Bedroom Lighting: Bedside Lamps and Wall Lights

Bedside lighting needs to be reachable while seated in bed and low enough that the shade does not shine directly into the other person’s eyes.

A table lamp works when the nightstand is deep enough for the base. The bottom of the shade is usually comfortable just above eye level when you are sitting against the pillows. A swing-arm or fixed wall light is useful when the nightstand is narrow or when both sides of the bed should match without two large lamps.

Use a warm bulb for winding down. If the listing names E26, choose a bulb with that base and confirm whether the fixture is dimmable. Plug-in wall lights avoid new wiring; hardwired lights need an electrical box at the marked height.

Keep the same shade height and finish on both sides when the room is arranged symmetrically. A single floor lamp can serve a corner chair, but it is a poor substitute for light at the bed.

Both sides of the bed

If the bed is centered, match the shade height and the finish on both sides. The bottom of the shade should sit just above eye level when you are sitting against the pillows, so the bulb is not in the other person’s line of sight. You should be able to reach the switch without getting out of bed.

Wall light or table lamp

Use a table lamp when the nightstand is deep enough for the base and still has room for a book. Use a wall light when the nightstand is narrow, or when you do not want two large lamps. A plug-in wall light uses an outlet. A hardwired wall light needs a box. The center of a bedside backplate often lands near 60 inches from the floor, then moves so the shade meets eye level while you are sitting up.

A floor lamp can light a chair in the corner. It does not replace a light at the pillow. Brass is the finish you will see most often on the wall lights.

Pieces from the collection

Two table lamps and a wall light from the current collection. Check whether the listing is plug-in or hardwired before you choose a wall.

Atollo Metal Table LampAlabaster Planes Table LampAlouette Sconce

Shop table lamps and wall lights. Read how to read a specification.