8 Decorative Night Lights for Adults

Night lights are often associated with children scared of the dark. Consequently, night lights often come in “kids” colors or designed after a favorite cartoon character. But that assumption leaves out the adults who could use night lights for reasons other than scaring off the monster hiding under the bed.

There are a variety of decorative night lights for adults out there: so many, in fact, that it can be hard to know where to begin making the right choice for your home. To pick the model that’s right for you, take into account the reason you need a night light, your personal design tastes, and where in your home it will be placed. Our guide takes you through your myriad of options and how these night lights for adults can be used. 

Can adults use night lights?

Of course! Many adults incorporate night lights into their homes well after their children outgrow the fear of monsters in the closet, or once they outgrow that fear themselves.

Thankfully, the available options don’t look like toys or otherwise like they’re made specifically for children. Many are as decorative as they are functional, in designs and colors meant to blend into every room. With all the styles available, you’re bound to find something to match your home decor.

Why do adults use night lights?

Night lights take on a new purpose and use in adulthood, casting light throughout the home once the sun goes down. Some of the uses and benefits of night lights for adults include:

• Night lights can be decorative. If you’ve thought there was something missing in a room, a night light can be the finishing touch. Drawing inspiration from your existing decor, night light fixtures can add a new layer of light to the room while matching your current tastes. Examples include salt lamps, LED cube lights, and wall night lights with colorful or decorative glass shades.
• Night lights help you ease back into sleep. Most of us don’t fall asleep easily or quickly, and bright lights exacerbate that scenario. Turning on an overhead light or a lamp during the night can be quite disruptive and prevent you from catching the rest you need. Night lights are just bright enough to navigate around without disrupting your sleeping patterns. Plus, you may benefit from night lights in relaxing colors to help lull you into a state of relaxation.
• Night lights help illuminate pathways and other important fixtures. Turning on a harsh overhead light can hurt tired eyes, but moving around in the dark isn’t safe, either. A night light is an excellent way to avoid both of these problems, brightening the way just enough to avoid stumbling and circumvent obstacles without causing eye strain. They can also help you easily find important items, like light switches, in the dark.
• Night lights can help with fear of the dark. Although these worries tend to be associated with children, around 11 percent of adults report experiencing fear of the dark, or more accurately, the unknown and inability to see that comes from darkness. These special lamps can quite literally cast light on these fears, gently pushing back the darkness without it being too bright to sleep.

Eight decorative night lights for adults

There’s no shortage of options when looking for the right decorative night light for your home. Here are some of the types of adult night lights you can choose from:

• Salt lamps. A salt lamp is a beautiful accent piece which utilizes carved Himalayan pink salt as a shade or light diffuser. The warm light passing through the salt blocks casts a gentle glow that’s not only ultra relaxing, but dim enough to keep harsh light out of your eyes. Pink salt is also believed to clear impurities from the air.

• Plug-in night lights. Quick and easy to set up, plug-in lights can be placed into any outlet. These units are typically small and point upward, so they can be positioned to not block other outlets when in use. Some come with built-in LEDs or you can install the compatible light bulb of your choice. There are many styles to choose from, like vintage-looking filament bulbs or modern artistic pieces, so you can select the one that best fits your style.

• Galaxy lights. If you’ve ever sat outside and watched the stars at night, you know how relaxing it can be. Galaxy lights like BlissLights’ Sky Lite bring that feeling indoors without shining harsh lights in your eyes. A laser galaxy projector lets you lay back and enjoy your own personal galaxy, with laser stars moving over a nebula cloud in calming multicolor hues.

Sky Lite Evolve: Smart Galaxy Projector

$49.99$39.99

The latest evolution in smart galaxy lighting.

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• Color lights. The color may not be the first thing you think of when it comes to choosing a night light, but there is plenty of variety here. Some colors may disturb sleep rhythms, while others are intended to relax you and help you get into the sleeping mindset. Select the color that most puts you at ease.

• Aurora lights. An aurora light projects relaxing patterns onto your walls and ceiling. This light is soothing, calming, and won’t disturb your sleep. Many aurora lights can be adjusted to your liking, so one area of a room can be brighter or dimmer than another. Plus, aurora lights like the BlissLights Ark Ambient light are compact, so they can be placed and stored virtually anywhere you choose.

ARK Aurora Light

$29.99

Transcend reality with a moving abstract aurora.

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• Portable night lights. Many night lights’ small size make them ideal for travel, as they don’t take up much room in your luggage and can be used virtually anywhere. Some portable fixtures are rechargeable, too, eliminating the need for a source of electricity or an adapter if you’re traveling abroad.

StarPort USB Light

$14.99

One tiny light. Thousands of stars!

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• Motion sensor lights. If you don’t need the lights on all night long, consider motion sensor units that respond to movement. These models automatically detect when someone is near, so they’ll turn on as you need them and turn off a few minutes later. These types of night lights are ideal for areas where only a bit of light is needed for a brief time, such as the bathroom, closet, or hallway.

• Touch activated lights. Touch lamps are a convenient way to incorporate lighting into your home. Simply tap, and the light turns on or off. These night lights can be used in closets, bathrooms, hallways, and other small spaces where you need to access at night without casting harsh overhead light into sensitive eyes.

Choosing the right night light for your home

There are a few major things to keep in mind when choosing a night light. Keep your desired use center of your decision: Whether you’re casting a bit of light in a dark corner or need to see your way through a hallway at night, each type of night light is suited for a specific job. Some are multi-purpose, serving both as decorative night lights for adults and for a specific purpose, and some are specifically meant for utility. No matter your purpose, there’s a world of options out there for you, each designed to make your home—and your world—a little bit brighter.