Searching for light fixtures can cause you to feel like Goldilocks: What you want is not too big, not too small, not too hard, not too soft — but only right. The amount and quality of light in a room exert a definite impact in your mood and level of relaxation. Especially in a bedroom, in which relaxation is a priority, you have to choose light fixtures of the right size.

Bedroom Dimensions

Selecting the most appropriate size for bedroom light fixtures is dependent upon the dimensions of the room. A bedroom with a very low ceiling, for example, may benefit from many smaller fixtures that disperse pools of light upward, even though a room with a tall cathedral ceiling may need light fixtures that hang and also bring the focus of light to the walls and floor. A single big ceiling fixture in a small room may pull down the ceiling visually since it looks heavy.

Room Dimensions and Fixture Diameter

Fans urge a formula for calculating the look in addition to lighting capacity of a single bedroom light fixture, according to Karen Davis Design. Assess the length and width of the room in feet — for example, 12 feet by 15 feet. Add the length and width together: 12 + 15 = 27. Substitute inches for feet to suggest that the diameter of a ceiling fixture that will be visually appropriate for your room. Twenty-seven inches is the diameter of a fixture acceptable to your 12-by-15-foot room.

Room Dimensions and Wattage

Another factor to think about in deciding on a fixture is the wattage capacity. A huge chandelier is of no use if it can accommodate only 25-watt bulbs. Use a different dimensions-based formula to determine how much wattage you will need to light your room. Multiply the width of the room by the length. For the 12-by-15-foot room, you receive a total of 180 square feet. Multiply this figure by 1.5 — 180 x 1.5 = 270. A light fixture having a wattage capacity of 270 or more should provide adequate light for your room.

Multiple Lighting Needs

Your wattage total is a general rule and can provide general, or ambient, light throughout the room. Take a look at the activity patterns on your bedroom to determine your need for other fixtures. Closets, for example, can benefit from extra lighting, along with areas reserved for reading, sewing, hobbies, deskwork or exercise. These are called task-light places. 1 lighting strategy is to respect the bed area in a huge room as a significant lighting focal point. Rather than putting a single ceiling fixture in the middle of the room, treat the region around your bed as a separate zone and center the lights above that region. In a 15-by-20-foot bedroom, you could focus on lighting a 10-foot by 15-foot sleeping area. Supply extra lamps, wall fixtures or pendant lights for every one of the other significant activity areas.

Establishing Flexible Lighting

Make your illumination flexible so that you can create a number of looks on your bedroom. Having lights on independent switches allows you target places for bright or soft light, and thus can conserve energy. Dimmer switches are not just for a principal ceiling fixture but for other lights also. Together with dimmers you can create soft pools of light or a glow that fills the whole room.

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