Bathroom Lighting Tips for Function & Comfort

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the home, which makes bathroom lighting some of the most important. Unfortunately, standard lighting in bathrooms is often purely utilitarian and lacking in both style and comfort. If you’re planning a bathroom remodel or just looking for ways to make it more comfortable, here are some lighting tips to help:

Focus On the Mirror—and You!

The area around the mirror should be your priority when it comes to bathroom lighting. Proper placement and amount of light around a mirror is crucial both for function and aesthetic. The best way to light around a mirror is to add light sources on either side of it, either with bar LEDs, sconces or clear ball lights. Lighting either side of the mirror will eliminate shadows on your face when you look in the mirror, which will provide you with accurate, even illumination and a more flattering view.

Consider this concept compared to lighting only from above. While ceiling lights in a bathroom are efficient at spreading light around the entire space, it will not be enough to provide adequate light for all the shapes and planes of the face. The shadows cast from a ceiling light source can make the entire room feel harsh. Adding light to either side of the mirror will make for a softer and more comfortable experience and help illuminate more meticulous tasks.

Task Lighting Works

Task lighting might sound like a strange concept when applied to the bathroom, but it can make an enormous difference. Adding multiple focused light sources is incredibly useful for several reasons. Primarily, it gives you the flexibility to only illuminate the part of the room you need. This is especially helpful in bathrooms with walled or enclosed showers. Your primary lighting may provide adequate light to the rest of the bathroom, but leave the shower feeling like a dark corner. Task lighting will let you turn on specific lights for specific needs.

Besides, there are few things worse than waking up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and blinding yourself with harsh lights! Task lighting also gives you the option to light up the room enough to see, saving your eyes from a dramatic adjustment from the dark.

Stay Efficient

A room with lots of daily usage means lots of energy spent in lighting. The bathroom can become troublesome for energy consumption if you don’t use the right type of high-efficiency options. Consider going for long-lasting LED bulbs which demand less electricity. There are many varieties on the market that will add soft, warm light for your bathroom and some that even provide a range of color strengths and temperatures.

If you struggle with lights left on in the bathroom when not in use, invest in a smart light switch with a timer. This will make up for all of those forgotten lights left on in a hurry or in moments of distraction. Also, if your bathroom has a window, do everything you can to use the natural light. Consider adding adhesive vinyl panels to “cloud” the glass for privacy while still allowing you to keep the window open during the day.

Bathrooms come in all shapes and sizes and the light will be different for each one. However, with these basic tips you should be able to create the best possible lighting situation for your own bathroom to insure the best functionality, aesthetic and comfort.