Even though a great deal of time is spent there, one of the rooms that often gets the least attention in terms of decor is the bedroom. This can also be true when staging a home for sale, as all too often rooms like the kitchen, living room and the bathrooms get all the attention and the bedrooms maybe get a tidy out and a new bedding set, but that’s about it.
Lighting is one of the things very often overlooked when it comes to bedroom decor. While a darkened bedroom is certainly usually conducive to slumber it is of little use for anything else. Therefore using clever lighting techniques to get the lighting in your bedroom just right to suit its functions and its style is crucial, especially when it is being staged for a home sale.
Here are some tips bear in mind when selecting the right lighting for your bedroom(s):
Size Matters
As you design a new lighting scheme for your bedroom, you have to remember that size really does matter. Most bedroom ceilings are not too much higher than nine feet, so very tall lamps may not be the best idea as they may make the room look squatter than it really is. Sticking to a mixture of elegant wall lamps and scattered accent lamps creates a much better look.
Location, Location, Location
A single overhead (and over your bed) lighting fixture tends to cast a rather glaring direct light that is rather unflattering (and annoying) while failing to actually illuminate half of the room at all.
Any room benefits from a layered lighting scheme – that is one that is a mixture of task and accent lighting – but that is especially true in the bedroom. No single source of lighting, however attractive, is going to be as useful, or as aesthetically pleasing as a layered lighting system that provides both great task lighting and mood enhancing softness when the occasion calls for it.
Bedside reading lamps are usually a standard in the bedroom. The best bedside reading lamps are those that can be adjusted to suit your personal tastes in terms of illumination level and have a good shade that shields the bulb and won’t wake a sleeping partner with too much glare.
If you are one of the many people who choose to keep a computer and/or television in the bedroom you will need to add good task lighting there as well. On the other hand, if you have created a nice little sitting nook with a comfy chair, softer, less direct lighting will give the spot a more relaxed feel.
Wall Lights as Art
Wall lights and sconces make a great addition to almost any room because apart from providing a nice source of accent lighting they can actually serve as wall art as well. From elegant and traditional to ultra-modern and angled, there are wall lamps out there in a myriad of designs, which can either be used as accents to your current décor scheme or as the focal points for a new one.
Closet Lighting
People often delight in the fact that they have a bedroom with ample closet space. Potential home buyers certainly do, as larger closets are often right up at the top of their home buying wish lists.
The problem is that many homeowners do have these marvellous closets but they completely forget about bothering to light them properly so that they are actually functional instead of just cavernous and creepy a la The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.
Modern lighting options like recessed or even track lighting are perfect for lighting up a closet so that you can actually see what you are doing when picking out clothes, and, if you are planning on selling your home, buyers can see all of that great storage potential.