When you begin your quest for bedroom lighting ideas, you'll soon realize that there are a lot of options out there … and we mean a lot. Gone are the days when a straightforward table lamp sufficed. Today, you can choose from a myriad of different lighting types, from ceiling lights to chandeliers to floor lamps and everything in between. Luckily, there is an effective way to help narrow things down: by style.
For example, the term modern design doesn't just mean current-day design. In fact, the style had its beginnings in the mid-twentieth century, and often overlaps with midcentury modern design, and is known for linear or geometric details, unexpected materials like metals and plastics, open and airy surroundings, and abstract artwork. Light fixtures that display unique shapes and clean lines were made for modern bedrooms.
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Get inspired by these nine modern sanctuaries that showcase spot-on lighting — then click through the links and bring these very fixtures into your own home.
1. Reinforce a linear design with a floor lamp.
If your bedroom is all about linear design, you can mirror that aesthetic with a modern floor lamp. In this room captured by Kate Arends of Wit & Delight and featured in the Studio 125 creative space, a modern and simple fixture mimics the lines of the canopy bed and accompanying accents.
Get the look: CB2 Tres Floor Lamp, $249
2. Practice symmetry with table lamps.
Modern style is known for its eye-pleasing symmetry, which is an approach you can bring into your bedroom with matching table lamps. For instance, in this setup designed by Sarah Sherman Samuel, the brass, angular table lamps on each nightstand offer cohesiveness to the overall look.
Get the look: Mercana Fragon Table Lamp, $239.99
3. Opt for completely unexpected wall sconces.
Sure, you can always choose a traditional wall sconce as you've likely seen among the bedroom lighting ideas out there, but for your modern space, only a mod wall sconce (or two) will do. Push the envelope with geometric fixtures like the ones Emily Henderson chose for this bedroom.
Get the look: Allied Maker Aperture Sconce, $1,650 - $2,062.50
4. Make a pendant light the focal point.
Pendant lights have been taking an increasingly modern turn with sharp lines and attention-grabbing shapes, and they're no longer relegated to just the kitchen or common spaces. We've been seeing them more and more often in modern bedrooms, like this one designed by Shea of Studio McGee. Placing a pendant lamp over the bed pulls the entire room together.
Get the look: McGee & Co. Caged Medium Lantern, $1,235
5. Anchor the design with a chandelier.
Modern light fixtures come in so many colors, shapes, and finishes these days that you'll be guaranteed to find one that emulates the rest of the decor in your bedroom. You can make everything come together with a well-chosen chandelier. In this space belonging to Jenni of I Spy DIY, the black, mobile-style fixture draws in the lines of the mud cloth throw blanket and the dark hues seen throughout the space.
Get the look: West Elm Mobile Chandelier, $399
6. Prove that a semi-flush mount is anything but boring.
A semi-flush mount is pretty traditional, but you can make it modern by choosing one that features a noteworthy shape. For example, in a bedroom belonging to Farah Guy and spotlighted by Schoolhouse Living, the soft angles of the semi-flush mount fixture instantly communicate visual interest.
Get the look: Schoolhouse Electric Fuller with White Shade, $449
7. Draw the eye upwards with a flush mount.
Flush mounts are an effective way to draw the eye upwards without overwhelming the rest of your bedroom decor. You can increasingly find flush-mount fixtures in modern styles and shapes, like this one from Rejuvenation that illuminates a beautifully modern space.
Get the look: Cedar & Moss Conifer 18" Flush Mount, $379
8. A wall-mounted light makes an industrial statement.
Modern bedroom lighting ideas often showcase unique touches not often seen elsewhere, such as exposed wires, surprising silhouettes, and gleaming materials. This wall-mounted articulated lamp has all three of these qualities, stealing the show in a bedroom belonging to Paul Denoly and Nick Blaine and featured on Sight Unseen.
Get the look: Workstead Brass Wall Lamp, $795
9. Choose something truly grand.
With modern lighting, sometimes you have to go for broke and choose the biggest, most striking fixture for your space. We bet it'll be something you'll adore for years to come that will light up your entire bedroom, both literally and figuratively. This midcentury-inspired chandelier in a bedroom styled by Alexandra of AVE Styles is simply stunning and brings even more modern flair to the space.
Get the look: Jonathan Adler Meurice Chandelier, $1,190.25