Lighting is vital in any room of the home, and it is a particularly important feature in the bathroom. However, lighting is often overlooked or an afterthought in bathroom design. If the bathroom is too bright, the atmosphere isn’t relaxing and can feel too sterile. If too dim, you might not have enough dedicated illumination. Due to the various uses and users of the bathroom, a layered lighting design is recommended.
What does a layered lighting design entail?
Layer 1: Natural Light
If natural light is an option, it is an ideal light source to incorporate. In addition to the natural sunlight, you also get the added bonus of ventilation from having a window in the bathroom. To ensure privacy while still allowing light in, use frosted or textured glass, or add adjustable blinds to alter the amount of light and privacy throughout the day.
Layer 2: Ambient Lighting
This is the general lighting of the bathroom - usually the fixtures which will illuminate when you first walk into a bathroom and turn on the light switch.
Popular options include a ceiling-mounted fixture which provides diffused light throughout the space, or a chandelier in the center of the room over a luxurious bathtub.
Dimmable ambient light is popular in bathroom design. This will help to achieve a bright, energetic space in the mornings, and a soft, warm ambience for winding down in the evenings.
Layer 3: Task Lighting
Essential for personal care needs such as shaving or applying make-up, task-lighting is crucial to a functional bathroom.
Many vanity mirrors have built-in lights, which provide soft, even lighting without harsh shadows on the face.
Vertical Wall Sconces are a popular style as well, and should be positioned on either side of the mirror for balanced, shadow-free illumination.
If you have a large bathroom, it is important to incorporate lighting in the shower area. Most often, these are recessed overhead lights with wet-rated trims.
Layer 4: Accent Lighting
Rising in popularity, accent lighting adds a layer of interest and drama to bathroom design. Examples include recessed LED strip lighting to highlight certain features like wall niches and built-in shelves, or under-cabinet, toe-kick lighting that is useful as a subtle night light.
Bathroom Lighting Considerations
Color Temperature:
A neutral white light (3000K-4000K) is recommended for accurate color rendering and a refreshing, natural appearance. You’ll want to pay close attention to the bulbs selected to avoid overly warm or cool lights to prevent unnatural tones.
CRI measures color temperature and determines how a light source renders colors compared to the complete spectrum source of the same color in natural light. A low CRI light makes applying make-up very difficult, as it will make colors appear unnatural. The ideal CRI rating around a bathroom mirror is around 90.
Fixture Material:
Use rust-resistant materials like aluminum, stainless steel, or powder-coated finishes. Look for wet or damp-rated products, which will hold up best in bathroom settings.
Electrical Codes and Safety:
Bathrooms can be damp or humid spaces, therefore it’s crucial to select fixtures designed and rated for wet or damp locations (IP-rated lighting) and to follow local building codes.
Bathroom Light Fixture Placement
Sconces should mount on either side of the mirror and 66 inches above the floor.
Recessed lights should be centered in the room, then 4-6 feet apart. To avoid harsh shadows, it is important to be thoughtful when positioning lights above the vanity area. For example, directly over the sink is an acceptable area to cast light directly downward, but never place a light directly over, or behind, the area where a person would stand in front of the vanity.
Fixtures mounted above the vanity mirror should be approximately 80 inches above the floor.
For maximum functionality, it is recommended that the area directly around the vanity mirror is illuminated by 1,000-1,800 lumens in total, which is comparable to a regular 75-100 watt bulb.
This chart will help you assess the minimum lighting recommended for each vanity size:
|
Vanity Size |
Incandescent Light Source |
LED |
|
24” |
120 Watts |
1000 – 1400 Lumens |
|
36” |
180 Watts |
1400 – 1800 Lumens |
|
48” |
240 Watts |
1800 – 2200 Lumens |
|
60” |
300 Watts |
2200 – 2500 Lumens |
|
72” |
360 Watts |
2500 – 3000 Lumens |
Terms:
Lumen, or ‘lumen output’ refers to the brightness of the light produced by a bulb or a given amount of illumination in a specific area.
Watts refers to the amount of energy it takes to produce a certain amount of light.
CRI, or Color Rendering Index, describes how well the light bulb reproduces the colors of objects in the space it is lighting. CRI is measured by comparing how the colors appear using eight different lighting samples in relation to an ideal light source, which is light that has a high CRI index and color temperature that is as close as possible to daylight. Bulbs are given a rating ranging from one to 100, which helps users understand how accurate the light will make the colors in a space.
Note: Thanks to the addition of LED lights, using watts to determine brightness is becoming obsolete. Instead, you’ll want to check the lumens of the bulb, which explains the brightness level that it provides. When considering lumens, the higher the number, the brighter the bulb will be. Generally, if you’re replacing a 100-watt incandescent bulb, you’ll want an option that offers around 1,600 lumens of light to achieve equal brightness.