Last month we produced a blog about properly hanging a mirror in your bathroom, on the basis that everyone needs a clear view of themself when you start or end your day. However, that’s just half the equation- without adequate light in your bathroom, it’d be impossible to truly enjoy your time in it. That said here’s our PlumbTile primer on getting good light in yours bathroom.
Main Vanity Light
Eliminating facial shadows is our number one priority. That also has to be balanced with avoiding harsh light. It should be soft, slightly warm and enveloping. Starting with your mirror, install a fixture over the top that spans at least 24 inches wide. Measure from the lights themselves, and not any protrusions the fixture may have. The wattage rating for this fixture needs to be at least 120 watts for the whole fixture. If you get two separate fixtures, make sure the totals are in the ballpark of 150. Anything more than 180 is overkill.
Sidelights
After your overhead is taken care of, the next step is getting two sidelights for your mirror. This will help eliminate any downward shadows caused by the above mirror light. Place them at 66 inches from the ground (less if most of the people in your home are shorter, more if they’re taller). Having shades or frosted glass covering the bulbs is integral here, as these lights are closer to your face than the overheads.
Controls
When it’s time to turn your lights on and off, having an “in between” choice is a nice touch. Dimmer switches are not only easy to install and a great convenience, but they’re a selling point if you ever need put your house on the market. Having full control over the level of light is great anyway, in case you’d rather have a moody soak in the tub to help relieve the stress of the day. This is also an environmentally friendly solution- the lower your lights are kept on, the less electricity they use.
Accents/Ambient
This type of lighting isn’t necessary, but if you have a focal point in your bathroom other than a mirror, it helps add depth to the space. Often times this is placed over a shower, toilet, a table or piece of art (like a wall mosaic) and it draws the eye over to it incredibly well. If you go for a shower accent light, get it installed with a glass covering, as any other type tends to discolor with age (and is harder to clean). Small bathrooms can forgo the shower light if the main ceiling light casts a strong enough beam. Larger ones will almost definitely need one.
Ambient lighting is often where the “soft glow” look comes from. Many opt for flush mounted ceiling lights around the perimeter of the room, or a chandelier type fixture, but I want to add that discreet wall lights or a string of LED’s behind a molding along the ceiling are more modern solutions that can be worked in most bathrooms as well.
Safety
If you decide to install any wall mounted light fixtures near the shower, you’ll have to make sure they’re “wet-rated.” Even with that safety feature in mind, it’s best not to tempt fate and make sure it’s mounted a safe distance away from the edge of your shower (6 feet usually, check your building codes).