How High Should Bedside Wall Lights Be? | UK Lighting Guide

How High Should Bedside Wall Lights Be? A Practical UK Bedroom Lighting Guide

Getting bedside wall lights at the right height can make the difference between comfortable reading light and a lamp that shines directly into your eyes. It also affects how balanced your bed, headboard and bedside furniture look together.

So, how high should bedside wall lights be?

For most UK bedrooms, a good starting point is to position the centre of the bedside wall light around 140–160 cm from the floor, or approximately 60–70 cm above the top of the mattress. The exact height should ultimately be based on your bed, mattress, headboard and your eye level when sitting up in bed.

For reading, the goal is simple: the light should fall onto your book without the bulb or brightest part of the fitting being directly visible in your normal sitting position. A similar 60–70 cm-above-mattress guideline is commonly recommended for bedside wall lighting.

Quick Scandinavian Design Insight

In Scandinavian bedrooms, wall-mounted bedside lighting is often a particularly effective alternative to large table lamps.

Moving the light onto the wall frees the bedside table for books, a glass of water or simply some empty space. The result is practical but also visually lighter — particularly useful in compact bedrooms where every centimetre matters.

The Nordic approach is not about adding more light. It is about putting light where you actually need it.

What Is the Best Height for Bedside Wall Lights?

As a practical starting point:

From the floor: 140–160 cm to the centre of the fitting
Above the mattress: approximately 60–70 cm
Beside the headboard: typically 10–30 cm beyond the outer edge
For reading: around seated eye or shoulder level, depending on the fitting
Light temperature: around 2700K–3000K for a warm bedroom atmosphere

These are guidelines rather than fixed rules.

A low platform bed and a deep mattress on a tall divan can differ dramatically in finished height. This is why measuring only from the floor can produce disappointing results.

Always measure your actual bed before drilling.

Should You Measure Bedside Wall Lights From the Floor or Mattress?

Measure from the mattress whenever possible.

A floor measurement is useful for initial planning, but mattress height gives you a much better indication of where the light will sit relative to your body.

Imagine two bedrooms.

The first has a Scandinavian platform bed with the top of the mattress only 50 cm from the floor. The second uses a tall divan and deep mattress reaching 70 cm.

Installing both wall lights at exactly 150 cm from the floor would place the first lamp 100 cm above its mattress but the second only 80 cm above it.

The rooms could therefore feel completely different despite using the same installation measurement.

Quick Bedside Wall Light Height Guide

Treat these measurements as starting points and test the position before installation.

How High Should Bedside Reading Lights Be?

A bedside reading light should normally sit close to your seated eye or shoulder level, with the beam directed downwards towards your book rather than towards your face.

This is where the design of the fitting becomes as important as its height.

An adjustable wall light can usually be positioned slightly differently because its shade or head can be rotated towards the reading area. A fixed globe or diffused wall light has a broader purpose: it creates ambient illumination rather than a concentrated reading beam.

Before installation, sit naturally against your pillows while somebody holds the light — or a cardboard template of it — against the wall.

Then ask three questions:

1. Can I see the exposed bulb or a strong LED directly?

2. Does the light reach where I normally hold a book?

3. Can I reach the switch comfortably without stretching?

If the answers are no, yes and yes, you are probably close to the right position.

How Far Should Bedside Wall Lights Be From the Bed?

Most bedside wall lights look best positioned slightly outside the mattress or headboard rather than directly above your sleeping position.

As a starting point, place the centre of the fitting approximately 10–30 cm beyond the outer edge of the headboard, depending on the width of the bed and design of the lamp.

For a double or king-size bed, symmetrical positioning usually creates the cleanest appearance.

However, do not automatically centre each lamp over the bedside table. The table can move. The bed and your reading position are more important.

For directional reading lights, placing the lamp closer to the edge of the headboard can help direct illumination across your shoulder and onto the page. Some specialist reading lights are specifically designed to sit around 20 cm from the side of a headboard.

What If You Have a Tall Headboard?

With a tall headboard, position the wall lights according to the person using them rather than simply above the top of the headboard.

This is a common bedroom-lighting mistake.

A 120 cm-high upholstered headboard does not automatically mean the wall lights need to be installed above 120 cm. Depending on the design, lights can sit beside the headboard and create a much more comfortable reading position.

For very wide headboards extending behind the bedside tables, you may need to mount the lights directly through or above the headboard area. Plan electrical points before fitting bespoke joinery or upholstery.

The important relationship is between:

mattress - seated eye level - light source - reading area.

Not simply floor - fitting.

Should Bedside Wall Lights Point Up or Down?

For reading, downward or adjustable light is usually the most practical choice. For atmosphere, diffused or softly outward-facing wall lights work well.

Directional bedside lamps concentrate light onto a smaller area and can reduce disturbance to someone sleeping on the other side of the bed.

Diffused glass globes and fabric shades create a softer pool of illumination and are better suited to general bedroom ambience.

In a well-designed bedroom, you can combine both ideas through layered lighting: a ceiling light for general illumination, bedside lights for evening use and perhaps a separate directional reading light where required.

Lighting designers commonly use multiple decorative and task sources rather than expecting one central ceiling fitting to perform every job.

What Colour Temperature Is Best for Bedside Wall Lights?

Warm white light around 2700K is an excellent choice for most bedrooms, with 2700–3000K providing a practical general range.

Cool white lighting can make a bedroom feel more clinical and visually energetic, while warmer light tends to complement timber, linen, wool and neutral Scandinavian colour palettes.

There is also an interesting reason to think about evening light beyond aesthetics.

Research into residential lighting has found substantially different estimated effects on melatonin between cool and warm light sources. One recent study measured a median estimated melatonin suppression value of 12.3% for cool-white LEDs compared with 3.6% for warm-white LEDs under its experimental conditions.

Another study of 116 young adults found that exposure to ordinary room light before bedtime delayed melatonin onset in 99% of participants compared with dim-light conditions and shortened melatonin duration by roughly 90 minutes.

That does not mean a warm bedside lamp is a treatment for poor sleep. It simply reinforces a sensible bedroom-lighting principle: keep evening lighting warm, controlled and no brighter than it needs to be.

Are Wall Lights Better Than Bedside Table Lamps?

Wall lights are particularly useful in small bedrooms because they provide bedside illumination without occupying the bedside table.

A table lamp still has advantages. It requires no permanent wall installation, can easily be moved and adds another decorative material or texture to the room.

Wall lights, however, can make a bedroom feel noticeably less cluttered.

They work especially well when:

• bedside tables are narrow

• you have a small UK bedroom

• you want a minimalist look

• you regularly read in bed

• you want symmetrical lighting around a headboard

• you prefer clear bedside surfaces

For rented homes, a plug-in wall light or rechargeable design can provide some of the same advantages without requiring a new hardwired electrical point.

Recommended Scandinavian Bedside Wall Lights

The right design depends on whether you want focused reading light or softer bedroom ambience.

RETNING – Minimalist Adjustable Cylinder Bedside Lamp

The RETNING Scandinavian Rotatable Wall Light is particularly suited to bedside reading because its compact cylindrical form can be adjusted towards the area where light is needed.

It is a good choice for minimalist bedrooms where you want the fitting to remain visually discreet rather than becoming the main decorative feature.

SVALA – Adjustable Scandinavian Reading Lamp

The SVALA Scandinavian Iron Rotatable Wall Light combines a simple metal form with directional adjustment, making it another practical option beside the bed.

It works particularly well where the bedside light needs to perform a genuine task-lighting function rather than simply create atmosphere.

SKIVA – Rotatable Stone Wall Light

For bedrooms where natural materials are part of the design, SKIVA combines a rotatable stone shade with a warmer, more tactile appearance.

Stone introduces subtle texture without requiring bold colour, making it particularly effective alongside timber furniture, linen bedding and muted walls.

HYGGE – Wood & Metal Bedside Wall Lamp

The HYGGE Scandinavian Wall Light combines wood and metal and is available in configurations including a UK plug option. Its compact design makes it especially useful where bedside surface space is limited.

You can discover these designs and more in our Scandinavian Wall Lights Collection.

Interior Designer Tip: Mark the Position Before You Drill

One of the easiest ways to avoid incorrectly positioned bedroom wall lights costs almost nothing.

Use masking tape.

Mark the outline or centre point of each wall light on the wall. Then put your pillows in their normal position, sit in bed and look at the proposed height.

Better still, do this in the evening.

You will quickly notice if a light looks too high, sits awkwardly against the headboard or would shine directly into your eyes.

For couples of different heights, test the lights with both people sitting in bed. An adjustable fitting can be particularly useful because each side can then be angled independently.

Common Bedside Wall Light Mistakes to Avoid

The most common mistake is choosing a height purely because it looks symmetrical on an empty wall.

A bedroom is used from the bed, not viewed only from the doorway.

Also avoid installing the fitting before your final mattress has arrived. Mattress depth can alter the effective mounting height by several centimetres.

Other common problems include exposed bulbs at eye level, switches that cannot be reached from bed, fittings mounted too far from the headboard and bright cool-white lamps being used as relaxing evening lighting.

For hardwired fittings, plan the position of the electrical connection and controls with your electrician before decorating.

Frequently Asked Questions

- How high should bedside wall lights be from the floor?

Around 140–160 cm from the floor to the centre of the fitting is a useful starting range, but mattress height and seated eye level should ultimately determine the position.

- How high should bedside wall lights be above the mattress?

Approximately 60–70 cm above the mattress works well in many bedrooms. Test the proposed position while sitting against your normal pillows before installation.

- Should bedside wall lights be above the headboard?

Not necessarily. They can sit beside the headboard, which is often more practical for reading. Tall or full-width headboards may require a different arrangement.

- What is the best light colour for a bedroom?

For most bedrooms, warm white around 2700K–3000K creates a softer evening atmosphere than cool-white light.

- Are adjustable wall lights good for reading in bed?

Yes. Adjustable wall lights allow you to direct the beam towards your book while reducing unnecessary light across the rest of the bedroom.

- Do bedside wall lights need to match?

No. Matching lights create strong symmetry, but Scandinavian interiors do not require perfect symmetry. What matters more is consistency in proportion, materials and light temperature.

Key Takeaway

If you are deciding how high bedside wall lights should be, start at approximately 140–160 cm from the floor, or around 60–70 cm above the mattress, and then adjust the position to suit your actual bed, headboard and seated eye level.

For reading, the most important test is not the measurement on the wall — it is how the light feels when you are sitting in bed. The beam should reach your book comfortably without the bulb or brightest part of the fitting shining directly into your eyes.

And remember: bedside lighting does not need to flood the entire bedroom. In Scandinavian interiors, a smaller pool of warm, well-positioned light often creates a calmer and more inviting atmosphere than one powerful central source.

Before drilling, mark the proposed position with masking tape, sit against your usual pillows and test it from both sides of the bed. Five minutes spent checking the position can prevent years of looking at a wall light that is just slightly too high.

Create a Calmer Bedside Space

At Nordic Essentials, we believe good lighting should make a room feel better as well as look better. A carefully positioned wall light can free your bedside table, reduce visual clutter and create the soft evening atmosphere that works so naturally in Scandinavian bedrooms.

If you are planning your own bedroom lighting, explore our Scandinavian Wall Lights Collection for adjustable reading lights, minimalist bedside lamps and softly diffused designs created for calm, considered interiors.

Explore Scandinavian Wall Lights