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Catalogue 09

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:: Lighting Bedrooms

Here are some aspects that you need to consider when lighting a bedroom:

• Central fittings

• Bedside lamps

• Vanity/dressing table

• Walk-in wardrobes

• Cupboards

Central Fittings

The main purpose of a central light is general illumination (to allow you to see into the room) and to aid you when you are dressing and tidying up. It’s a good idea to choose a central ceiling fitting that matches the wall lights at the dressing table.

Many bedrooms are small, and flush fittings rather than hanging pendants, are more effective since they distribute light more evenly, making the room appear bigger.

Ceiling fans are fairly common in bedrooms and we recommend choosing one that is as quiet as possible, since a noisy fan can inhibit sleep. The room’s size and ceiling height, as well as the material, angle, blade length, and number of blades affect a fan’s efficiency. Some fans have fixed spotlights which are best used to highlight specific features around the room.

Bedside Lamps

Before choosing a bedside lamp, decide how and when you plan to use it. Reading should be done with a focussed bedside light and not a central light or you will suffer eyestrain. A non-directional light will create a ring of light around the book and it will take longer to fall asleep because the brain has been exhausted by struggling to focus on reading.

For reading, you need a directional light that will shine directly onto your book.

You could:

• use a clip-on spot

• add downlighters with small beams into your headboard so that they shine diagonally across (that way your partner can sleep without a light shining in their face)

• mount a double spotlight above the bed

• use tall bedside lamps

• use a floor lamp – these are particularly good for small rooms and children’s bedrooms where there is no space for a bedside table or where a desk and bed are positioned next to each other and the light must serve a dual purpose for studying and bedside reading.

Soft lighting is generally decorative or used to create a romantic mood. Use:

• a smaller non-directional lamp with a glass or shade diffuser to create a soft, diffused effect.

• a warm light for decorative purposes such as in a guest room

• a clip-on spot for reading that can be clipped onto a headboard or bedside lamp (and can be taken when you travel) – this will ensure that you do not lose the "look" of your room, but still allows you to read if you want to.

Vanity/Dressing Table

A dressing table is generally used for applying make-up so it is vital to have an even diffused light to cut down on shadows. The light must be diffused so that you can see your face, and the light is not too bright.

Consider these options:

• mount an under-counter fluorescent on either side of the mirror to give an even distribution of light

• mount an under-counter fluorescent above the mirror, and a wall light on either side of the dressing table.

If you want matching wall and ceiling fittings, first choose the wall lights most suitable for placement on either side of the dressing table, then add the matching ceiling fitting. A matching wall and ceiling set always completes a room.

Walk-in wardrobes

Good colour rendering lamps such as a good low-voltage halogen, is very important in a walk-in wardrobe since you need to be able to accurately see the colour of your clothes.

If you have a mirror inside the wardrobe, then consider positioning one downlighter above the mirror and one above where you generally stand.

Did you know that a well-lit dressing room can take 10kg off of you, compared to a poorly lit one? That’s because you look bigger when you are darker and full of shadows, which happens when light is directed on you rather than above you. What an incentive to light this area properly!

Cupboards

Fluorescent light is generally used to light the inside of a cupboard. Remember fluorescent tubes do not offer the best colour rendering, but since a cupboard is used only to find clothes, your priority is to have a light that will cover a long distribution surface.

If the inside of your cupboard has a long mirror, you will need the light to shine away from the mirror and towards you. Ideally you should position a downlighter (choose low-voltage halogen for good colour rendering) above where you would normally stand, usually about 3m away from the cupboard.

If your entire wall is a mirror, don’t use pendant fittings, rather use downlighters or spotlights aimed into the room. Remember always to aim light away from a mirror or the light will reflect back into the mirror and cast shadows on you.

Another consideration is to add sensor lights to your cupboards, so that when you open the door, the light automatically switches on. Sensors can be:

• linked to an external motion sensor

• mounted on a wall plate which can be placed inside the cupboard

• attached to hinged doors, which will have a similar effect to a fridge door.