Plan your room with wireless wall lighting

Room 01

Bedroom

Frame the bed with a matching pair

A pair placed either side of the bed gives the wall a calm, symmetrical frame and makes the bed the clear focal point. Centre the pair on the bed rather than the wall if the two are not aligned, and consider how bedside tables, a headboard and any artwork above the bed sit within that frame.

Mock it up with paper first

Cut paper or card shapes roughly the size you expect the lights to be and tape them to the wall. Move them up, down, in and out until the proportions feel right with the headboard and tables. It is far easier to adjust tape than to rethink a mounted light.

Check for glare from the bed

Sit up against the headboard and lie down on each side. Notice whether a light source would sit in your line of sight, shine towards your eyes or reflect in a mirror or glossy surface. What looks right from the doorway can feel very different from the pillow.

Keep the module within reach

Make sure you can comfortably reach each light to remove its charging module, without climbing over the bed or shifting a heavy bedside table.

Keep a proper reading light

Ambient wall sconces are about mood, not necessarily focused task light. If you read in bed, plan to keep a suitable reading lamp or light alongside them.

Room 02

Hallway

Map how people move through it

Hallways are about movement. Mark where doors swing, where furniture and coat hooks sit, and the route people actually walk, including with bags, prams or laundry baskets. A quick sketch on paper or masking tape on the floor helps.

Keep the walking route clear

Avoid positions where a light would project into the path people use, catch a shoulder, or be knocked by an opening door. In narrow halls, favour walls that sit outside the main line of travel.

Frame a mirror or console

A pair either side of a mirror or a console table creates a welcoming moment at the entrance and gives the hallway a clear focal point. Check the mirror from the front door and from further along the hall for unwanted reflections of the lights.

Don't rely on accent lighting for safety

Rechargeable accent lights can run down. Keep your existing hallway and stair lighting as the main way to light steps and walking routes, and treat wall sconces as an extra layer of atmosphere.

Room 03

Living room

Frame artwork or seating

A matching pair either side of a favourite artwork, a mantel, a shelving unit or a sofa can anchor a wall and draw the eye. Mock up the pair with paper shapes alongside the artwork or furniture so you can judge the balance as a whole.

Look from the sofa and the entrances

Sit where people actually sit, then walk in through each doorway. Look for reflections in a television, glazed frames or windows at night, and for any light source that sits directly in a seated eye line.

Keep your general and task lighting

Wall lights add warmth and depth, but they are best layered with what you already have. Keep a general light for the whole room and lamps where people read or work.