The 5 Cardinal Rules of Great Bathroom Lighting

If you’re the type who enjoys long soaks in the tub, you’d know how important it is to make sure your bathroom is a place where you can relax and leave your troubles at the door. While an elegant vanity and decorative pieces add to the feel and design of a bathroom, it won’t be complete without the right lighting. If all you have is a single light bulb to illuminate the bathroom, don’t be surprised if things look dull and unwelcoming.

With that being said, below are five lighting rules to apply in your bathroom.

1. Use Multiple Light Sources

Your bathroom needs more than just one light source to look good and be safe for that matter. Fixtures such as recessed lights, wall sconces, and even chandeliers are all great ways to add more character and illuminate to a bathroom. Task lights placed behind the mirror are likewise important, casting an even glow on your face when applying makeup, shaving, or brushing your teeth. Bottom line? Have multiple layers of light instead of just one light source.

2. Consider Your Bathroom’s Size and Layout

It’s also important to choose the appropriate light fixtures for the size and layout of your bathroom.

For example:

• If your bathroom has high ceilings, you can consider hanging pendant lights or even a small chandelier at the center of the room.
• The colors of your walls, tile, and existing decor also matter. Dark colors absorb light while bright colors reflect light. Keep this in mind when thinking about how many lights to place in your bathroom.

3. Add Dimmers

Dimming controllers are a great addition to a bathroom (or any other room in your [city] home for that matter).

As their name suggests, dimmers let you control how bright or dim you want your lights to be. Imagine being able to switch between soft light for relaxing baths, and bright light when shaving or applying makeup. Nighttime bathroom visits are also more bearable as you can now avoid being greeted by the blinding glare of your lights after switching them on.

4. Place Lights Around Your Mirror

Your bathroom is a grooming center, so it’s important to have enough light around the mirror and the area surrounding it, which will allow you to see what you’re doing when shaving, brushing your hair, or applying makeup. The key to avoiding shadows on your face is to install lights around your mirror instead of over the vanity area.

• What you can do is hang your mirror on a base smaller than the width and height of your mirror, creating a gap between it and the wall.
• Next, place an LED light strip behind the edges of your mirror, which will create a soft, even glow on your face without straining your vision.

5. Shower and Bath Lights

For your bath and shower area, use an enclosed, vapor-proof light fixture. Consider where you’ll be positioning the light since you don’t want to be looking straight at it when you’re inside the tub or when you look up in the shower. Switches should be kept at least six feet away from the shower or tub.

The right light fixtures can turn any simple bathroom into a beautiful escape. Keep these bathroom lighting rules in mind when furnishing your bathroom.