This is part of a user guide, part 1: kitchen/dining room lighting of a 5-part series of guides on using the iconic Original 1227 range at home. For part 2 (living room lighting). For part 3 (bedroom lighting). Written by design writer Charlotte Abrahams.

In the beginning there was the Original 1227. Launched by Anglepoise® in 1935 as a result of the pioneering work of automotive engineer George Carwardine, this three spring, articulated task light set the standard by which all other desk lights are now measured and has become an internationally acclaimed design icon. And that includes the garden.

The 1930s design has been refined and re-interpreted over the years to suit changing technologies and tastes, and the classic desk lamp has been joined by a whole family of Original 1227 models ranging from the compact Mini to the over-sized Giant, via brass trimmed versions and our latest iteration, an Original 1227 Mini Collection with bone china shade. Versatile, functional, unfailingly chic and built to last a lifetime, there is something in the Anglepoise® Original 1227 family for every room in the house.

With so many options to choose from, deciding what to use where could be confusing. With that in mind, we have put together a room-by-room guide packed with useful tips and brilliant ideas to help you light up you home. We will begin in the room most of us consider to be the heart of the home: the kitchen/diner.

Let your imagination get to work.

If you’re working from home in a dark and cluttered corner, it’s hard to get motivated. So, we thought we’d brighten your day with these impressive desks in real-life home offices, ably assisted by the most stylish workhorse of all – the Anglepoise lamp.

Layer Lighting

Yes, we’re starting with lighting, and sure, we might be a little bias; but taking the time to light a small room correctly is the difference between cosy and poky. There’s no way around this. One big bright light blasting from the ceiling will only showcase how small the bedroom actually is. Then on the other side of the scale, too little lighting will make a small room feel dark and dingy. Getting that happy medium is a must.

At Anglepoise, we have a strong focus on balance, and there are three types of lighting you need to consider for a small bedroom – ambient, accent, and task.

Ambient is your overall lighting and in most cases is an overhead light. When picking ambient lighting for a small bedroom we recommend nothing too bright – warm lighting has an undeniable impact on the overall look and feel of your space.

Instead of a traditional overhead light, wall lighting not only saves on space but also provides a dimmer, softer glow to provide a chill vibe that’s ideal for a bedroom. Something small, unobstructive but with enough power to actually light the room is your aim – for example the Type 80 W2 Wall Light is a great choice here. Utilising a wall light available in various colours means you can match your light to your wall colour for a modern, minimalistic aesthetic.

Accent lighting

Next is accent lighting, which is an excellent method of drawing attention to a single point in the room. In a small bedroom this might already be taken care of with your ambient lighting (if done effectively), unless you’ve given each space a zone and want to emphasize it. Splitting your bedroom into zones will help keep areas tidy whilst giving you the feeling of space – a designated study section, clothing section and relaxing section means each aspect has been carefully thought out. We recommend desk and table lamps next to the bed to help zone in on that comfort spot and make the room seem bigger.

Task lighting

Finally, is task lighting, which is where Anglepoise really excels. Our table lamps have graced some of the world’s most illustrious workspaces, and lighting that helps you serve a purpose isn’t to be overlooked. A small room doesn’t mean you can’t have a nice area to work in. Save space by extending a furniture’s purpose. Doubling a cabinet as a desk and making sure you have a dedicated lighting zone for it can save space whilst creating a harmonious area to focus in.

No matter what the lighting purpose, there are a few rules you should follow to help make a small space look bigger. Soft, warm lighting is your friend, and we wouldn’t be recommending our giant floor lamps in a hurry. Instead, go for a mini lamp to save on space. Double up to have two bedside lamps, and twist and turn your lamp to make sure you’re only lighting the areas you need at any given time to help make a tranquil atmosphere.

So, what does this all mean? Basically, ignore the big light. Background, dimmable, low energy lighting is the key to making a tiny room feel cosy. Don’t blast the lighting thinking brighter is better, a small bedroom should be lit sensitively. If you make things too bright, you’ll only showcase how small the room really is.

Clutter Begone

Next up is storage. Sticking a huge chest of drawers into a small bedroom isn’t really going to cut it. Sure, you can fit a lot in it, but if the furniture hogs too much floor space it will end up dwarfing the rest of the room and forcing people to tip toe around it.

Instead, streamline your storage to maximize efficiency and space. Like we mentioned earlier, doubling a piece’s purpose helps you do exactly this. Your storage furniture should not only keep things tidy, but also showcase some of your favorite pieces to help give a small bedroom character. Add a shelf with cabinets to keep the clutter hidden behind cupboard doors, then use the open shelf space to showcase and illuminate art, decorations or even your favorite shoes (that you have nowhere else to store) to give a room personality whilst making sure each belonging has a home.

That’s why we prefer modular cabinets and shelves when it comes to small storage solutions, like this collection of modular furniture from Shelved. Being able to tweak and move how you store and light your items gives you more options when it comes to keeping a small space tidy. It’s important to have at least one area of floor space so your bedroom can “breath,” try not to make corridors between your furniture, and opt for slimmer designs where you can.

For more home and style tips, see our inspirations of real bedrooms and hotels and hospitality case studies, alternatively you can browse our full collection of bedroom lighting here. You can also discover Shelved and their modular storage solutions here to complete the look.