The kitchen might be the most remodeled room in the home but bathrooms are a close second. But it seems there is much less consideration given to bathroom lighting. The lighting in your bathroom is vital because it is usually the room where you both start and end your day. Here are 5 mistakes we often see in bathroom lighting and our advice on what you should do instead.
No dimmer
When you think about it, you spend a lot of time in the bathroom. You shower or bathe, get dressed, put on your makeup, shave, get ready for the day and wind down for the night. In addition to the multiple uses, this is also probably the one room in your house you use at all hours of the day…morning, afternoon, night and sometimes the middle of the night. Because of the extreme variety of activities and times of day, it is crucial that your bathroom lighting is on a dimmer If you are putting on your makeup or shaving, you are going to want the lights on all way but if you are using the bathroom in the middle of the night you probably won’t want the lights on at 100%. The easiest way to have your bathroom lighting accommodate all needs is to put it on a dimmer.
Forgetting to light the shower or bathtub
Who wants to shower in the dark? Make sure your shower or tub includes a light. In case you are concerned, there are specific shower safe lights that are up to code and completely safe.
Only having overhead lighting
It is important that your vanity/sink/mirror area is well lit but consider lighting the sides and not just overhead. This will prevent shadows and provide the best lighting when you are getting ready. If you don’t like the idea of having lighting on the side of your mirror (although we promise there are some really good options for this) try placing your vanity near a window. Natural light works well for this also.
Not thinking about the color of the light bulb
You may have to play around with this but figure out the most flattering color light bulb. You probably don’t want too white of a color. Who looks flattering in surgical-like hospital lighting? But on the flipside, you probably don’t want your lighting to be too yellow either. To be clear, we are talking about the color of the bulb (measured in kelvins) not the wattage. The higher the kelvins the whiter the color and the lower the kelvins, the more yellow the bulb.
Thinking a single light source will be enough
Even if you have a small bathroom, we recommend having at least 2 light sources. One small sconce or vanity light will not be enough to give you all the light you need. We recommend some type of overhead light (like recessed cans), a vanity light and then also a shower light (obviously not if it is only a half bath). If you have a larger bathroom you can add additional lights like sconces or chandeliers but remember to combine pretty and functionality for the optimum bathroom lighting.
If you have any questions or comments, contact Sasha at sasha@inthelitellc.com. As always, we hope we’ve made your day brighter!