Choosing the lighting for your bathroom is much different than choosing the lighting for the rest of your home. This space offers quite the challenge, mostly because it is a smaller room and yet is used for so many things. Since you shower, put on makeup, shave, and can even meditate in the bathroom, you must have the appropriate lighting for each task. This way you won’t come walking out of the room looking like someone you wouldn’t even recognize.
Choosing Lighting for Your Bathroom
It can be quite difficult to get a cohesive look in a bathroom, especially when you must choose all sorts of different lighting fixtures. Thankfully, choosing similar finishes can be very helpful with the cohesive look in this space.
Before you decide which lighting fixtures you are adding to your bathroom, we recommend considering how you use this space. This is also an excellent time to take a look around to see where different lights must be placed.
Bathroom Lighting Options
Side Mounted Sconces
Sconces must be placed on both sides of the mirror in your bathroom if you want to be able to apply makeup without seeing shadows. Where you place the sconces next to the mirror will be dependent on which type of sconce you purchase. Some must be placed lower than others, to keep shadows from popping up.
Pendants
Pendants are an excellent option on either side of the mirror if you don’t like sconces or can’t find a sconce fixture you love. The pendants will need to hang down lower, so make sure you don’t choose ones that are bulky. A pendant that is too bulky can get in your way.
Chandelier
A chandelier or another overhead light fixture will be perfect for over the bathtub. We recommend putting this light fixture on a dimmer switch, so you can dim the lights when you want to soak in a hot tub and relax. Overhead lights can also be helpful over the shower.
Over the Mirror Light
Since you have sconces or pendants next to your mirror, you may think you don’t need a light over the mirror. However, you do, because you may require more lighting in this section of the room. Plus, most people will choose to turn that light on when they are just making quick trips in and out of the bathroom.
Spotlights
Not many people have spotlights in their bathrooms, but if you have a niche in the wall filled with artwork, you may want to consider installing one. A spotlight can light up this room at night, so you don’t need to turn on any other lights when you make those late-night trips to the bathroom.
As you can see, choosing lighting fixtures for a bathroom are a lot trickier than choosing fixtures for the rest of your home. There are so many more options that you must consider if you truly want to use this space for more than a quick shower. We recommend keeping all these things in mind when you are installing lighting in your bathroom, so you don’t forget and leave the most important one out.
