10 Modern Bedroom Lighting Ideas You're Sure to Love

When most of us outfit our bedrooms, we tend to stock up on classic finds like headboards, linens, and nightstands. And in the process of getting our eye-level aesthetic just right, we neglect to do something very simple: look up.

Though the ceiling may not be the first thing we see when we walk into a room, it can have a major impact on a space—and lighting fixtures can make or break the décor schemes we so carefully curated. Nothing kills the mood like a tacky lighting fixture in a thoughtfully styled room, and too often, the fixtures we inherited when moving in just don’t suit the tone of the space.

Thankfully, we’re rarely stuck with the lights we already have. We can trade our overhead lights for more stylish options, like wireless sconces and stunning table lamps, which don't even require the trouble of rewiring a fixture. Options abound in the lighting space, so you can easily curate a set-up that meets your needs, your aesthetic preferences, and your budget.

Need a little inspo? Scroll on to see 10 stunning bedrooms and modern bedroom lighting ideas worth stealing from each of them.

01 Play With Contrast

Lighting can be a great way to cement the aesthetic of your space, but it can also be a great way to make your space feel more dynamic. Don’t be afraid to play with contrast. If your rustic bedroom is feeling a little too classic, balance out the room with a couple of surprisingly sleek table lamps.

02 Score a Stunning Floor Lamp

Often, an overhead light and a bedside lamp will be enough, but if you have the space to add more lighting to your room, consider bringing a striking floor lamp into the mix.

The right lamp can transform a bare corner into an idyllic reading nook—and it can also upgrade the lighting situation in your space. Take advantage of your more expansive than average bedroom, and fill it with bold décor.

03 Create Consistent Motifs

Lighting fixtures tend to put the finishing touches on a space. So, use yours to add cohesion or contrast—depending on what your bedroom needs.

If your space is feeling unwieldy, look for ways to add consistency. Black lamps could echo an accent color in your palette, and their gold details could mimic the stripes on some of your pillows. And if your space is feeling too matchy-matchy, add contrast by picking lamps that will bring new textures or colors into your room.

04 Add a Pop of Texture to Your Space

Just about everyone has heard the phrase “pop of color,” but it’s not the only surprising accent that deserves a spot in your home. A pop of texture can be just as striking and a great way to bring a contrasting aesthetic into your space.

If your bedroom is veering a little too antique, consider balancing it out with a sleek metal sconce. Spring for an option that echoes some of the colors already in your space, then let its sleek material and striking silhouette do all the talking.

05 Mount Your Lights on Your Wall

Modern Brass Double Sconce for Transitional Decor - Hardwired Lighting for Bedrooms, Living Rooms, and Hallways

Putting holes in your wall is always a big commitment, but if you love the look of sconces—or you don’t have any nightstand space to spare—building lights into your wall may be worth the extra effort.

Often, this process will involve a little wiring work, as those sconces have to hook up to something. But, if you’d prefer a lower-maintenance approach, you can score a couple of sconces that have exposed wiring the same way ordinary lamps do.

06 Embrace Negative Space

When you have high ceilings, it can be tempting to fill all that space with a massive lighting fixture, but remember that you don’t have to. If you find a smaller chandelier you love, hang it, and embrace the negative space it creates.

Wide, open spaces play a big role in modern design, drawing the eye to the few pieces that are in the room, so don’t feel the need to fill space arbitrarily. 

07 Hang Lights From Your Ceiling

Crystal Fluted Finial Pendant with Tumbled Brass Finish - Hand-Blown Cut Crystal Clear Glass Shade with Fluted Effect and Finial Details for Living Room, Bedroom

If you need to free up space on your nightstand, mounting sconces on your wall isn’t your only option. You can also hang pendant lights from your ceiling and mount them to hover just above your nightstand.

08 Echo Elements That Are Already in Your Space

Glow Cone Ceiling Lamp - Pacific Northwest-Inspired Cone-Style Shade for Bedroom and Living Room Lighting

Looking for a bold fixture that won’t feel out of place in your space? Focus on the shapes, colors, and lines that are already in your bedroom, and find ways to reflect them in your lighting.

A pleated pendant light can echo some of the texture in your bedding, while a bedside sconce can highlight some of the shapes in a nearby work of art.

09 Have Fun With It

Design inspiration goes a long way. It can help us clarify what we want from our spaces and understand what’s even possible in a given room.

But, don’t worry too much about creating something you’ve seen before. You’ll be happiest in a space that meets your needs—and that's filled with things you love looking at. If you’re going through all the trouble of upgrading your lighting setup, it’s worth ensuring that you’ll end up with a space that’s uniquely yours.

10 Don’t Be Afraid to Take Risks

Outfitting your space with striking lighting fixtures can be a very involved process, but the end result is worth it: you’ll have a space that looks exactly the way you want it to.

When you find yourself tempted to take a risk, do it. It might seem scary but now’s the moment. Odds are, you won’t rewire your built-in lighting again for a while, so don’t let that stunning chandelier you saw become the one that got away.