Bathroom lighting defines space!
Light plays a very important role in the bathroom, that is why you will really need two sources of light: a general overall light, and a localized light source near mirrors above the sink.
General bathroom lighting
The ideal bathroom is where the principal light is sufficient to see in the entire room. This uniform lighting is important and can be achieved with a central ceiling light, and an halogen ceiling light might be even better than an incandescent light. Halogen light while more expensive to operate and less friendly to the environment offers a light that is closer to daylight and therefore lights better. During the day when you can benefit from natural light you should. If you are starting your bathroom project you might consider installing glass blocks as part of an exterior wall. They will give you a lot of natural light without taking away any privacy.
You can however get lighting almost as good, if you have some powerful wall bathroom fixtures, providing they are not blinding (they need to be placed at the right height).
There are a few important rules that should always be respected
- Light bulbs should always be protected from steam and condensation.
- Electric wires should be hidden in the walls and never exposed.
- Unless you really know what you are doing, electric work is best done by a professional.
Localized bathroom lighting
After you have achieved a suitable room lighting, with your general lights, you must bring light to some special areas of the bathroom. This is complementary lighting that allows you to have sufficient light where you need it, to see without straining your eyes.
You can locate these fixtures above the sink, or you can add bathroom lighting sconces on each side of mirrors, the use of spots light is as functional as it is esthetic. One tip is when using lights around or near the mirror, point the light at you not the mirror. We do recommend however to avoid light above the mirror as much as possible, to protect you from having unsightly shadows under the chin, eyes, and nose.
Just as it is for ceiling lights there are several types of lights for around mirrors : halogen, incandescent, and fluorescent.
Lighting will be localized on one or several elements, like mirrors, sinks, vessel sinks, in order to illuminate them.
Halogen bathroom lighting gives off a white light that adds sparkle to your bathroom. It can be recessed or it can be a spot light mounted on a rail on the ceiling or wall. It can be a fragile light and requires a fairly modern installation. (old wiring should be replaced). Today you can find halogen spot lights where the large bulbs of a few years back have been replaced by small G8 and G9 bulbs, making them more attractive and just as powerful.
Incandescent light is the result of slightly colored bulbs, bulbs are usually well protected and the fixture is waterproof. They are available in countless designs, forms, arrangements in tubular or linear formats.
Fluorescent lights are the least expensive to operate, the bulb cannot be bare as they are very strenuous for your eyes. They are also the least flattering.
If you can only have one point of light in your bathroom, you should find one that lights well without blinding you, in that case the best type of bathroom lighting for you would be halogen.
Bathroom mood lighting
The bathroom is a room where you tend to your well being and relaxation. It is no longer for a quick bath and a shave. Today we find baths for two where a certain conviviality takes place, we enjoy a relaxing time in the bath at the end of the hard day's work. To facilitate this, you should not neglect having some form of ambience or mood lighting. LED with colours can be set into the floor, or anywhere you want. There are even LEDs showers and faucets that light up the water. Remember that for a bath a soft low light is more relaxing, you might consider installing a dimmer, or use scented candles.
Bathroom lighting fixtures
Bathroom lighting fixtures come in all shapes, colors and most materials. There are however strict safety regulations in most countries as to what kind of lighting fixtures can be used in a bathroom. It is not the place of this article to spell them out as we could never cover all national and regional norms, that is why we recommend that you buy your bathroom lighting fixtures from a reputable company and have it installed by a professional.
The style you choose is going to be very personal and will fit not only within the bathroom itself, it will tie in to the overall style of the house. Whatever style you choose you should ensure to follow the rules of safety and good lighting as explained before. Bathroom lighting sconces can be found in many building supply stores like Home Depot but you will find a wider choice in a specialty shop, however lights in a specialty shop will normally be more expensive as they tend to carry more exclusive designs and higher quality products. Online specialty shops will offer the best prices. So whether you are looking for a retro bathroom sconce, or contemporary bathroom lighting you will be able to purchase it online.
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