We all know our bathroom as a necessary place to take care of our… necessaries. Some people have gone out of their way to make their bathroom their own private oasis, a haven from the outside storm.
These people know that adding just the right touches changes a room created for necessities into a retreat designed to relax and calm the soul.
As you may expect when reading an article written by a company who are the experts in home lighting… We’re going to share with you how much changing the lighting in your bathroom will change not just its appearance, but the mood of the entire room.
When most people think of bathroom lighting, they think about those bright lights directly above their vanity mirror (especially useful for closeup facial maintenance like makeup application) …and those people are not wrong. These “task lights” provide a critical function to your daily routine. One of the easiest and most noticeable ways to change your bathroom into an oasis is to install new lighting that is not only task-based (bright lights over a mirror), but also creates an atmosphere that just says, “Ahhhhhh.”
Before we jump into the fun stuff, I’m going to have to warn you not to put your eye out. Okay, that’s the parent in us telling you that safety is always important – even for us “adults.” When selecting bathroom lighting, take care that you select lighting that is UL rated for a damp location (or wet would work as well). Because bathrooms are steamy at times, it’s important that your lights are built to handle the conditions.
Okay, let’s start with the basics. The best way to light any room, whether it has a tub or not, is to layer your lighting. Yes, you need the bright lights near the mirror… but you need soft lights throughout to create just the right ambient lighting. Look at this bathroom – by adding a few LED downlights into the ceiling and putting them on a dimmer, you can change the room’s look at any time from soft and romantic (“Hey there, why don’t you stop in and see me some time…”) to clinically bright (“I’ll get this tub clean if it’s the last thing I do…”).
Yeah, this isn’t our bathroom either.
Now that we’ve got the basics covered with adjustable ambient lighting, let’s focus on those pesky task areas that need attention. First, let’s take a look at the options for lighting around your mirror/medicine cabinet. This lighting typically needs to be bright for close-up work, but that doesn’t mean it has to be an ugly round globe light stuck into a strip of metal.
When selecting decorative lighting, it’s all about getting the feeling just right. Whether you’re creating a down-home modern farmhouse bathroom, or tightening up a minimalist look, take time in selecting the decorative lighting that just fits – brings the whole look together.
Of course, if you’re renovating a room or just need to make things pop, you can select a different kind of lighting and still have your faces bright and shiny whenever you flick the switch. Selecting sconces (which are really 1-light bathroom lights) instead of the typical “vanity lights” can change the feeling and give you a more attractive option for that required task lighting.
Finally, let’s talk about those few minutes you finally get to yourself – that “relaxing time” that you so sorely needed. You’ve got the light by the vanity shut off, and the ambient lights on low, the bath is just the right temperature and you’ve got Enya playing softly in the background. One cap of bubble bath, and it’s “me time.” Oh, a problem – me time usually means relaxing in the tub with a good book, or the trashiest of weekly tell-all rags… but you need a little more light. We got you covered. Consider installing stylish wall sconce to provide a little illumination just where you need it most, and let relaxing time begin!
By making a few changes with your lighting, you’ve taken a standard “ho hum” bath and transformed it into a relaxation destination – somewhere you look forward to spending time in the evenings. When planning your bathroom renovation or remodel, layer your lighting, consider your decorative options carefully, and focus your selections on pieces that make the room feel like you. The right lighting will go a long way to creating the space to refresh and relax you for years to come.
Here are some of our favorite options right now for around the vanity: