How to Decorate Your Bedroom with Britany Simon: Part 4

Bright Lights

We spend a lot of time in the bedroom, but it’s often one of the last rooms we decorate. Whether it’s trying to find the right rug or deciding what to put on the wall or the great debate of fan vs. chandelier, decorating your bedroom can be a big task. So we invited HGTV Design Star Runner Up and “Fan Favorite,” Britany Simon, into our studio to help us pull together all the elements that make a bedroom beautiful, from floor to ceiling.

Layer Your Lighting

Lighting is an essential element in creating the bedroom of your dreams – and is one of the more fun design choices you’ll make, says Britney. You want to carry the theme of your bedroom’s style through in your lighting choices, so think of your fixtures as beautiful accent pieces.

“I like to have fun with lighting and call it the jewelry of the space,” she says.

The key to a good lighting plan is creating multiple layers of light throughout your bedroom, advises the designer.

“We’ve established that the bedroom is for so much more than sleeping. It’s where you lounge, read, work on your laptop and get dressed for your day, so it’s important to have different points of light to help you accomplish those tasks.”

Start with a Chandelier

You really can have it all, at least when it comes to lighting in the bedroom. So many people think you have to choose between the comfort of a fan and the style statement of a chandelier, but according to Britany, that’s just not true:

“I say keep the fan, and add the glam!”

You just have to find a different place to hang your statement piece, such as over a vanity, in a corner that highlights a gallery wall or even in your closet. For our bedroom, Britney positioned the chandelier over the seating area.

When you’re shopping for overhead lighting, choose a piece that matches the style aesthetic of your bedroom, says Britney. And check out all of your design options, including chandeliers, lanterns and pendants.

Mix & Match Table Lamps

Britney quickly debunks yet another bedroom lighting myth: you don’t actually have to have matching table lamps for perfect symmetry. “It’s a lot more fun to create an unexpected look,” the designer says.

Go for broke and choose two different style of lamps to pump up the personality, urges Britney. For our table lamps, she chose a shapely gourd lamp sporting a fresh gray finish and a vintage-style task lamp in antiqued gold. And here’s a bright idea: to even the height of the bedside lamps, she stacked the task lamp on a stack of books. Why didn’t we think of that?

However, if you’re not ready for a big leap on the lamps, try mixing up the same style of lamp by choosing two different base colors or two different shades.

Whatever lighting you ultimately choose, just be sure you bridge the gap between function and fashion, says Britney. “Think about how it works for you instead of simply focusing on its pretty design.”

Do you love our lighting choices? Do you have your own bedroom lighting tips? Share your feedback in the comments below.