How To Get The Block Look In Your Bedroom
Let Mandi Kontos, Lighting Designer from our South Melbourne store help you with some top tips.
You do more than just sleep in your bedroom. At the end of a long day, it’s a refuge you can retreat into and relax. It’s a place where you get in some light reading before bed, have cosy chats and also plan your outfit for the next day. Layering your lights with a combination of downlights, pendants and lamps helps to achieve the right illumination for all purposes. Let’s have a look at these three important lighting fixtures in depth and get some inspiration from the bedrooms on The Block.
Think about how you're going to use your bedroom
Before you begin planning your lighting, it’s important to consider the space you’re going to light. In the case of your bedroom, for instance, think about where you’ll be doing your reading – in bed, at a study station or perhaps you have a dedicated nook. Depending on what you decide, you can choose the appropriate bedside lamp, reading lamp, floor lamp or wall light. If you have a wardrobe at the end of the bed, make sure that your lighting fixtures over your bed throw enough light towards your wardrobe so that you can distinguish between your black and navy clothing. Everyone uses their room differently and it’s important that you light that way too.
Downlight placement - Tips & Tricks
Downlights are excellent options for providing ambient or general illumination in the bedroom but there are a few things to keep in mind when planning their placement. Firstly, avoid placing them in a standard grid, instead position them based on what you want or don’t want to illuminate. Use a pair of downlights to wash light down a feature wall or curtain as this reflects light softly back into the room while also highlighting the texture of your wall or curtain. Also, make sure that your downlights aren’t positioned directly over a person’s face when they’re lying down on their pillow; placing them over the end of the bed is a better option.
Harry & Tash’s master bedroom
They created a light-filled ceiling with a combination of the skylights, our LEDlux Custom downlights and our uplighting Mona wedge wall brackets. Notice how the downlights are placed towards the feet-end of the bed to avoid glare in the eyes when lying down. A pair of downlights also cleverly wash light on the curtain to highlight it while also providing general light in the corner.
Sarah & George’s guest bedroom
The team used a brilliant wall grazing technique where our MFL by Masson Accent downlights were centred close together at the edges of the bed to reduce glare and throw light on the graphic feature wall. This technique also makes the room look bigger and brighter.
Choose a statement piece
Having a statement pendant over your bed adds elegance and style to your bedroom and creates a focal point of interest while providing general illumination. When choosing your pendant, make sure it’s the right size for the height and scale of your room. Pendants on either side of the bed also work well in place of bedside lamps, however, avoid glass pendants which can be easily broken if they are too low while doing tasks like making the bed.
Sarah & George’s master bedroom
This team used our Corbelle pendant as their statement piece which complemented the glam Hollywood styling as well as highlighted the period ceiling.
Daniel & Jade’s master bedroom
Daniel & Jade also had a beautiful ceiling feature which was perfect for installing statement lighting. They chose our Veil pendant featuring vertical glass rods which reflect the light beautifully on to the ceiling creating attractive light shadows.
Luke & Jasmin’s bedrooms
Statement lighting need not always be a pendant or chandelier! They can be wall lights too. Luke & Jasmin used our Disk wall lights as their statement pieces in both their guest bedroom and kids bedroom. By using wall lights instead of bedside lamps, they freed up space on the bedside tables for other things like books, glasses and phones.
Note: In this bedroom, you’ll notice the team painted our Disk wall lights to match their green wall. However, before you paint any lighting fixture, check with the lighting store first if that will impact the warranty.
The final touches: lamps & strip lighting
Lamps are the most versatile lighting choices and can instantly transform any space. They are perfect for bedtime reading and allow you to get the light you need without disturbing your sleeping partner. Consider bedside lamps with built-in USB or wireless chargers which are handy for charging your smart phones. Many lamps also come with adjustable heads and arms to help you direct light where you need it. Choosing a lamp with colour temperature changing and dimming functions is also wise as it allows you to customise your ambience to suit your mood or activity.
Jimmy & Tam’s guest bedroom
Our Mele table lamp turns on the charm in this stunning mid-century bedroom. Its light timber base and white ribbed shade complements the colour palette and styling.
Sarah & George’s kids bedroom
Our cute Midas table lamp will provide the light the kids need when they dream of adventures in the enchanted forest.
Jimmy & Tam’s master bedroom
Jimmy & Tam used our Touch lamps in brass to soften the ambience and add a layer of warmth. The lamps not only aesthetically complement the tropical feature wall and the matching bedspread but also add practicality to this space with their touch technology and dimming function.
Harry & Tash’s guest bedroom
Our Blakely lamp not only looks good here but also has a built-in dimmer and an adjustable head. Great bedside convenience!
Along with lamps, strip lighting is another great choice as your accent or decorative layer of lighting. Strip lighting under the bed not only creates a luxe vibe but also helps you find your way in the middle of the night without waking your partner. Strip lighting also works well in highlighting your feature wall or architectural details on your ceiling. In your wardrobes, use strip lights with motion sensors that turn on when you open the door and turn off when you close the door. This helps you easily locate what you’re looking for while using less energy. Besides, they look great!
Bonus tips!
With your bedroom being a place to unwind, make sure you use warm white (1800K-3000K), non-glary, soft glow lights which help you relax. Keep the cool white lights for the kitchen and study.
Consider using smart globes to support your sleep/wake cycle. You can schedule your lights to dim down one or two hours before bed to help you fall asleep at the same time every night and wake you up with brighter light at the same time every morning. They’re also very convenient to control via an app or your voice.
It’s a good idea to install a ceiling fan to help with air circulation and keep you comfortable in the bedroom. If you use a ceiling fan with a built-in light, you get the additional benefit of ambient illumination without needing to buy a separate lighting fixture.
As you have seen, recreating The Block looks isn’t difficult if you know the right lighting tricks! But if you get stuck and need a hand, simply book a consultation at the Beacon Design Studio and let the experts take over.