Brightly wrapped red and pink packages piled high on display shelves signify to the modern lover, “Hey buddy, it’s time to show your significant other that you do, indeed, carry your affection around in a heart-shaped box.” Many of us going home or meeting our significant others feel obligated to buy a trinket of something, be it the above mentioned chocolate indulgence or a dinner out. That is all well and good. But perhaps it’s after the one-night Valentine festivities are over that you should take a look around you and evaluate whether you have cultivated a bedroom space that feels like a haven belonging to yourself or your union. 

Daylight
Waking up on the weekends with the sunlight streaming through your bedroom windows is one of the most energy-efficient, luxurious and yet, ordinary, sensations. Even when you’re awake and working at your desk or spending time with company, an ample amount of daylight is healthy for your well-being and also your body. Remember you’re getting Vitamin D!

Overhead vs. Indirect Light
Although chandeliers and other overhead fixtures can be very pretty to look at, the light they provide also has a tendency to wash out a room. I opt for versions that you can dim dependent on your mood or going with an indirect source of artificial bedroom light. Light bouncing off the ceiling and surrounding walls creates a nice ambient quality in the bedroom while providing visibility.

Floor Lamp + Chair Set
Take a look at your bedroom’s square footage. Is there room for anything besides a bed or set of drawers? If so, throw a a nice rug on the floor, writing desk against the wall or place a reading chair by the window. We all know a bed is really comfortable to lie on but to sit in? Not unless you pile on a few pillows. A reading chair is really great for inhabiting one’s own space even if you’re not reading. It’s the only seat in the house truly reserved for your bum. A floor lamp placed beside your chair serves as a great source of soft light in the evening. Along with that, floor lamps are a strong method of illuminating corners in the bedroom.

Table Lamps + Bed Set
So maybe you do like reading in bed or just inhabiting a good mattress. Table lamps are more aesthetically pleasing placed next to beds than floor lamps. It might have something to do with the difference in height. Table lamps also provide a closer, concentrated source of light because they’re so much closer to the bed. In designing your bedroom and lighting, the bed, above all else, takes priority in the design. It is the principle element of a bedroom. Find lighting that is complimentary to the style and colors of this major element.

Sconces = Wall Washing
This is the primary means to create a pattern of soft light and dark space along your walls. It makes a room more active and the eyes can follow the rhythm of light and dark fairly easily. According to Lighting.com, wall washing can make a room look bigger.

Color of Light
When purchasing your light bulbs for the bedroom, consider the personality of the bedroom. Is it a modern space, very traditional or transitional? Dominant colors like white and yellow can dictate the feel of a room. A soft white matches a modern space and warm, golden tones are more inviting and homey in a traditional way.

When you design your bedroom, do not overlook how much light matters in dictating the feel of a room. During Valentine’s, remember to dim the lights to soften the room. Maybe light a candle or two. And recall that this space called a bedroom belongs to you and the one you love.

 About the Author: Akemi Hong is a writer and graphic designer. You"ll find Akemi occupied indoors as a marketing and design associate for 1STOPlighting.