One of the few rooms in the house that needs excellent, well-planned lighting is the bathroom. From applying cosmetics and straightening your hair to bathing and evaluating your appearance, sharp and correct lighting is always at the top of the list.
Understanding the ideal lighting is crucial whether you're entirely rebuilding your bathroom or just want to modify a few important components. Lighting can make or break the overall design of any room, particularly your bathroom. Every area of the house needs good lighting, but the bathroom is where it really counts.
The improper light bulb causes you to overdo your makeup, while the wrong location for a lighting fixture causes you to shave in the dark. According to designer Anne Sneed, who has a business in Del Mar, California, "people sometimes believe a sconce alone will be romantic, and it just doesn't work." "You want a variety of bathroom lighting sources to make the area both appealing and useful."
Bathroom Lighting Tips
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Maximize natural light:
Bringing in lots of natural light is the best thing you can do, advises Sneed. "It's how other people perceive you in the world." As a result, ensure that your window treatments allow light to enter. If you're building a new home or renovating an existing one, the optimum location for a bathroom is facing north: light from a northern exposure is indirect, creating a gentle, diffused light. Another clever move? Adding a bathroom skylight, if possible, may make a tremendous difference and generally make you want to spend as much time as possible soaking in the tub or getting pampered at your vanity.
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Place fixtures wisely:
When it comes to bathroom fixtures, Sneed loves four inch recessed can lights with a clean aesthetic. "You definitely need an overhead light for functionality," she explains. To make the reflection more attractive, the designer mixes an overhead fixture with sconces alongside or above the mirror. "There should be some light between your face and the mirror," she advises. "If you're only backlit, you end up with your face in shadow." Make an effort to get a variety of lighting kinds so you may customize your lighting experience throughout the day and according to the activities.
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Choose the right light bulbs:
While designing bathrooms, Sneed opts for 2700K LEDs since she prefers the warmest light available. "It's as near to natural daylight as you can get," she explains. She uses bright bulbs (150 watts or comparable) but dims the overhead fixtures. "Careful observations require brighter lighting, but low lighting is comforting and romantic," she explains. Avoid using light bulbs that are too chilly and can give off a clinical, fluorescent feeling in your environment.
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Install some vanity lights:
Placing vanity lights fulfills numerous requirements for bathroom lighting as an aesthetically pleasing kind of task lighting. With vanity mirrors that can also be illuminated, they go together incredibly nicely. Track lights, recessed lights, pendant lights, and even lamps are all vanity lighting types to consider. Every one will have a unique personality and set of features, but they will all provide you with the much needed illumination to support your regular grooming and cleaning routines.
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Incorporate natural light:
The best things in life are free and natural light is a great asset to harness if you’re able to. The size and location of windows are critical to this when starting from scratch, taking into account the direction of the sun where your bathroom is facing. If renovated, it may be that the type of window could be changed to allow more natural light into the space, especially if the existing frames are bulky. Another thing to consider is installing a skylight which will significantly improve visibility in your bathroom during the day.
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Use stylish wall sconces:
An excellent choice for mood lighting and adding a little ambience to the bathroom is a wall sconce. Light is concentrated in particular regions thanks to the wall sconce's light condensing technology. Depending on the design and style of the sconce as well as the wattage of the light source, it can act as either primary or secondary lighting. These lights are particularly great if you have a large bathroom and want to add an instant atmosphere to the entryway.
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Go minimalist:
Many homeowners choose to keep their bathroom designs simple. This design option makes the most crucial components of your bathroom stand out by utilizing the power of minimalism. You can use single bulbs, strip lights, and miniature lamps as examples of simple lighting. This provides flow to your bathroom and reinforces the design's purpose and aim.
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Think about task lighting:
It is easier to establish focus and purpose in your bathroom by using task oriented lighting. You can accomplish things with this type of light. Most people believe that lighting around the sink and vanity is all that is required, but there is so much more that can be done. For example, placing in and around a free standing bathtub will not only improve safety and visibility when cleaning, but it will also draw attention to an excellent bathroom feature. You may achieve a similar impression and effect by adding additional recessed light above showers.
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Try some ambient lights:
The atmosphere of a bathroom is significant since it creates the tone and mood, both of which are important. Bathrooms are usually where we begin our days, so you want the vibe to be exactly right to assist you get through it. As the most powerful source of artificial light in a bathroom, it must be carefully measured. Recessed light should be used sparingly; if too many are used, the room will feel overly bright. Other types of ceiling lights, such as dome lights, may provide a more subdued but effective option in smaller spaces.
Benefits of Great Bathroom Lighting
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Reduces Energy Bills
The aim of bathroom lighting is to provide a productive system that not only offers illumination but also aids to lower energy costs. Both of these are simple to get with the right layering and strategic use of the available space.
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Emphasizes the Features of a Space
Your bathroom elements can become focal points with the help of excellent lighting. As a result, the design of your bathroom will be improved and more inviting.
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Better Safety
Your bathroom will be more accessible and easier to pass over with the help of good bathroom lighting, especially at night. Furthermore, bathrooms can be slippery, and there are several fall hazards, so having enough light helps to keep you safe.
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High Illumination
A well designed bathroom lighting system provides ample illumination, which highlights the elements of your bathroom and makes it more welcoming.
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Increases the Value of the Home
Appropriate lighting will help guests feel more at ease, enhancing the market value of your property because the space will appear larger and more appealing.
Bathroom Lighting Styles
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Modern Bathroom
Clean, simple style lines are the hallmark of modern bathroom designs. Use black and oil rubbed bronze finishes to give it a slightly industrial feel. Brass, brushed nickel, and chrome light fixtures provide striking accents for adding a touch of glitz. Modern bathrooms are also a perfect area to use mixed metal light fixtures.
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Modern Farmhouse Bathroom
Use a modern farm house look when modern trends don't seem to be warm and inviting enough. This design mixes the modern lines you adore with the farm house inspired vintage details. Metal, wood, and natural stone materials are combined to create a chic but unfussy room. Choose vanity lights with current style lines and vintage design features for this look. Keep an eye out for lighting fixtures that have slightly rustic finishes, such as aged brass and oil rubbed bronze.
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Coastal Bathroom
This look is perfect if you want your days to feel like a quiet coastal vacation. Coastal bathrooms are inspired by the colors seen naturally along the shore line. Incorporate lighting fixtures with transparent or frosted glass shades. You might also come across some nautically inspired wall sconces and vanity lights.
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Industrial Bathroom
An industrial bathroom should be streamlined, simple and practical. Bold metal accents and exposed Edison bulbs are the focal points of this style. Add subway tiling, metallic accents, and angular design elements to complete the effect. Weathered finishes give a worn over time aspect to any bathroom, making it appear to have once lived in an industrial warehouse.
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Rustic Country Bathroom
Rustic country bathrooms are simply inviting and have a gentle appeal. Floral wallpapers, warm colors, and timeless metal elements should be used. These bathroom lighting designs usually feature scrolling accents and frosted, bell shaped glass shades. Some may even have flowing vine or flower decorations.
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Mid-Century Modern Bathroom
When built properly, mid century modern bathrooms can pay a stylish respect to a home's past. Antique styles are making a come back. When it comes to achieving this simple, clean aesthetic, the color pallet is everything. With the cabinetry, you may display rich, warm, natural wood tones. Metal accessories, especially bathroom lighting, should feature period finishes, such as brass. You can even make a statement with a bright, geometric wallpaper. Including lighting fixtures with circular shades and gleaming metallic accents is a terrific approach to maintain the mid century aesthetic.
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Art Deco Bathroom
Displaying art deco bathroom lighting fixtures will give your home a brilliant reference to 1920's style. These fixtures bring creative flair to this elegant design aesthetic with their bold angles, tubular shapes, and metal and glass pairings. Understanding the design aesthetic of the area and abiding by it will help you plan your project with all these bathroom lighting options. Begin by selecting the bathroom light fixtures that will serve as the focal point of your lighting story, such as vanity lights, pendant lighting, or even a small chandelier. Next, search inside the same lighting collection for additional lights to complete the bathroom design. Finally, include LED recessed lighting in areas where it is most needed. Check out this article for more information.
Conclusion
As you can see, these bathroom lighting ideas are, for the most part, extremely doable and may make a significant impact in the design and operation of your bathroom. You can perform them as part of a major remodel or on their own to freshen things up and improve your and your family's day-to-day experience. Light can give a space a sense of space and openness. Also, it can manipulate proportions, cover up less attractive qualities, and, of course, completely alter the mood, ranging from dramatic and energizing to soft and calming. Visit the lighting collection page of our website for more information.
