10 Steps: Bedside Lighting

A stack of design mags.  A cup of tea.  Warm PJs. A cozy comforter and about 3 pillows.  There are few activities more indulgent than hanging out in bed, which is why stylish and effective bedside lighting is so important.

In lieu of matching table lamps (yawn), here are 10 ideas to light up your boudoir in 2010:

1. Pendant Lights: We love us some symmetry so these spaceship pendants hovering over the nightstands are right up our alley.  Plus, pendants save room for people who like a lot of stuff on their bedside table.

2. Sconces: Another space-saving idea we love.  Bendy sconces kick it up a notch because they provide excellent task lighting.  So no more awkward positions just to finish that last chapter in Twilight Eclipse while your partner sleeps.

3. Statement lamps:  For some reason the phrase "Dolly Parton's tits" comes to mind when we look at this over-the-top room.  (Did we just type that out loud?) We are crazy about statement lamps -- have some cool 50's inspired ones in our own bedroom.  However, they take up a lot of space. So, if you're someone who likes to have a book, alarm clock, moisturizer and picture of significant other on your nightstand -- statement lamps aren't for you.  Of course that doesn't mean you can't put some fierce ones in your guest bedroom...

4. Mismatched lighting: If you've read other posts here, you know we are big-time fans of eclecticism.  And while this room doesn't qualify as eclectic, the mismatched lights do.  A sconce and tiny nightstand + lamp are a perfect fit for the small space between the door and the wall.  Anything bigger wouldn't fit.

5. Solo lamp: Who says you have to have light on both sides?  If space doesn't allow it, consider using one light source for the bed.  If you're single and living in a studio, it's a no-brainer.

6. Floorlamps: Never in a million years would we have thought floorlamps flanking a bed would work.  And then we saw this picture and realized why that whole "never say never" phrase is so popular.  These work for two reasons: 1) the floorlamps themselves are skinny little things and 2) the rest of the bed and room is very streamlined. However, 20 bucks says you knock one over during your 3am pee break at least once a week!

7. Light as Art:  We're a bit torn on this one.  We love how this light works in scale and color with the rest of the room.  We also love the idea of light being the star of the show.  However, we can't get surgery and interrogation out of our head. That being said, there are a million and one ways to reinterpret this idea.

8. Centered pendant light: There's something regal about having a giant beautiful lampshade suspended over your bed. It's grown-up, glamorous and strangely makes us frisky.

9. Traditional chandelier:  A traditional chandelier, on the other hand, does not.  It does, however, add a fabulous shimmery element to any room.  We like how the one below is hung in an ultra-modern room. It takes the frou-frou-ness out of the equation.  We also love chandeliers in bathrooms, but that's a whole other post.

10. Sconces as art:   To be fair, these sconces are more art lighting than bed lighting -- check out how high they are hung, but the effect is spectacular -- so they garner the last spot in our 10 Steps list.