Should You Put Recessed Lights in a Bedroom

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Most of us love nothing more than retreating to our bedroom at the end of a long day. Our bedroom offers us a sense of calm and peace before embracing a peaceful night’s sleep. As a result, we all hope to create ambient light in our bedroom so that the space is cozy and welcoming.

We hope to create a space that offers great natural light and types of lighting that are relaxing and soothing. However, creating ambient lighting in our bedroom might be challenging, resulting in us questioning the kind of lights best for our haven. 

The Divide of Recessed Lights in the Bedroom 

Interestingly, recessed lights in the bedroom have been a hot topic for the last few years. While some people love the idea of recessed lights in their bedrooms, others have sworn that they will never use this type of lighting. However, regardless of whether you are pro or anti-recessed lights in the bedroom, we can’t deny that these lighting fixtures can succeed in creating wonderfully romantic accent lighting. 

Many believe that recessed lights can’t create the same mood as table lamps in the main bedroom. However, some people have embraced bedroom ceiling lighting and found that it offers a wide range of styles while keeping the space free of bedroom light fixtures. Recessed lighting is a great benefit to those who prefer to keep their primary bedroom and master bath free of extra table and floor lamps. 

In truth, recessed lights can be very effective lighting options that can offer attractive lighting without sacrificing any bedside table space due to a bedside lamp. Design experts agree that recessed lighting can provide a vast difference in the bedroom without excessive cost differences. The biggest issue is selecting the correct form of recessed lighting to offer excellent, mood lighting in your bedroom. 

Steps to Creating Outstanding Recessed Lighting in Your Bedroom 

If you yearn for a bedroom that is a piece of art, embracing recessed lights can be a step forward. These fixtures can offer mood lighting that can fit into any decorating style, leaving your bedroom open and offering more feet of living space. However, the most important thing to keep in mind is balance. The best design aesthetic for the bedroom is carefully balanced to bring in a bit of style without going overboard. 

Overdoing recessed lighting in the bedroom can lead to harsh lighting that is the opposite effect of what we hope to achieve in the bedroom. The good news is that it is possible to create a blissful space by keeping these tips in mind. 

Layering works best 

When it comes to recessed lighting, overindulgence should always be avoided. Having too many recessed lights can give your bedroom a runway feel which can be overwhelming to the sense. To avoid this, functional lighting is the way to go.

Combine recessed lighting with floor and table lamps to create categories for lighting in your space. This is also an effective way to minimize dark areas without filling up on bedroom recessed lighting. This combination of surface lamps and recessed lighting can create an ambiance that is second to none. 

If you have an art piece in your bedroom or plan to have a family game night regularly, you can choose to add a recessed light over the art piece or night table. This way, the area remains a focal point in the bedroom. 

Recessed lighting can be unflattering 

Although recessed lights can be a game-changer in the bedroom, they don’t work everywhere. For example, you might find that recessed lighting in the master bath can be incredibly unflattering. If you really have your heart set on minimizing light fixtures in your master bath, consider using wall-mounted lights around your vanity mirror.

This form of lighting will be much more flattering, offering sufficient lighting from the wall surface. In addition, if you have a newborn baby in the bedroom with you, these lights can be uncomfortable for your newborn’s eyes. 

house with windows and a ceiling fan and pale blue turquoise walls

The type of bulb you choose matters 

Of course, not all bulbs are created equal. You might find that the ambient light you hoped for can’t be achieved if you select the wrong bulb. When it comes to recessed lighting, halogen bulbs are the most popular. These bulbs are incandescent, but they use halogen gas to create light instead of filaments.

As a result, these bulbs can provide white, focused light while being cost-effective and high-quality. Although halogen bulbs are more expensive than filament bulbs, their initial investment is worth it since they offer incredible bedroom lighting options that will last for quite some time longer than incandescent bulbs. In addition, they retain their white light appearance even when you adjust the dimmer switch.

A cheaper option that many people prefer is incandescent bulbs. These bulbs usually have a yellowish glow that can be effective for ambient lighting in the bedroom. Although they might not last as long as halogen bulbs, replacing the bulbs shouldn’t be too excruciating if your recessed lighting has been properly installed. 

As far as ambient lighting in the bedroom is concerned, it is best to steer clear of LED lights when using recessed lighting. LED bulbs tend to be too bright when used with recessed lighting.

The concentrated light these bulbs provide is not flattering light, and you don’t need that much extra light in your master bedroom. In addition, the color temperatures of LED lights are not ideal for a bedroom environment. As a result, it is best to choose between halogen or incandescent bulbs. 

Choose the right light housing 

Recessed lighting involves placing a light bulb into a light housing fixture that gets put into bedroom ceilings. The light housing is usually made of metal and is available in various sizes.

When choosing the best light housing for your main bedroom, consider the size of the room, the number of recessed lights you want to use, and the extra light fixtures you plan on using.

If you are remodeling a bedroom with holes in the ceiling, you should look for light remodeling housing. Remodeling light housing doesn’t contain a metal frame. Instead, the light housing is held in place using mounting clips. 

Consider the location of the bedroom 

When you plan for recessed lighting, you need to think about the location of your bedroom. This is an aspect that is often overlooked, but you mustn’t do. If your bedroom is on the top floor of your home, you should invest in air-tight light fixtures.

Using air-tight light fixtures, you avoid any possible damage to your bulbs by minimizing contact with hot and cold air. If your bedroom isn’t on your home’s top level, then air-tight light fixtures aren’t required.

However, it is advised that you consider investing in them anyway if you live in a very humid area. Architectural lighting choices always keep the location and structure of the home in consideration. 

Trim kits can make the whole process much easier 

If you have never installed recessed lighting before and you plan to do it yourself, consider investing in a trim kit. These kits are widely available and they take a lot of the hard work out of this form of ceiling light.

Trim kits come in various styles and types, so consider which is best for your bedroom’s mood lighting. These kits are also available for kitchen lighting and offer awesome lighting while prepping meals. 

You might want to add additional light 

Even if you have created the perfect bedroom ambiance by using a combination of lights, you might find that the actual light in your bedroom isn’t sufficient task lighting. If you do a lot of reading before bed, you might want to consider adding flexible reading lights to provide comfortable light that is suitable for reading.

When it comes to choices in bedroom light fixtures, the choice is yours to make, so focus on your needs to make your bedroom as comfortable and functional as possible. 

The structure of the room is important 

Not all bedrooms fit the same mold. Therefore, your bedroom’s structure might require some extra consideration. For example, if your bedroom doesn’t have the traditional rectangular shape, you need to consider dark spots that might be challenging to light up using recessed lighting.

In this case, combining light fixtures will be the most successful approach. You might find, for example, that a fabulous floor lamp provides excellent ambient lighting in those tricky spots. 

Summary 

Recessed lighting can make your room stand out while being your happy place. By considering all aspects of the room, light fixtures, and structure, you can maximize light’s effect in your bedroom. By combining your recessed lighting with beautiful bedside lighting, you can cut out dark spaces and make your bedroom shine romantically.