bedroom and children's room lighting

Bedroom lighting should be soft and calm. General lighting shouldn't disturb people lying in bed, and task lighting is essential for reading, and for closets, drawers or for the dressing table.

On the other hand, fluorescents, dimmers and other lighting controls are important elements to achieve an energy efficient solution: see Energy efficiency in bedrooms.

Bedrooms & General lighting

General lighting - usually located in the ceiling - can easily disturb people lying in bed. To avoid it, or to minimize it, prefer pendants and recessed down lighters focused towards the feet of the bed, or to another area of the room (closets, drawers...).

Other possible fixtures used in bedroom lighting include:

- wall sconces
- chandeliers
- fan lights (a good option in hot weather climates or in places with hot summers).

These lights can be controlled by a dimmer in order to set the mood of the room and to control its intensity.

Bedroom Lighting & Reading

For reading, uou may place a small lamp next to each side of the bed. Or two adjustable reading lamps, mounted on either side of the bed. Swing-arm wall lamps are a alternative, with the advantage of leaving night tables free for a clock-radio, or for books or other stuff.

Closets, drawers & Bedroom lighting

For closets and drawers, you may use recessed or surface-mounted lights, or small fluorescent fixtures. They can be mounted inside and above the door header to provide directional lighting on the cabinet contents.

Dressing table area

To get a good lighting on the dressing table, mount two lighting fixtures or use two small lamps on either side of the mirror, 35-40 inches (0.9-1 m) apart.

To get even illumination and to avoid shadows, center each fixture or lamp approximately at the level of the head. This technique provides excellent lighting for grooming and makeup.

Children’s rooms

Children's rooms demand some specifics. An excellent idea is to use track, articulated lights in the ceilings. These lights can be rotated and focused for any desired area: a play area, a homework area, a sitting area, a music area… They also can be redirected in any posterior moment, to respond to other children needs.

Bedroom lighting & energy efficiency

Use different switches for different lights, and fluorescents if the lights are going to be on for long periods. See: Fluorescents and CFL’s.

Dimming controls are an excellent energy-saving option for incandescents: see Lighting controls.

If your climate is sufficient hot or with hot summers, a ceiling fan with a light is a good option for your bedroom and for children's rooms.