Bedroom lighting ideas – 6 layers of light

Lighting a bedroom is a balancing act between adding ambiance and creating functionality. By combining several sources of light you’ll be able to go from one mood to another and from one task to the next one in a flick of a switch!

Soft and soothing general lighting

The bedroom ceiling lamp often acts as the source of general lighting in the room. You can’t go wrong by picking a lighting fixture that creates, soft, ambient light that spreads evenly and brings in serenity.

Hay’s rice paper shade is a classic that never goes out of style. Constructed from translucent rice paper, the shade emits a soft, tender light and acts as a soothing vocal point of the room even when turned off. Choose just one in a larger size or create a luminous cluster by grouping together different sizes. The character of the shade can be transformed by creative choices of accessories: try choosing a tinted bulb for a more dusky feel! Cord set sold separately.

• Hay's rice paper shade >

Reach out and touch light

A traditional nightlight is, without a doubt, a bedroom classic. When choosing a table lamp for the nightstand it’s best to choose a versatile, dimmable light that can be placed within reach.

The best nightlight for the bedroom is designed to be easily directed and adjusted.

The Yuh-table lamp by Louis Poulsen is designed by the Danish-Italian design duo GamFratesi: Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi. The ingenious Yuh-lamp is practically polymorphous: you can adjust the height, angle, and direction of its beautifully minimalist shade by rotating, tilting and sliding it along its vertical stand. The lamp is also dimmable and it has a timer function: it can be set to turn off in either 4 hours or 8 – perfect for late-night reading!

• Louis Poulsen's Yuh table lamp >

Utilitarian task lighting

Bedroom task lighting adds an element of functionality to the ambient general lighting, creating comfortable yet efficient lighting for working, applying makeup, or reading. With task lighting you can create space for several simultaneous functions as well: specified lighting makes it possible for one person to doze off while the other is still reading a book.

The sleek Noc wall light by Hay features a clean, streamlined design which makes it the perfect match for a variety of different styles. The petite wall lamp is also easy to place due to its small size and a 2-meter power cord. The Noc lamp is also available as a versatile clip lamp, that can be easily attached to a headboard or a shelf, and can just as easily be moved! Both lamps are also available in white.

• Hay's Noc wall light >

Add depth and body

The fourth layer of bedroom lighting is created by adding a floor lamp. A bedroom floor lamp complements the general illumination, creating a more deep and balanced lighting. Especially when the bedroom is also used for dressing, the floor lamp provides an excellent addition to the space.

If there’s extra room to spare, create an irresistible nook for reading and relaxing by combining a floor lamp, a comfy chair, and a handy little side table.

Vitra’s Akari 10A floor lamp is a contemporary interpretation of traditional Japanese paper lanterns by visionary sculptor Isamu Noguchi. Constructed of delicate, hand-made washi-paper, a bamboo framing and slender, black steel legs, the enchanting Akari floor lamp emits a warm, tender glow reminiscent of filtered sunshine.

• Vitra’s Akari 10A floor lamp >

Think outside the box

Especially when lighting a smaller bedroom it’s good to think outside the box. Opt for a cordless, movable lamp to create a burst of light wherever and whenever needed!

Carrie table lamp by Menu is a brilliant design by the Danish design duo Norm Architects: Kasper Rønn and Jonas Bjerre-Poulsen. A modern lantern, the Carrie lamp features a beautiful, detachable handle in brushed brass and a rechargeable LED unit, making it equally comfortable to place Carrie on a nightstand or a dresser, or take it with you on an evening promenade! The lamp is also available in several other colors.

• Menu's Carrie table lamp >

No shade, only light

Shadeless lamps make for an interesting detail in interior decoration, both individually and grouped together. The jewelry-like pendants are a versatile source of lighting, bringing in either ambiance or functionality. The modernist shadeless pendant light can also be used as a fun alternative for the traditional nigh light: fasten a stylish wall hook next to your bed, and hang the pendant to the hook by its cord.

Ferm Living’s Socket Pendant is a part of the Collect-collection, which allows you to create the perfect ceiling lamp by combining a variety of compatible, geometric pieces. Change the look of your pendant with decorative bulbs: Tala’s Elva-bulb mimics the aesthetics of a traditional incandescent bulb and the Socket LED bulb by Menu offers a more minimalist approach.

• Ferm Living's Socket Pendant >

See also:

• More lighting at Finnish Design Shop >

Text: Mira Ahola Images: Manufacturers