DIY Bedroom Lighting – Choosing Bedroom Lights

Choosing the right bedroom lighting involves more than one would think. A balance must be found to accommodate the many uses of the room, such as sleep and relaxation, intimacy, study, and morning preparation.

One of the two things most associated with the bedroom is sleep. For this, no light is necessary. It seems like any easy thing to just turn off the light. However, anyone who has ever been reading in bed and had to then get up to turn the light off knows what a hassle it can be, especially if the reading makes you tired. A good way to rectify this is to add a master switch within reach of the bed.

Reading in bed often leads to fatigue, strained eyes, and headaches. Proper lighting location and color can relieve this problem.

You may be wondering what is meant by lighting color. No, this does not refer to the color of the bulb itself. A better term would be color temperature. The proper light for reading should be similar to the light that is given by the sun. This type of light is determined by the surface temperature. The human eye is designed to function the best under these conditions. The best reading lights will be labeled as being close to this type of light.

Sometimes the light is not intended for any practical use, but rather for mood and atmosphere. This is another important consideration for bedroom lighting.

Keep your eyes from direct contact with light by placing it about a foot higher than where your eyes will be. This will allow for a subdued atmosphere as the light reflects off of different surfaces. This will create a calming affect required for relaxation or intimacy.

Most people spend their mornings preparing for the day. Unfortunately, depending on what time of the morning this is, the sun may not provide the light needed for such tasks. The lighting can also be affected by the orientation and construction of the house, as well as the type of curtains and blinds you have.

Lamps can be placed in various places to provide the light required to perform your morning tasks, like tying shoes, getting dressed, and brushing hair. Keep the light above the eyes, pointed directly down. Deep shadows can result from raising the light too high. If the light is placed too low, it will shine in your eyes.

A broad ambient lighting setup is required for general illumination. This can be accomplished with a bright central fixture that has a diffusing cover. Depending on the layout of the room, you may need supplemental lighting options to reach all of the corners.

A dimmer switch is a great way to gain more control of the lighting in your bedroom, no matter which of the above options you are talking about. This also gives you a way to cut back on electricity costs for lights that remain on for long periods of time. It can be rather costly to run a 300 watt halogen bulb every month. A dimmer switch can help to reduce this cost.

Before adding any lighting scheme to your bedroom, consider how it is laid out and how you use it first.