Mood lighting ideas for a cosy bedroom atmosphere

Posted on 6th October 2023

Now that we have entered the darkest months of the year, the desire to create a cosy, welcoming environment at home is paramount. It’s time to swap the stark spotlights of summer for something more sultry…

We look at the ways you can give your home a softer shimmer – from the latest low-level pendants trend to wall-mounted lights, perfect for adding a sense of relaxation.

wall light above bedside table in neutral bedroom — Elba single wall light, £450, Heathfield & Co.

It’s not just light that creates change in a bedroom – shadows add depth and texture too. Just as a flickering open fire casts light and shade. Take inspiration from this to pick out parts of your room to highlight and leave others mysterious and dark.

Yorgo Lykouria, design director of Rainlight Studio in London, advises: “Lighting elements can be used in combination to create a symphonic effect. For example, combine a soft, glowing ceiling light with a free-standing lamp to focus attention on part of the room or a special object.”

When lighting your bedroom, there is a whole range of fittings and mood-enhancing products to choose from.

wall light and floor lamp with patterned lampshades — Pooky lighting collection in collaboration with GP & J Baker.

Bedroom mood lighting ideas

Bedside and floor lamps

“Bedside lamps and floor lamps can provide a lower level light and better set the mood for lulling you into a relaxing sleep,” explains Mary Buchanan, creative director at Laura Ashley Lighting and Mirrors. “Using a warm, white light is more soothing for the eyes, and opting for an LED amber light has been known to preserve your body’s natural levels of melatonin, which aid the sleep-wake cycle.”

floor lamp in Scandinavian scheme — Solara layered linen and aged brass floor lamp, £315, Lights & Lamps.

Lightstrips

Another mood enhancer is the Nanoleaf Matter Lightstrip. Voice or app activated and costing from just £12.95, this is an inexpensive way to create backlighting in any room, without the upheaval of rewiring.

Connecting to all smart home platforms, these lightstrips can switch the mood, using a vast spectrum of colours, when placed behind a headboard, for example, or sofa.

smart strip lighting behind headboard — Matter Lightstrip, from £12.95, Nanoleaf.

Pendant lights

Although traditionally associated with the centre of the ceiling, you can really raise the visual temperature with the new trend for low-level pendants. They won’t clutter up your bedside table and will drench your bedroom in a dreamy glow.

rattan pendant above bedside table — Artus pendant light, £145 for a small size, Tom Raffield.

“Not only are pendant lights more practical, but they also double as a handy task light – providing proficient lighting for reading your favourite book in bed,” says Julian Page, designer at BHS. “You can also create symmetry with lighting, placing a single pendant on either side of the bed. This will also frame the bed and treat your headboard like a work of art.”

amber round pendant light — Jule pendant light in amber and gold, £149, Atkin and Thyme.

Or, if you prefer a wall-mounted light, Rothschild & Bickers’ Hanging petite ball wall light is a stunning solution, which comes in a raft of different hues including pink, amber and green. Yes, please!

pink wall-mounted light — Hanging petite ball wall light, £495, Rothschild & Bickers.

Table lamps

As you move around your space, consider the textures, too – a summery lampshade will be smooth and cool but winter warmth calls for inviting, tactile fabrics such as linen and silk.

And, in terms of lamp shapes, mushrooms matter! They are everywhere this season and what could be nicer than &Tradition’s Setago mushroom-shaped rechargeable table lamp; buy one lamp and move it around your home, creating a soft light wherever you go. Scroll down and pick your favourite…