Which Light Fixture to Choose for Your Bathroom?

Find the right lighting for your bathroom and learn about the best fixtures and light direction for each space.

The bathroom is a busy place on a daily basis. It must be safe, well -lit and comfortable for everyone , whether they are members of the household or their guests.

A single light source may not be enough for a larger bathroom, and the wrong type of light can create uncontrollable glare and disrupt your routine.

Every home is different and unique, but there are a few interior design guidelines that will help you transform your own bathroom into the perfect spa oasis .

How to choose the right light?

Unlike other rooms, the bathroom has a well-defined purpose .

Occupants should be able to go about their daily lives without tripping blindly over a rug or misapplying their eye shadow.

This requires clear and discreet lighting .

Every bathroom lighting update has the same goals: to create a pleasant and relaxing space :

Produce a safe lighting layout.
Ensure even distribution of light .
Minimize shadows or accidental bright spots.
Working with natural or warm light colors.

All these goals are possible without industrial fluorescents and reflective, glare-causing surfaces.

The bathroom , like any other room in the house, should have a comfortable and welcoming character of its own .

The mirror may reflect your face, but the rooms in your home should reflect a little bit of the whole family's personality .

You have to vary the styles

From torchieres to bath bars, chandeliers to recessed pot lights, Hollywood strip lights to traditional vanity lights, there is no shortage of choice when it comes to finding the perfect lighting solution for your bathroom .

Find a style you like, then determine if it will meet the needs of your space.

LED Bar Lighting

Bathtub light bars offer a more contemporary look to the bathroom. They diffuse light above or next to the mirror , providing the perfect width to illuminate the face.

Vintage Lighting

For a retro look at an affordable price , opt for the bath strip. Exposed bulbs provide bright light and a distinctive design with simple installation .

Ceiling Lights

Some ceiling lights are mounted flush to the ceiling and are completely enclosed behind glass or a diffused shade.

Others are recessed into the ceiling like table lamps, while still others hang a little lower and reflect upward to help disperse light around the room.

There are even chandeliers to add glitz and shine to small bathrooms .

Industrial Lighting

Vanity lighting is characterized by multiple lamps on a single mounting bar . Each lamp has its own shade and many can be oriented in different directions to customize the lighting in the room.

Quality of light

Not all lights will treat your spaces the same way. In the bathroom, where shade and tone are important factors , it's a good idea to get as natural a quality of light as possible.

For older homeowners or families considering aging in place, keep in mind that as the human body ages , a room may require four times more light than younger generations need .

These questions go beyond simply determining the wattage of the bulb in the fixture which only measures the energy used by the bulb and touch on issues of lumens and color temperature.

The lumens listed on most packages are an indication of the brightness of the lamp or bulb .

The lower the lumen count, the dimmer the light . For brighter light, look for bulbs with a higher lumen count.

If you're planning a complete lighting system that uses different types of light, such as layering bath bars, recessed lights and ceiling lights , keep in mind that some types need to have a higher lumen output than others.

To determine the " temperature " of the light, look at the color accuracy, or color rendering index ( CRI ), and the color of the light ( measured in kelvins ) on the bulb's packaging.

Many interior designers recommend a bathroom light color between 3500 Kelvin and 4000 Kelvin because it best mimics the clarity and quality of natural light , helping to reduce the bluish tint that can distort our perception of colors in brighter light.

A CRI between 80 and 98 will allow you to see the natural range of colors as you would see them in daylight , without harsh glare distorting the colors.

When it comes to bathroom color temperature, keep in mind that warmer lighting tends to be more flattering . It reduces shadows, and the clarity of colors blends in, hiding imperfections.

It is also more relaxing , like the warm colors of candlelight, and less likely to hurt the eyes.

With light closer to the blue-white color of daylight, shadows are more likely, differences in hue have a more pronounced contrast, and colors are reflected whiter.

Direction of light

Layering lighting means using different types of light fixtures that work in coordination with each other to meet the different needs of the space.

This allows you to ensure that every area of a room is properly lit, regardless of the room or demand. These concepts apply to the multi-purpose bathroom as they do to any other room.

Ambient Lighting

This soft light radiates from light-colored walls , ceilings and other reflective surfaces to illuminate the entire room.

These lighting fixtures diffuse a lot of light in all directions , over a large space, without being too bright.

Ambient light in a bathroom typically comes from wall-mounted fixtures placed above eye level, such as wall sconces, or from ceiling fixtures with diffused shades, such as recessed lights.

Additional lighting

Bright, direct, downward-directed light, applied exactly where it is needed, task lighting is provided by light sources such as track or recessed lights .

They can usually be adjusted to point at the work surface or to reflect off other surfaces .

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting uses softened light by reflecting it off other surfaces to highlight or change the visual impact of the room .

Using uplighting and downlighting techniques, accent lighting can accentuate shadows to add depth , making a room appear larger or more open.

Decorative Lighting

Like accent lighting, decorative lighting uses light to enhance the design of a room .

Wall sconces can provide unique designs, while spotlights and strip lights are often used to draw attention to specific artwork or other creative elements .

To implement them in your own bathroom, start with the basics:

Combine recessed lighting with sconces or pendants, or a bedside lamp above the mirror, to add ambient lighting.
For assistance with washing and applying makeup, you have a variety of options, from illuminated mirrors or medicine cabinets to wall lights and sconces.
For safety reasons, consider installing a recessed, water-safe light above the shower or bathtub.
To make a room appear larger or more open, use LED strips under mirrors or shelves to add depth through shadow.

Each area of the room has a different function and can benefit from a different type of lighting.

So think about the layout and function of the room when choosing your lighting.

The size of the light fixture is important

Remember, the goal is to illuminate the face , not create unflattering shadows, so use lights wisely.

There are a few visual tricks you can use to make the most of your bathroom lighting.

When placing a lamp above the vanity mirror(s) , you must:

Center the lamp above the sink so that the light is evenly distributed across the face.
The lamp should be installed between 75 and 78 inches from the floor. (To prevent glare from blinding the eyes of even tall visitors).
Look for a fixture that is about 25% to 50% of the width of the mirror. For most vanity mirrors, you can probably start with a fixture that is about 24 inches wide.
For a vanity with multiple sinks, opt for a smaller light fixture above the mirror, above each sink. This not only increases the brightness, but also makes the room appear larger.

When placing lighting fixtures on the sides of the mirror (or mirrors :)

Side lighting should be installed at approximately eye level.
A wall sconce or torchiere should be installed between 60 and 66 inches above the floor.
If possible, center the lighting along the middle height of the mirror.
To avoid shadows or bright spots, space lights 24 to 28 inches from other lighting fixtures.
Humidity levels in bathrooms

Perhaps the most important consideration when choosing a light fixture is its humidity rating .

Electrical wiring in bathrooms should be protected from the humidity of the room to ensure the life of lighting fixtures , as well as the general safety of the home.

Any fixture installed in a bathroom should at least be rated for wet areas , as moisture from the room can build up even if the fixture is not directly exposed to water.

Any lighting above the shower or bathtub , or near sinks, should be designed for wet areas .

If a room is well ventilated and has a working exhaust fan , lighting suitable for dry environments can be used near the door or away from any water sources.

But it is generally better to use luminaires suitable for humid environments .