Lighting for the children's room

A children's room is three rooms in one: it is where they play, work and sleep. That does not call for one bright lamp on the ceiling, but for three kinds of light that you can switch separately.

Three layers, just like downstairs

A ceiling light for general light, a desk lamp or wall light at the workspace, and something soft by the bed for reading aloud and the night.

The advantage is not only practical: by switching on only the soft light in the evening, you signal that the day is winding down.

Choose warm light

Stay at 2700 kelvin. Cool white light of 4000 kelvin and above suppresses the production of melatonin and makes falling asleep harder. At the desk 3000 kelvin is fine, but no brighter.

Read more about colour temperature in which light colour for which room.

Dimmable is not a luxury here

A dimmable lamp by the bed solves the whole bedtime routine: full light for reading aloud, low light to stay sitting until sleep comes, and off when it works.

What to watch for in terms of safety

No loose cables within reach of small children. A wall light with a fixed connection is safer than a table lamp with a cable over the bedside table.

With young children, choose a fitting without sharp edges and with a closed shade, so the light source cannot be touched. LED gets much less hot than a halogen lamp, which counts here.

What you can skip

Brightly coloured character lamps are outgrown within three years. A neutral fitting that grows along is cheaper in the long run. Bring in colour with the wall and the bedding, not with the lamp.

See our lighting for the bedroom for lamps that will still fit in ten years' time.

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