Good bedside lighting makes a bedroom feel calm and makes reading in bed easy. Get it wrong and you'll be squinting at your book or blinded when you switch it on. Here's how to get it right.
Bedside lamp or wall light?
- Bedside table lamp: easy to move and change, no fitting needed. It's best when you have a decent-sized bedside table.
- Bedside wall light: frees up table space, looks like a boutique hotel and is ideal for small bedrooms or floating shelves. Rechargeable and plug-in versions need no electrician.
How tall should a bedside lamp be?
As a guide, the bottom of the lampshade should sit roughly at chin height when you're sitting up in bed. That keeps the bare bulb out of your eyes while still lighting your book. For most beds and bedside tables, that means a lamp around 45 to 65cm tall.
Keep the lamp in proportion: it should be no wider than the bedside table.
How high should bedside wall lights go?
A common guide is to position bedside wall lights roughly 60cm above the top of the mattress, and slightly outside the edges of the bed. Sit in bed and check where the light falls before you fix it. Adjustable or swing-arm wall lights are the most forgiving.
How bright should bedside lighting be?
- For a soft, relaxing glow: around 200 to 300 lumens.
- For reading in bed: around 400 to 500 lumens, pointed at the page.
A dimmable lamp gives you both. Always choose warm white (2700K to 3000K) in a bedroom. It's much kinder in the evening than cool white.
Ideas for small bedrooms
- Swap bulky lamps for slim wall lights.
- Use a pendant hung low beside the bed instead of a table lamp.
- Choose pale fabric or glass shades to bounce light around.
Make it match
A matching pair either side of the bed always looks considered. Buy two and you'll also save 10% automatically.
Shop bedside lamps and wall lights.