When each side of a bed is treated similarly, the look tends to give an air of calm and sophistication to a space.
Matching bedside lamps is often considered to be a more traditional look, but as we can see in these examples, there are many ways to update the trend while maintaining that balance so common in designs from the past. Experiment with materials and types of lamps to provide something unexpected. Differentiating the objects nearest to the lighting allows the personality of the individual who belongs to each side of the bed to come through while providing consistency throughout a design scheme.
Images:
First Row:
1. Bringing Wallpaper Into The Bedroom
2. Marrying Calm and Color in the Bedroom
3. 10 Great Bedrooms from AT:Chicago House Tours
4. Luxury Textures & Fabrics in the Bedroom
5. House Tour: Summer and Josh's Pumped Up Traditional
Second Row:
6. 8 Real Bedrooms Where Simplicity Reigns
7. #19 - Laure's Sparkling Space
8. Roundup: Bachelor Pad Bedroom Decor
9. Romantic and Modern Bedroom With a Classic Twist
10. The Zen Bedroom
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This is a must for me. I think mismatched lamps/tables would look really cluttered. It is one of the first pieces of design advice I took when I moved into my apartment, and I'm so glad. That instantly gives a great symmetry to a bedroom.
Picture 3 is lovely!
I'm not into 'matchy' furniture, etc. I like an eclectic, thrown together look. With that said, I'm a stickler for having symmetrical bedside tables and lamps. I think it's the one way to bring everything together.
I am in the process of adding lighting to my home and I always question proportions. photo 6 and 9 look too small to me while 8 just looks too big. is there a golden rule for the proportions of lighting?
I'm a stickler for matching lamps. The tables don't need to be, as long as they relate and have a very close table height to each other. Also a big fan of wall-mounted lights.
larchgirl--
It depends more on how much light you want, and what you want it for. If you read in bed, you need something that can bring the light to you. If you need a source to light the whole room, it may end up being larger. If it's only mood you're after, you can get away with something small and gem-like... and the perfect opportunity to splurge.
Ideally, perhaps a fixture that has a dimmer, a hi/lo setting, or a three-way bulb. Three-ways in the bedroom are great. Wait... ;)
The only golden rule... if it's *your* room, and you think it looks too large/small, then it is. :)