Bathroom vanity lighting is usually done in three
stages - General lighting that illuminates everything; Task lighting
that lights up a particular place brightly for specific tasks such as
shaving, reading or grooming; and Accent lighting that highlights the
bathroom decorative accessories such as an artistic piece, potted plants
or a painting. The two main bathroom vanity light fixtures that are
mainly used in bathroom light decor are incandescent lights and
fluorescent bathroom light fixture. Incandescent lights are small,
bright and generate height and can be used for surface mount lighting,
recessed lighting and can be suspended from the wall or ceiling.
Fluorescent lighting is cooler and generates very little heat but it is
too sharp and needs to be balanced well for a better look.
One should make sure that bathroom vanity lighting, irrespective of its
style, should cast no shadows and be almost uniformly distributed
throughout the bathroom. In daytime, you can make good use of natural
sunlight and save electricity and money. Bathroom vanity with at least
one outside wall and a small window may have access to good amount of
natural light. You may get more light by adding a skylight, enlarge the
side windows or install a high cluster window to your bathroom. Direct
sunlight is usually bluish white and reflective surfaces such as mirrors
can be placed strategically to help it reach the entire bathroom while
the bathroom design that gets indirect sunlight generally picks up the
main color that dominates the bathroom such as the color of the bathroom
tiles or vanity.
To avoid the glare caused by sunlight reflecting from the glossy and
smooth-textured surfaces, it is advisable to use fixed or moveable
diffuse panels such as window blinds or coverings on special window
shutters to cut down on some of the direct sunlight or you may cut it
out altogether, using sunshades or awnings. While drafting a plan for
bathroom vanity lighting and bathroom light decor, there are a few
things that you should always keep in mind. Soft lighting with light
color schemes makes the bathroom look larger and more spacious. It is
advisable to use bathroom lighting color that is similar to the colors
used in the bathroom rather than complimentary colors that clash with
them. Use flat light color or recessed lighting fixtures while
decorating bathrooms with low ceilings.
Avoid glare by exposed light bulbs, especially at eye level, by
covering the bulbs with shades and coverings. Bathroom vanity lighting
for bathrooms with high ceilings can be done using larger suspended
bathroom light fixture that seems to add depth to the room volume. Avoid
shadows. You can use two or more light fixtures in conjunction to give
the effect you want. Small light fixtures may cast sharp shadows, so
accompany them with large light sources for diffused lighting and
shadows. Soft bathroom lights have calming effect while bright lights in
your bathroom vanity will invigorate and stimulate you. Dim lights and
lights in somber colors tend to be depressing while cool light colors in
the bathroom make one feel restless while warm light colors are more
cheerful. Bathroom vanity lighting should ideally use both task lights
and ambient lights and avoid shadow areas.
The popular trend of lighting decor drifts towards recessed lighting
fixtures while you can install a dimmer switch so that you can control
the brightness of the lights in the bathroom according to your
preference and mood. To illuminate the mirror, it is better to use
bathroom strip lights on either side of the mirror that mounting a light
fixture on top of the mirror for better visibility. Frosted globe bulbs
vanity strips minimize shadows and fluorescent lights make skin tones
look better. Fluorescent lights are durable, come in beautiful colors
and save energy. In the powder room, decorative wall sconces on either
side of the mirror look charming. Good bathroom vanity lighting Decor
means that you can operate lights independently according to your mood
and nature of the bath space. Vanity countertops and sinks should use
high wattage task lights while background lighting can use under-cabinet
strip lights and dimmer switch lights for ambient lighting to add a
touch of elegance and functionality to your bathroom.
