Bedside Wall Lights

Bedside wall lights for reading in bed

Every light on this page is a reading light made for fixing to the wall beside your bed. Its beam is focused on your book rather than spread across the room, so you can finish a chapter without switching on the big light. Because it sits on the wall, your bedside table is left free for a drink, your glasses and your phone.

That makes them a sensible choice for small bedrooms, where a lamp can crowd a narrow bedside table, and for beds that leave no room for a table. They help when you share a bed too, as a well-aimed beam lets you read while your partner sleeps.

Aiming a bedside reading light at the page

How well a reading light works comes down to where the beam lands. A narrow beam angle keeps a tight pool of light on your page, which is kinder to anyone sleeping beside you. A wider beam spreads further across the bed and suits you if you like a little more light around the book. Some are adjustable, so you can angle the light straight at your page whether you sit up or lie on your side.

Check the projection as well, which is how far the light stands out from the wall. A light that reaches further brings the beam over your pillow, while a slimmer profile is less likely to catch your shoulder when you sit up. If your headboard is tall or deep, measure it before you choose, so the light can reach past it.

Switches and USB ports on bedside wall lights

Many of our bedside wall lights have a switch on the fitting itself, so you can turn the light on and off from bed instead of getting up for the switch by the door. If you choose a light with a switch, ask your electrician to wire it so it works independently of the wall switch, letting you read with the ceiling light off.

Many in the range have a USB port, so you can charge your phone overnight without stretching a cable to a socket behind the bed. Some have a USB-C port, so check the port type against your charging cable before you buy.

Built-in LED or bulb in a bedside wall light

Most of ours have a built-in LED, so the light source comes as part of the fitting. Some take a separate bulb instead, which lets you choose your own. If you go for a light that takes a bulb, check the product page for the fitting it needs and whether a bulb is included, then pick a warm white LED bulb to keep the light gentle at night.

Some add a main light as well, so the same fitting lights the room and your page. That suits you if the ceiling light feels too bright late in the evening.

Warm or cool white from a bedside reading light

Most of ours give a warm white light. Warm white at 3000K has a mellow tone that suits winding down before sleep. Some give a cool white light at 4000K instead, which looks crisper and can make small print easier to pick out if you care more about clarity than a cosy glow.

Almost all of our bedside wall lights are not dimmable. Some are dimmable, which helps if you like to turn the light down as you drift off. If you plan to use a dimmer switch, choose a fitting marked dimmable, as a non-dimmable light can flicker or hum on a dimmer.

Fitting bedside wall lights either side of the bed

A wall light wired into the mains should always be fitted by a qualified electrician. Settle on where the bed will sit before the cable goes in, ideally before you paint or paper the wall behind the headboard.

For height, sit up against your pillows and mark a spot a little above and behind your shoulder: that is roughly where the light should go, so the beam falls on the page without shining in your eyes. If you share the bed, fit a pair at the same height on either side so the wall looks balanced, and keep them clear of the headboard so they are easy to reach and hard to knock.

Finishes and styles for bedside wall lights

Almost all of our range has a modern look, and many pieces lean towards an industrial style. Most are made of metal. We stock them in black, white, brass, nickel, silver and chrome, and many have a matt or satin finish. Some have a fabric shade, which gives a softer feel. If your room has older furniture, some come in an antique finish.

Matching the finish to the room ties the light in: black suits a dark metal bed frame, brass warms up a painted headboard, and white blends into a pale wall. Many also suit a study or a living room, beside a desk or a favourite armchair.