Effective Bathroom Lighting

Bathroom lighting serves several purposes.

Functional use is primary, but bathroom light fixtures are also an important element in the look of your bathroom.

You can affect the atmosphere of the room and its feeling of spaciousness by the light fixtures you choose.

A well thought out lighting design scheme covers all of these aspects.

There are three main areas of bathroom lighting to address: whole room illumination, task
lighting (vanity lighting and bathroom light bars) and accent lighting.

The main illumination for the bathroom is usually an overhead ceiling light fixture which is located fairly centrally in the room. It is the light that is usually attached to the main bathroom light switch.

In the past, bathroom ceiling lights came in a very limited range of quite boring styles. The overhead bathroom light was usually a small, very plain light fixture. Now we have a huge selection of options available to use in the bathroom, including chandeliers.

As always, it is best to select the style and theme of your room first. That will help you to determine the best overhead lighting for your bathroom.

Elegant and old world, simple and functional or ultra modern fixtures set the tone for the design of your bathroom.

Finishes can vary as well and also add to the look you are creating.

An elegant bronze design, for example, can complement the sink faucet, tub and shower controls.

Shiny chrome light fixtures with sleek glass light coverings cast a modern mood when paired with the latest chrome faucets.

Strip lighting in the form of a bathroom light bar used to mean harsh globe lights set on a chrome or gold colored rectangle. Not any more. The variety of styles and finishes in todays vanity lighting is astounding and beautiful.

Vanity lighting positioned over the mirror serves a dual purpose. While they provide helpful extra task lighting for applying makeup, shaving and other grooming tasks, they also help set the tone for the design of the room, even when they are turned off.

In a large bathroom, accent lights are important to light areas of the room cast in shadow. This can be done with pot lights tucked away in the ceiling or by using wall sconces.

Place accent bathroom lighting around or above a dark corner in an L-shaped room to bring it to life. The added light provides a sense of spaciousness that helps the bathroom appear larger.

A set of accent lights also works well if your bathroom is designed so the toilet sits in its own nook or around the corner from the bathtub or sink. In general, accent lighting produces a mixture of light and shadow that are design elements on their own.

Once you have decided on the look you want to create in your bathroom, have a look at the wonderful matching pieces that are available in hundreds of styles.

You can easily coordinate an overhead fixture or lighted ceiling fan, bathroom vanity lights and accent lighting all with matching or coordinating styles and finishes. It will give your bathroom a finished designer look, even on a limited budget.

Don't settle for bathroom light fixtures that just let you see in the dark. Design your bathroom lighting scheme to add beauty and function to that room and turn an ordinary bathroom into a relaxing oasis.