10 Best Bedroom Lighting Ideas

Don't forget lighting when decorating or redecorating your bedroom. Here are 10 gorgeous bedroom lighting ideas to inspire you.

When putting together a brand-new bedroom setup, or trying to upgrade the decor you already have, there's one detail you can't overlook: lighting. The right lights make or break every single room in the house. This is about much more than visibility. As much as you want to create a bright, welcoming space or a cozy, comfortable area, you need to focus on the actual lighting accents that accomplish this. Would you rather have tall floor lamps, for example, or small, hidden light fixtures? These are just a couple of the options you have to consider when deciding on bedroom lighting. Below are the top ten bedroom lighting ideas new homeowners are using right now.

1. Bedside Lights on the Headboard

One of the best ideas out there is to place small lights right on your headboard. Young homeowners and apartment dwellers are using string lights to do this. Such a look creates a peaceful ambiance, often helping these people drift to sleep as they leave their lights on all night.

For a bit of a more sophisticated approach, though, find small reading lamps to install into your headboard. These create a beautiful look with a little bit of added function for the ultimate source of comfort at all hours. Use your headboard lamp to help you wake up in the morning, or to do a little bit of reading as your partner falls asleep.

2. Built-in Lamps Around the Bed

Like the bedroom lighting idea above, but don't want to change the headboard you have right now? Install small bedroom light fixtures around the bed instead. Put a small wall lamp on either side of the headboard, one for each person to reach and control. This gives you all the benefits mentioned in the first idea, without disrupting the overall decor style you already have in your bedroom.

3. Pendant Lights

Sometimes, finding the right bedroom lights isn't about blending in with the decor that's already there. It's about finding something to stand out and make a bold statement instead. That is exactly what pendant lights do.

Pendant lights hang from the ceiling with one small, thin wire. The light fixture at the end of the wire can be a wide range of things. Some pendant lights are simple, round shapes while others are extravagant, bold-colored and eccentrically shaped pendants.

4. Chandeliers

Pendants are a great way to add a little bit of style to the bedroom. For something that really makes you go WOW, though, get a chandelier. Many homeowners talk themselves out of a chandelier because they don't think it makes appropriate bedroom lighting. After all, chandeliers are mostly used in large dining rooms or in open entry areas of a home. But, there really is no reason not to bring such a great lighting style into the bedroom. A small chandelier can add a significant amount of beauty to the entire room.

5. Bold Lamps

As lovely as a chandelier may look, such a lighting style is not everyone's cup of tea. Instead of looking traditional and sophisticated, maybe you want your personal space to be a more bold representation of who you are. What better way to accomplish such a vision than with a unique lamp? Browse bold lamps online and in various lighting stores. You're sure to find everything from black and white patterns to fun, brightly colored lamp covers. Some lamps will even have a colored light bulb for a little more pizazz.

6. Lamps That Blend with Wallpaper

What if you'd rather have a more unified, simple look than a bold bedroom design? Find a lamp that blends with your wallpaper instead of something that draws too much attention! Lamp covers come in all shades and sizes. There is bound to be one that is simple, yet stylish, enough to pair perfectly with your room. Bedroom lighting ideas don't always have to be the center of attention. Sometimes, the best choice is a light fixture that offers the visibility you need without being noticed.

7. Floor Lamps

Another way to create a simple and sophisticated lighting approach is to use a floor lamp. Floor lamps are a beautiful way to make the bedroom walls feel taller and the space as a whole look wider. These lighting fixtures go great right next to the bed frame or across the room in a small reading corner. Place them next to your vanity to get the perfect makeup every time you're getting dressed, or put them right by the door to the bathroom to make your toilet trips in the middle of the night a little easier!

8. Neon Lights

When you read "neon" you may be thinking about obnoxious business signs or bright nightlife lights. In terms of bedroom lighting ideas, though, neon lights are strings of bright lights that you can arrange. These are great for putting a unique sign or saying on the wall. You can write out your name with neon lights, or just say one word that has a lot of meaning to you - like "love" or "happiness." Such phrases come to represent what you feel in your bedroom and encourage these feelings more and more.

9. Sconces, Candles, and More

Just when you think you've tried all the different lighting ideas for bedroom walls and floors there are, look again. Consider installing scones, buying a bunch of candles, or looking for vintage lanterns or fixtures you can DIY and restyle. Sconces are light fixtures attached to the wall, originally meant to hold candles. Modern times now make beautiful sconce designs for traditional bulbs, although some are still made to look like candle holders.

If you enjoy things like scented candles and incense, maybe what you need in your bedroom is more shelves to place such items. Or, if you're having trouble deciding how to light your bedroom, take a trip to a flea market or consignment shop and see what unique lighting items catch your eye!

10. Better Use of Natural Light

As you're putting all the different lighting fixtures together, don't forget about natural light. Most bedrooms have more than one light source, but the best one is always the sun. Find ways to open up the room and welcome more light during the day. Maybe this is a matter of switching the curtains you have or rearranging the furniture to better face the light coming in through the bedroom windows.

Take Your Pick of the Best Bedroom Lighting Ideas

Already dreaming of your finished bedroom design? Great - but you can't deem a project complete without the right lighting! Use the ideas and tips above to spark some inspiration, then order your new light fixtures and set everything up.

To start browsing the best bedroom lighting ideas, click here.