Great lighting is important in every room in the house, but it plays a particularly vital role in a bathroom. Choose the wrong bulb and you wind up looking jaundiced as you put on your makeup; place a fixture in the wrong spot and you’re shaving in the shadows. You want a few different sources of lighting to make the room pretty but also functional. What lights and where? Here are some tips that may help!
General Tips
Maximize natural light: nothing beats natural daylight for brightening your mood and setting the circadian rhythms that regulate wake/sleep cycles. There’s a huge and growing body of scientific literature around this phenomenon. That’s why it’s ideal to design a bathroom with as much natural light as possible. Make sure window treatments let the light pour in. If you’re designing a new home or renovating, the best place to put a bathroom is facing north: light from a northern exposure is indirect, creating a soft, diffused light. When choosing fixtures for a bathroom, prefer four-inch recessed can lights overhead, which have a clean look. Pair an overhead fixture with sconces alongside or above the mirror to make the reflection more flattering. Choose the warmest light possible, going for 2700K LEDs, for example.
Chandeliers
Many homeowners like the luxury feel that a chandelier or pendant fixture can bring to a space. To prevent code issues, make sure that the fixture is at least 3 feet from the tub and 7 feet or more above the high-water level. In addition, put it on its own switch, with a dimmer.
A gorgeous glam bathroom chandelier that differs in color and makes a statement in the space with its wow look.
A beautiful brass and mother-of-pearl chandelier for making a statement in a traditional bathroom.
A refined and elegant crystal chandelier will make your bathroom super beautiful and stunning.
A gorgeous art deco bathroom with a statement crystal chandelier that adds a refined and elegant feel to the space.
A modern take on a traditional crystal chandelier over the tub looks very cool and very chic.
A chic faceted frosted glass chandelier over the tub is a beautiful and cool accent for a bathroom.
Such sphere chandeleirs are extremely popular for decorating bathrooms and kitchens with a traditional feel.
A stunning contrasting bathroom with a statement crystal chandelier, a metal tub and a brick wall with a hearth.
A jaw-dropping bathtub with a faceted design and a statement chandelier over it for a bold combo.
Vanity Lights
The best possible lighting for activities in front of the bathroom mirror comes from fixtures mounted on either side roughly at the user’s eye level. This leaves no part of the face in shadow, as happens with an overhead fixture. If the mirror wall isn’t an option, move the light fixtures to the side walls, or hang pendants from the ceiling; just try to get the light to either side where it will do the most good.
Elegant brass and glass bubble lights over the vanity and over the sinks are great tasking lights.
A minimalist bathroom with built-in lights in the mirror and wall around the vanity looks super chic and amazing.
Pendant lights over the vanity are a timeless idea for every bathroom, choose those that match the style.
Wall lights won't take much space and will illuminate your vanity space in an appropriate way.
Wall lamps over the mirrors perfectly match the brass finish and give enough light here.
Cool contemporary wall lamps on both sides of the mirror are ideal to lit up this small nook.
A shabby chic vanity space with adorable vintage pendant lamps over the vanity that add a refined touch.
Bathing Space Lights
Building codes are very strict about lights over tubs and whirlpools. There can be no open or hanging fixtures within 8 feet above the tub, nor for another 3 feet in front of it. Since most bathroom ceilings aren’t more than 8 feet tall, this generally precludes having open or hanging lights above tubs.
A cool modern pendant lamp resembling flowers will accent your bathtub and make the space cooler.
Lights built in over the tub and in the niches make the bathing space cozier and comfier.
Creative pendant and ceiling lamps over the tub match the bathroom decor and enlighten the space with chic.
Built-in lights over the tub won't take much space and look very sleek and elegant in this contemporary space.
A skylight plus some additional lights on the ceiling make an accent on the tub and bring much light to it.
Shower Lights
There are any number of very bright, open shower trim lights available, which means you can put in cans that punch light down and dim to the desired level, instead of struggling to see with the standard-for-years lensed 60-watt maximum cans.
Some built-in shower lights on the ceiling and a lit up niche for a cozy feel in the shower.
Built-in LEDs and a light in the ceiling are enough to light up such a small shower space.
lights in the ceiling illuminate the shower space gently keeping it moody and rather relaxing.
A non-typical idea to build in some lights in the wall and floor to illuminate it evne more gently.