A bedroom clock has a different job to one in a living room or office — it needs to be easy to glance at from bed, and its light needs to be gentle enough not to disturb sleep. This guide covers where to hang one, which finishes suit a bedroom, and how to use the glow without it working against a good night's sleep.
Look for a Softer Palette
Bedrooms generally suit softer, quieter finishes than a living room or office. Blush and Linen use pale, muted tones rather than bold brass, while Hearth brings a warm, natural wood-grain face that works well in a calmer, neutral-toned room. These lighter finishes tend to recede into a bedroom's existing palette rather than demanding attention, which is usually what you want in a room meant for winding down.
Where to Position It
The two most common spots are on the wall facing the bed, where it's visible without lifting your head, or above a dresser or dressing table opposite the bed. Avoid hanging it directly above the headboard — it's awkward to see from a lying position and awkward to reach when the batteries need changing. If the room has a reading nook or armchair, that's often a better second location than squeezing the clock onto an already busy wall above the bed.
Choose the Right Size
Every clock comes in Small (30cm), Medium (50cm) and Large (70cm). The 30cm Small suits a dressing table wall, nursery or narrow space, the 50cm Medium works above a dresser or on the wall facing the bed, and the 70cm Large makes a statement above a bed or on a feature wall.
A Gentle Glow
The warm LED glow is soft enough to give you a sense of the time in the dark without a harsh light. Position the clock so you can see it from the pillow without it being directly in your line of sight when trying to sleep — a few degrees off-centre is usually enough to get the benefit of the glow without it being the last thing you stare at before dozing off.
Wood Tones vs Metallics
If your bedroom leans toward natural materials — linen bedding, timber furniture, woven textures — a wood-grain face like Hearth or the numeral-free Driftwood (also a strong fit for an adjoining living space) will sit more naturally than a metallic gear design. For a bedroom with more polish — brass hardware, a statement mirror, upholstered furniture — a piece like Linen or Noir picks up that same refinement with its Roman numerals and gold-toned frame.
A Touch of Character
If your bedroom can handle a bit more personality, Cottage's retro striped dial or Stardust's gold-flecked gear design add a focal point without overwhelming the room. These work particularly well in a bedroom that already has one or two bolder decor choices — a patterned headboard, a statement rug — since the clock can echo that same sense of character rather than introducing a third competing element.
Clocks for Shared and Kids' Rooms
In a shared bedroom or a child's room, legibility and a gentle glow both matter more than usual. Cottage's bold, high-contrast numerals make it easy for a child to learn to read the time, and its soft warm glow works as a comforting night light.
Shop the Bedroom Collection
Browse every design suited to bedrooms in the Bedroom collection, or see the full range in View All.