For a successful interior lighting scheme look no further than our 5 tips for lighting a bathroom.
Too bright, too dark, light in the wrong place, bad shadows over the mirror? Here’s how to set your bathroom to rights and make sure you’ve got the best lighting for an energising morning wakeup, a relaxing bedtime wind-down or low lights for night-time visits, all easily switched and controlled. Read on for our 5 tips for lighting a bathroom.
1. Tips for lighting a bathroom – Circuits
Lighting a bathroom is like lighting any other room; think about using separate circuits for different lights around the bathroom. Typically a lighting solution would be to have one or two switches for your low lights and another for the brighter lights, so you can choose which lights to have on at any one time. This allows you to combine aesthetic lighting with practical lighting which are key to successful lighting in your home.
2. Tips for lighting a bathroom – low lights
One of our top tips for lighting a bathroom is to use good low lighting. Ideas for lighting to give a soft light include:
- Floor-washing wall lights are a perfect idea for lights when you just want a low glow of light, for example if you visit in the night, or want to wake up gently without too much glare. The lights are designed so you won’t see the actual bulb, and are installed just above the skirting to push a glow of light across the floor. Also known as ‘ankle lights’ these fittings are often positioned next to the WC as a night light, or next to the basin. Think of them as a ‘base layer’ in your lighting scheme.
- Another low light effect for lighting a bathroom is to run LED strip under the basin unit or cupboard unit This is a creative lighting solution to subtly light the floor and also brings ambient light into the room. You can also achieve an attractive and relaxing lighting effect by running the led strip along the edge of the bath, or along the floor behind it to create a glow up the wall.
- A popular tip for lighting a bathroom is to build a recess into the shower or by the bath and put lights inside this. Small spotlights can be used to shine up or down, making the alcove an attractive feature as well as providing comfortable low light.
3. Tips for lighting a bathroom – brighter lights
Another top tip for lighting a bathroom is to use brighter light can come from:
- Downlights in the ceiling, positioned where light will be needed eg. above the shower, wc, towel rail
- Ceiling pendants that are bathroom-approved
- Wall lights, as with pendants there is a wide range of IP rated (moisture-proof) options.
4. Tips for lighting a bathroom – mirror lighting
The best way to light a mirror is by putting wall lights either side of the mirror at eye level. This allows light to diffuse across your face to provide an accurate even light without shadows. If you want more light you can put a downlight in the ceiling above the mirror as well.
5. Tips for lighting a bathroom – bathroom light switch
In the UK, regulations require standard light switches to be outside the bathroom. However, a company called I LumoS makes a switch that can legally go inside the bathroom, allowing you to have any number of dimmable circuits that can be controlled from inside the room.
Take up some of these ideas and turn your bathroom into a sanctuary! I’m always happy to give advice so please do get in touch if you’d like to light your bathroom beautifully.