

But how can you light up the bedroom without a chandelier?

If you are illuminating a small room, there are less bulky alternatives to the chandelier or, more generally, to suspensions.

An excellent solution for lighting up a small room (but also if you don't like suspension lamps) are wall lamps since they can be placed directly on the walls without taking up space.

Obviously, wall lamps require a simultaneous assessment of the furnishing arrangement, so you don’t create overlapping problems that could become difficult to solve.

Another alternative to the chandelier are the LED strips and spotlights that can be placed, for example, along walls or along furniture frames to illuminate a certain point in the room.

Instead, for example, to illuminate the comfort zone, the right suggestion could be to place wall lights on the sides of the bed with controls and switches, to make them easily accessible.

In any case and regardless of the type of lighting element, it is necessary, as we will see shortly, to pay attention to choosing the right color temperature.

5. Choose the right color temperature to light up the bedroom

Color temperature refers to the tone of light emitted by a light source and is measured in Kelvin (K). 

Although there are different colors, most of the light sources are white in color, which however, can vary from very warm white light beams to cooler light beams.

The lower the Kelvin number, the hotter (and therefore redder) the color of the light will be

Conversely, the higher the Kelvin number, the cooler (and therefore bluer) the light will be.

So which color of light should you choose for the bedroom?

To light up the bedroom, it is advisable to opt for warm and soft lights (between 2700K and 3200K Kelvin), to delight the eye and not weigh down the atmosphere.

 

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6. Select the right lamp dimensions

The ceilings of the smallest rooms often feature large chandeliers, chosen to fill an otherwise anonymous and visually empty space… wrong.

The whole room will certainly have good lighting, but overall, the size of the lamp will be visually and aesthetically cumbersome.

So be careful: a lamp’s dimensions should always be chosen according to the space available in the bedroom.

 

mek illuminate the bedroom

Mek

7. Use a dimmer to adjust the light gradations

Adjusting the intensity of the light to light up the master bedroom using dimmable lamps is an extremely functional solution. In this way, you can choose the right atmosphere for all hours of the day.

8. Calculate how many lumens you need to light up the bedroom 

Calculating how many lumens and watts you need to light up a room is an essential element to ensure that the lighting is appropriate for the type of environment and is neither too dim nor too intense.

The number of lumens depends both on the surface to be illuminated and the intensity of the light, called lux. So, to calculate how many lumens are needed to light up a room, just multiply the lux by the square meters.

To light up a bedroom you need between 50 and 150 lux. Multiplying this value by the square meters, you will get the value of the lumens needed for your room.

 

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Nilo

9. Add a touch of style

We have said that the choice of lighting for the bedroom must be in line with the room’s overall mood.

This does not mean that one cannot be carried away by the desire to experiment and use lively and sophisticated lighting design solutions to create an overall effect with a great aesthetic impact.

Like the Karman decorative lamps, a perfect combination of design and functionality.

Karman lamps are ideal for lighting up the bedroom

For those looking for lamps with a creative and original concept, Karman will not disappoint.

The design of Karman lamps will give the room an unmistakable distinctive note of style and the highest standards in terms of functionality.

Let's look at some examples to inspire you.

24 Karati: real jewels to light up the bedroom

Not simple suspension lamps, but real jewels to light up the bedroom.

24 Karati is the name that the designer Matteo Ugolini chose for his creation: a series of precious suspensions in maxi format, made of layered glass, available in milky white, smoked transparent or straw yellow glass.

These suspensions, used individually or in composition, emit filtered and delicate light in the air, creating enchanted atmospheres.

The different models of 24 Karati can be combined to create a cascade composition, to be placed in the center of the bedroom.

An idea of light with an effect, perfect for illuminating the entire room.

 

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24 Karati

Alì e Babà: the light from "One Thousand and One Nights"

Suitable both as a wall light and as a table lamp, perhaps to be placed above bedside tables, Alì e Babà is a practical and elegant solution for lighting up the bedroom.

The lamps in the collection are available in a matte white or glazed ceramic version, or with a white linen lampshade for a more diffused light. The designer Matteo Ugolini found inspiration from the stories of "One Thousand and One Nights" for its creation.

The simple and refined profile of this lamp will make the bedroom an intimate and magical place.

Le Trulle: the comfortable solution with a sophisticated touch

Le Trulle are suspension lamps available in three different shapes and sizes, with a great appealing impact: pure white in color, with a white metal wire diffuser and natural ceramic structure, Le Trulle stands out for its soft lines. 

This elegant suspension, with a rounded shape, is extremely evocative and recalls the Apulian trulli, the same ones that inspired Edmondo Testaguzza for the design of this lamp.

The Trulle represents a comfortable solution with a sophisticated touch, perfect for illuminating the task areas of your room.

 

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Le Trulle

Nando and Mek: an industrial style bedroom

It is a metal joint and a micro-perforated tubular lacquered in white, gold, and anthracite

Nando, a suspension lamp designed by Luca De Bona and Dario De Meo, brings the essence of industrial taste to the bedroom, lighting up the bedroom area with direct and uniform light.

Nando's style companion is definitely Mek, a suspension created by Bizzarri Design. It is an industrial lamp, available in white and bronze, black, or white ceramic and in three dimensions, and stands out for its particular metal shapes.

Mek is also suitable for the most intimate rooms. This is why it is perfect for giving a source of intense, direct light to the different areas in your bedroom.

 

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Mek

Work in Progress: from the construction site to a sophisticated wall lamp

A simple and humble construction site lamp is renewed and takes on the role of a sophisticated wall lamp. 

Work in progress, designed by Matteo Ugolini, excels in elegance and sophistication, thanks to the soft lines of the white ceramic and floral details that decorate its interior.

Positioned next to the bed, these wall lamps provide optimal levels of task lighting. 

 

best-lamps-for-the-bedroom

Work in progress

How do you light up the bedroom? Conclusion

As we have seen, one of the essential ingredients for a perfect atmosphere in the bedroom is the lighting. 

In fact, a well-designed lighting project can transform an “ordinary” bedroom into an oasis where calm and tranquility reign supreme.

Each of the different types of lamps play a prominent role in this particular room of the house, as they provide the necessary lighting levels to satisfy the functional and stylistic needs of the bedroom:

  • Suspensions to diffuse direct and intense light in every corner of the room;
  • Wall lights to give accent lighting to decorative elements
  • Floor lamps and table lamps to ensure maximum practicality.

In short, a mix of solutions are essential to light up the bedroom and create the right atmosphere.

If you want to choose each model correctly, pay attention to the aspects that we have seen and that affect the entire lighting system of the room.

 

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For more information, support, and assistance in choosing the right lamp models to light up the bedroom, do not hesitate to contact us at this link. We are at your complete disposal.

Camilla Rossi

AUTHOR

Camilla Rossi

WHO WE ARE

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Karman, an Italian company, was founded in 2005 in Fossombrone. The company's world moves itself with simplicity towards an original and personal decorative use of lighting in both private surroundings and public spaces.

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