Bedside Lamps can change the feel of a bedroom completely, so it’s worth taking the time to choose them correctly. 

If you’re an avid 2am reader but try to avoid waking your partner, your choice of bedside lamps may well differ from someone with a tiny bedroom who would love to free up much-needed space on their beside table. Lighting can work wonders in setting the mood in any bedroom, though, so it’s worthwhile thinking through all the options before going for a lamp based on looks or pure function alone … or, worse still, living with the bedside lamps you bought years ago despite their ill-fitting attributes. Here are some ideas sure to have you rethinking the lighting beside your bed and how you’d like your bedroom to be as evening heads into night and sleep beckons

Terrific texture 

When your bedroom is all about classic elegance and you’re opting for neutral tones, don’t forget to add texture to give the room soul. Use bedside lamps with a traditional shape, but their hammered polished nickel/brass finish means they are anything but bland.

Hanging about 

Soft lighting can make a bedroom cosy and inviting come bedtime, and suspended pendants can be just the thing to achieve it. Suspended luminaire lights deliver diffused lighting and take up zero space on your bedside table. Before you buy any kind of bedside lighting, check that it is suitable for connection to a dimmer switch so you can set the mood on a whim.

Black works just as well as white against the warm tones of natural timber. Hang one on either side of the bed for symmetry, or go for impact by grouping a cluster or two. Be sure to take into account the interior of any lamp you buy – you’ll likely see both inside and out when lying in the bed.

Task lighting 

Position can be everything if you’re in search of task lighting that fits the bill for reading or working before you nod off to sleep. Positioned overhead rather than over the bedside tables, add interesting cables to add a sense of fun.

Metal Head 

Less is often more for bedrooms that are big on style, and when the rest of the room is all about sumptuous colour and texture, adding contrast with a metallic lamp adds zing.

Metallics also make an impact in a cosy bedroom, the lamp working to brilliant effect with the warm tones of the wallpaper and wall colour.

Childhood slumber 

There’s something irresistible about pink and white for a little girl’s bedroom, especially when it’s in a gorgeous dusty shade. Here, a bedside lamp adds childlike innocence and fun to the adorable room.

If you’re after a more sophisticated look for your child’s bedroom, why not pick a pendant light that normally hangs over a dining room table? Best of all, is a chandelier which encourages creativity and self expression – one which consists of 80 sheets of Japanese paper, 31 already printed with inspirational words and 49 blank and waiting to be written upon.

Moving arms 

Adjustable lamps make sense if you want complete control over your lighting, and when they can attach to the headboard or wall, they’re even more accommodating.

Modern match 

Lighting is one of the best ways to make a particular decorating style come to life. If Midcentury Modern is your style of choice this iconic bedside lamp will pair beautifully with your bedroom’s other elements. Arne Jacobsen designed the AJ Table Lamp in 1960.

Tell a story

Sticking to a theme can be the way to go, in a coastal bedroom show. For instance use carved birds looking at the bedside lamp over its shoulder as if doing a double-take.

Use worn timber to give this room character which works well with a lamp that looks as though it has stepped straight out of the pages of history. It’s just the setting to pen that bestselling novel from the comfort of your bed.

Mismatched 

There are no rules when it comes to bedside lighting, so if your after-dark needs differ from those of your partner, why not decide not to compromise? An asymmetrical room is also a good choice if you lean towards a more eclectic style.

Strike a balance 

If colour abounds in your bedroom, it can pay for your bedside lamp to play a supporting role. The glass base and white shade blend in rather than make a statement.