The Easy Trick Used In Movies For Softer Lighting In The Bedroom

Lamps can provide an almost cinematic backdrop in a home. Here comes a hack from the actual cinematic community — light diffusers. Film designers place sheets of material over a lamp's top to create a dreamy feel in movie and TV bedrooms. These diffusers redirect light to create softer shadows in a space. There's less light hitting a wall, the star-like contours are gone, and there's less shine in general. It can also be effective for making a bedroom with high ceilings seem cozier. The result? More flattering shadows and an almost painterly effect in the bedroom.

This is a gorgeous lighting trend that will make any room feel cozier but most especially the bedroom. Romantics have been achieving the same effect for years by draping a translucent scarf over the tops of lamps, something you'll see often in Carrie Bradshaw's bachelorette pad in "Sex and the City." Light diffusers like the ones that provide picture-perfect trickery in Hollywood are considered safe to use and are just as effective. Because light is being scattered, it will cover more area. As a bonus, this can potentially saving on electric bills because you won't need accent lights in the corners of your bedroom.

You can purchase light diffusers in a variety of styles. They are generally made of white acrylic and slip easily over the top of the shade (like this model from B&P Lamp). There's often a hole in the middle for spider and uno varieties of fittings. There are light diffusers for barrel lampshades, and some that have built-in adapters for clip-on lampshades. Prices start at under $10 (for an OSALADI Chandelier Shade Diffuser) and can go over $35 (for the Awclub Round Diffuser).

You can also make a light diffuser yourself from foam core, a versatile material that can be used for everything from DIY drawer dividers to an affordable headboard using Dollar Tree picture frames. Measure the width of the shade at the top and cut the board in a circle. Depending on the type of lamp, you may need to carve out a hole for the fitting to sneak through and secure at the top of the shade.

Whether you're in an apartment or house, there's a good chance that the bedroom contains a ceiling fountain light. These flush-mounted overhead lights can be harsh or provide little light depending on the size of the space, the strength of the bulb, and the opacity of the glass globe. 

You can DIY a light diffuser to install over the fixture. This will provide a restful glow to the bedroom. This might require a little luck and some crafty handiwork (or just shifting around the shade). Remove the glass covering from the light and slip a shade over the hardware inside. There might even be a finial to hold the shade in place. Once you've made sure that the shade fits, take it down and add material to the shade's opening. The fabric can be glued to the edges of the widest part of the shade and will become the light diffuser. If you'd prefer to buy a workaround for a fountain light, there are inset diffusers on the market that come in fun colors, designs, and patterns to complement the shade.