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 décor
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.
