March 15, 2024
Transform Your Bathroom With Layered Lighting
April 11, 2016
It wasn’t that long ago when standard bathroom lighting consisted of a single ceiling fixture or a single vanity light. Needless to say, that single light usually wasn’t enough to showcase a bathroom in its full glory or help accomplish everyday tasks like shaving, applying makeup or even cleaning. Plus, it’s hard to get a good start to a day if poor lighting prevents you from seeing yourself in a positive way. Design experts nowadays suggest using multiple levels of lighting in a bathroom to make it more efficient and more attractive. Our Maryland bathroom remodeling pros agree with this recommendation and are happy to offer tips on how to achieve this layered lighting effect in your own bathroom.
Start at the Top
There’s nothing wrong with having overhead lights in your bathroom, as long as it’s not your only source of light. But you don’t have to settle for the bland and basic recessed “can lights” that came with the house. Let your personality and your sense of style shine through in your choice of the light fixture.
Going for a luxurious look and feel? If your ceilings are high enough, why not install a chandelier? In addition to providing lots of light, chandeliers create beautiful reflections for a unique ambiance. Imagine how much fun it would be to soak in your bathtub and look up to see the sparkling glass prisms and whimsical shadows.
If you want something a little less over-the-top, there are many other beautiful lighting fixtures to choose from. Just look around and you’ll find fixtures in every style from turn-of-the-century ornate to sleek modern. If you’re a practical kind, consider a discrete bathroom fan/light combo.
Add Task Lighting
A light bar across the top of your mirror and/or sconces on either side of it can provide the necessary brightness for applying makeup, shaving or performing similar routine tasks. Just as with overhead lights, you can find these types of fixtures in a variety of styles. And don’t forget to add task lighting in your bath/shower area, especially if it’s closed off with a curtain or glass door.
Consider the color and warmth of your task lighting as you are shopping for light bulbs. While you want it to be bright, the pale florescent light is not very flattering on the skin and can make your bathroom look like a hospital ward. Go with a warmer incandescent glow or LEDs that come in many different intensities.
Highlights and Lowlights
Small spotlights can add a punch to your bathroom décor and ambiance, providing illumination while drawing the eye to a feature you want to showcase. (Think a favorite photo or a vase tucked away in a small alcove.) Spotlights can be installed on the surface or recessed into a ceiling or wall.
Add a dimmer switch to your main lighting fixtures so that you can turn down the brightness when you’re ready to relax in your bath at the end of a long day. The dimmer can also be handy when you wake up at night to go to the bathroom. Or you could add a soft glowing light under your floating vanity or under your medicine cabinet. Night light is where you can have fun and use any color you want. Since you don’t want anything bright at night, blue, red, green and other colored lights will get the job done without jolting your brain awake.
One final thought: as you’re layering the lighting fixtures, make sure they blend with each other and with the style of your bathroom. Our Maryland bathroom design experts can help you create a bathroom that represents your personal style and skillfully combines a variety of light sources. Give us a call or contact online today for a free consultation!
