Lighting Design Ideas for the Bathroom
If you’re in the midst of planning some light fixtures for your new bathroom, or maybe even renovating an old bathroom so that it serves it’s purposes a little better, there are a few general things to keep in mind. First of all, you’ll want to keep lights in line with the rest of the decor of the room, so if you’re creating a romantic space, don’t veer off by buying very sterile, plain light fixtures. If, however, you’re creating a fairly plain room, you may want to feature or highlight a beautiful fixture as the main focus. Bathroom lights generally serve one of two purposes; they’re task lights that make grooming easy or they’re mood lights which allow you to enjoy the space (think a full bubble bath with dim lights and music.)
Your bathroom light choices will be very dependent on your individual style and on the mood that you’re trying to create. It’s wonderful to have the space to accommodate that sparkling chandelier for over the tub that you saw and had to have, but you’ll also want some lights that are for specific functions.
Pot lights (or recessed lights) are a great light to have in the ceiling, as they allow for very bright illumination (especially with LED bulbs) of the entire room. With well placed LED pot lights, you won’t have to worry about any dark corners. They also lend themselves to most modern bathroom designs. You can even have them installed within the shower unit. Pot lights can be put on a dimmer switch, so you do have the option to set them lower to give yourself a little time to wake up when you’re stumbling into the shower in the morning, or for a change in moods if you want more of a relaxing spa session.
Bathroom
You can also get good general lighting with your main overhead light with a more standard flush mount ceiling light. These are fine for the main light in the room but you shouldn’t rely on it for grooming or to create a mood. A chandelier is beautiful and is often an unexpected choice in a bathroom, since we are more used to seeing this type of fixture in a bedroom. They can lend a sense of luxury in a bathroom and give it that design element that makes your bathroom go from practical to pleasurable. Some homeowners have used chandeliers as a light for use over their bath, and these are typically delightfully decorated and hung from a cable. Others opt for the chandelier to grace the center of their bathroom ceiling, although these are more likely to be mounted at the ceiling line and not strung like a pendant.
Your task lighting is very important, and you should mount lights to better facilitate your grooming routine, right around your mirror. Be careful of placement, as often those mounted at the top of the mirror end up casting a shadow on your face; right where you need the light the most! Side mounted lights are far superior for this particular area. You might also want to light up your medicine cabinet or shelves for better viewing and making them more accessible to visitors. Recessed lighting within a shelf can easily lead guests to those special soaps or hand towels.
Bathroom Designing
So you’ve got your main bases covered; your main light, your task light around the grooming station, and possibly even some lights that highlight important products on the shelves. If you still want something just a little different to add pizzazz to your space, check out lights that highlight drawer handles, light up the floor so that you don’t have to turn on the light when you get up for a late night bathroom break, or even sconces that just look beautiful and match your decor. There are lights that can be built right in to your countertop, and either light the colour of your counter or can be altered through the use of different coloured bulbs.
Bathroom Decor
When on the hunt for lighting ideas for your bathroom, don’t forget about natural light! Although even with the largest of windows you’ll still need some electric lights, natural light can be a wonderful way to alter the mood in a room. Well placed windows can allow for a lovely soak if placed nearby a tub, or if you’ve got the ability to put in a skylight, they can lead you to grab even more daytime light or that romantic glow from a full moon. If you’re dying to grab some natural light but you’re not inclined to let the neighbours peep into your space, place your window at near ceiling height or opt for a lovely window film that complements your decor.
The article is sponsored by Vidalux.
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