Above the bed, around two thirds the width of the headboard, in Warm White. That covers most bedrooms and most tastes.
The thing people get wrong is brightness, not size. A sign chosen in a lit showroom is startling at 2am, which is why the included dimmer matters more here than in any other room.
Where it goes
Above the headboard is the default and it works because the bed already defines the width. Size it at roughly two thirds to three quarters of the headboard and leave 15 to 25 cm of clearance above it, so it reads as belonging to the bed rather than floating separately.
On the wall opposite the bed is the alternative, and the better one if you want to see the sign while lying down rather than have it behind you. It also photographs better.
Above a dressing table or in an alcove suits smaller pieces, 50 to 60 cm, where the sign is an accent rather than the focal point.
Color in a bedroom
| Color | In a bedroom |
|---|---|
| Warm White | The safe answer. Reads like a lamp, flatters everything |
| Light Pink | Soft and popular, but needs a dark wall or it disappears |
| Ice Blue | Calm and cool. Good in a room with cool toned decor |
| Hot Pink, Turquoise, Red | Beautiful, but energetic. Better in a games room |
| RGB | Rarely worth it here. One right color beats twelve options |
Wording that lasts
- ✓ A single word or short phrase. Two or three words reads better on a bedroom wall than a sentence.
- ✓ A name. Yours, a partner's, a child's. The version most likely to still be up in five years.
- ✓ A shape with no words at all. A line drawing, a moon, a wave.
- ✗ A quotation. At readable letter height it becomes enormous, and shrinking it hits the 5 cm minimum bend.
Two practical points
The outlet. Bedroom sockets are usually at skirting level beside the bed, and the sign is 150 cm up. Tell us which side your socket is on so the cable exits the right edge, because it cannot be changed afterwards.
Fixing. A 90 by 45 cm sign is around 3.4 kg, which is at the upper limit for adhesive strips. Above the bed specifically, we would use the chain or a proper wall fixing rather than adhesive, for reasons that need no explanation.
Warm White, sized to the headboard, above the bed, chain fixed, dimmer within reach. That is the version almost everyone ends up happy with. Spend the decision energy on the wording instead, because that is the part you will look at every day and the only part that cannot be adjusted later.
Frequently asked questions
What size neon sign should I put above my bed?
Around two thirds to three quarters of the headboard width. That means 90 to 105 cm above a double, 100 to 130 cm above a king and 60 to 70 cm above a single. Leave 15 to 25 cm of clearance between the headboard and the sign.
Is a neon sign too bright for a bedroom?
At full brightness it can be, at night. Every sign includes an in line dimmer, which solves it completely, so route the cable so the dimmer stays reachable from the bed rather than hidden behind furniture.
What color neon sign is best for a bedroom?
Warm White. It reads like a lamp rather than a sign, sits comfortably with any decor, and is the least stimulating at night. Light Pink and Ice Blue are the popular alternatives, though Light Pink needs a darker wall behind it to carry.
Can I hang a neon sign above a bed with adhesive strips?
We would not, above a bed specifically. A 90 by 45 cm sign is around 3.4 kg, which is at the upper limit for adhesive, and the consequence of a failure there is obvious. Use the chain included with every sign, or a proper wall fixing.
Should I get RGB for a bedroom sign?
Usually not. RGB adds 50 percent and gives you colors you will stop changing after the first month. A bedroom is a room with one settled mood, so one well chosen color, plus the dimmer you already get, tends to serve it better.
We have made neon since 1998, and we still make it ourselves. If something here does not answer your question, ask us.
