Creating your dream bathroom
A bathroom can be a busy place but often it is low on the list of priorities for lighting and decorating compared to other rooms of the house. Proper lighting is essential for this room for beauty, and safety, and to show this space off to its best advantage.
Most likely the place where you get ready for the day and end your night the bathroom has many options for lighting in beautiful and creative ways.
Other than general lighting, the most important function of lighting in a bathroom is to light your face. Especially when using the vanity mirror. Whether it’s to put on makeup o shave, these sorts of tasks is where you need your lighting to work for you. The rest of the lighting in your bathroom is considered general or creative mood lighting.
The three types of illumination you should consider to enhance any room are ambient, accent, and task lighting. Ambient light is general illumination that’s often provided by ceiling fixtures, chandeliers, or pendant lighting.
Accent lighting uses focused fixtures such as mini-pendants or spotlights to emphasize specific features in a room.
Task lights create bright, even illumination in work areas.
The first rule of thumb is to work your way down starting with the ceiling and vanity. The first question at hand is do you want a flush mount fixture or recessed lighting? If your bathroom is large enough you could even opt for pendants or a small chandelier.
As you shop for bathroom lighting fixtures be sure to look to Netlighting for all of your lighting needs. We offer a huge variety of fixtures for the bathroom whether you want modern, traditional, eclectic, or something else. You can outfit your entire bathroom and create the lighting look of your dreams from our wide selection of recessed lights, vanity lights, fixtures and so much more.
As you shop for bathroom fixtures, keep in mind that different light designs can serve different purposes. Some lamps, chandeliers, pendants, sconces, and flush mounts may not be designed to withstand the moisture and temperature changes that bathrooms experience. For purely practical purposes glass or steel fixtures are ideal for the bathroom since they will not rust, or wrinkle to crack when exposed to the steamy air in both bathrooms.
Illuminate the vanity with two wall-mounted fixtures on either side of the mirror at eye level. This creates wonderful cross illumination and reduces shadowing. And last but not least the tub or shower area needs to be well light for obvious safety reasons. Accent lighting, such as a mini chandelier hung over the tub, will dress up a space and offer a lovely glow.
Lighting installed underneath base cabinets provides soft and safe illumination at night allowing you to navigate the bathroom in the middle of the night without overly bright light.
You may also want to create a spa-like atmosphere so having the flexibility to adjust the lighting is very important. Dimmer switches are perfect for changing the atmosphere in a bathroom no matter what type of lighting fixtures you go with. Bright light for task lighting can easily change to low lighting with a dimmer switch to create a relaxing, spa-like effect.
Think about the type of bathroom you have, along with your mirror and counter or sink size, and how that changes your lighting needs.
For a small WC, lower-wattage ambient light may be all you need. Try a single overhead sconce or bath bar above the mirror to save space in a smaller bathroom or consider flush-mounted sconces on the side walls to maximize your mirror space.
A spacious bathroom retreat may accommodate several lighting types that might serve the space better. Many powder rooms can incorporate dry-rated fixtures as accent lighting. Add a mini table lamp to a small table or empty counter space in your powder room, or create an inviting space with two low-wattage sconces.
Another thing to consider when selecting lighting for a bathroom is the amount of natural light present. If there are windows make sure window treatments let the light pour in. natural light combined with fixtures is a wonderful way to create a beautifully lit space.
Remember even a tiny bathroom with proper lighting can make a big impact while luxuriously large spaces that serve as spa retreats can impart an air of relaxation by incorporating layers of light that illuminate areas like the vanity and shower, and cast a glow on attractive features like artwork or architectural details.
The best advice is don't underestimate the impact of great lighting. Cut corners on lighting and generally the results speak for themselves. Take the time to develop a well-considered lighting plan early and create a space that looks and feels just right for your lifestyle.
