How high should a lamp next to the bed hang?
A wall light next to the bed is almost always more pleasant than a lamp on the bedside table. It takes up no space, you cannot knock it over, and the light falls on the page instead of in your face. The only question is: at what height, and how far from the bed?
The height: 55 to 65 cm above the mattress
Measure from the top of the mattress, not from the floor, because mattress thicknesses vary a lot. Allow 55 to 65 cm to the centre of the lamp. With a standard box spring that comes to roughly 120 to 130 cm above the floor.
If you sit upright against the headboard to read, the light at that height falls exactly over your shoulder onto the book. Hang the lamp higher and the light shines in your face; lower, and you read in your own shadow.
The distance: directly above the bedside table
Hang the lamp in line with the centre of the bedside table, usually 50 to 70 cm from the side of the bed. That way the light stays within your own half and does not disturb the other person.
If you hang two, keep exactly the same height. A difference of a few centimetres shows straight away in a bedroom, because the wall is otherwise empty.
Watch the projection
If the lamp sticks far out from the wall, it gets in the way when you get up. In a bedroom, models that project 10 to 15 cm work well; if space is tight, choose a slimmer model. That measurement is listed for each of our wall lights.
Switch on the lamp or on the wall?
A switch on the fitting itself is a great convenience in a bedroom: you do not have to get out of bed to turn the light off, and you do not need to run wiring to a wall switch. Some of our models have that switch on the lamp; it is stated in the product details.
New build or renovation?
Have the connection points fitted before plastering, at a height of 120 to 130 cm and 50 to 70 cm from the centre of the bed. Not sure of the bed size yet? Go with the most common: a bed 180 cm wide.
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