Transforming your bathroom into a well-lit sanctuary doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Whether you’re getting ready for a busy day or winding down for a relaxing evening, the right lighting can make all the difference.
Skylights, bay windows, and wall-to-wall mirrors can all help brighten your room – but not like a light bulb. In fact, artificial bathroom lighting ideas can help increase the brightness in your room and change the mood. Additionally, they’re necessary if you have a cramped bathroom or dark walls and furniture.
Despite their highly functional purpose, these fixtures allow you to express your style. Proper lighting can even draw attention to specific elements of this room.
In this blog, we’ll explore ideas you can use to light your bathroom in an effective yet creative manner.
The Best Lighting Ideas for Bathrooms
To light your bathroom, you need to consider the time of day, ambiance, and the precision work you’ll do there. Firstly, you need lights of different warmth and intensity to accommodate the different times of day. You should have cooler lights earlier in the day. Meanwhile, you’ll need warmer lights at night. Secondly, you’ll need lighting that creates an ambiance with its color. Lastly, you’ll need lighting that’s bright enough for you to shave or put on makeup. All together, you’ll require multiple light sources to adequately light your bathroom.
Now, let’s explore the best ideas that let you properly light your bathroom.
1. Mirror Lights
The first idea you should consider is the lighting you can add to your mirror. In particular, you can use strips of LED lights around your mirror’s rim or even recessed into the mirror.
Since your vanity is an area of your bathroom where you need to see well, it should provide enough light and good contrast to let you see the true colors. Therefore, it should have a setting where it’s not colored, cool, or warm. This makes it the best light bulb for your bathroom. Yet, you can also purchase versions that have a dimmer option so you can have more gentle lighting when you’re not using the mirror.
2. Accent Lighting
Accent lights are another idea for your bathroom. They’re fixtures that focus light on an object or wall. By lighting specific areas, you can create an ambiance, especially if they have a specific shade of color.
Alternatively, you can use these focused lights to draw attention to specific design elements in your bathroom such as a luxurious bath or an interesting ceiling shape. Or, you could use them to softly light the way to the toilet like a night light without disrupting your rest.
3. Smoky Glass
Another design idea is to use lights that have a smoky glass shade. You can pair this kind of shade with a sconce or pendant. While the light passes through the shade, the smoky color of the shade will soften it. This creates warm lighting that makes your bathroom cozier.
Meanwhile, you could use a slightly colored smoky glass to give the light passing through the shade some color. This can help change the ambiance of your bathroom while still reducing the amount of light it gives.
4. Rows of Sconce
You can brighten your bathroom with a row of sconces above your vanity. Usually, there might be sconces bracketing your vanity. But having a whole row increases the brightness, turning sconce lights from ambient low light into bright, task-oriented lighting. If they have separate switches, you can use just a few while you’re not directly in front of the mirror. Then, when you need to prepare yourself, you can turn them all on and have a clear view of your face.
Alternatively, you can use spotlights. They have the added advantage that you can turn them to the point where you need them to cast light.
5. Recessed Lights
A small bathroom lighting design idea is recessed lights. Since they’re flush with the wall and ceiling, they don’t take up any of the little space you have. Plus, you can use small ones as accent lights or nightlights, while bigger ones can easily illuminate the whole bathroom.
6. Contrasting Pendants
You should consider adding pendants that contrast with the wall colors. This contrast will help draw attention to them. Moreover, the pendants will still fit with the rest of your decor when they contrast with the main color. In particular, you should ensure that the whole fixture is a solid color to help create that distinction. Then, you’ll be able to install interesting pendant designs you like.
Additionally, you could choose a finish on the pendant that contrasts with the walls. For example, if you have matte blue walls, you can pair them with shiny copper pendants.
7. Matching Sconce and Pendant
You should use matching sconces and pendant lights. This combination of fixtures provides the best lighting for bathroom since it increases the number of light sources and angles.
Furthermore, it’s a simple idea that helps you stay within a theme. You can match the fixtures’ finish, color, or designs. For instance, you could have a metallic theme with copper sconces and pendants yet select different shapes for the fixtures. Or, you could pair them with shades of different blues but in the same shape. Then, your bathroom will look more cohesive.
8. Dramatic Chandelier
With a high ceiling, you should consider adding a dramatic chandelier. This fixture will help your ceiling feel less empty while also providing ambiance lighting. With this idea, you have a lot of freedom to express your personal tastes in terms of color and design.
You can install it in the center of the room or use it to highlight a centerpiece of the bathroom. For instance, you can add this chandelier on top of your bath to shine down on it and make it the focus of the room.
9. Brass Barn Lights
Another bathroom lighting idea you should try is installing brass barn lights. They can have a utilitarian appearance, but depending on their color, they can also appear sleek and modern. For instance, the brass models can look particularly elegant.
Furthermore, they come in a variety of designs, allowing you to select the model you prefer. In addition, you can opt for a shape that will best suit its purpose. For example, you can use the barn lights that point straight down to create ambiance, straight up as an accent for the ceiling, or slightly tilted for you to see yourself in the mirror.
10. Italian Sconce
Lastly, you should install Italian sconces in your bathroom. They come in different styles, so you can select the one that best fits your bathroom’s theme. Alternatively, you could select the common candle-shaped scones, which give you the aesthetic of candlelit baths without the inconvenience of having to monitor a real flame.
Though these sconces come in a variety of styles, they usually have gold or gold accents which pair well with their more traditional designs. They’re a perfect addition if you desire to add a soft light for late afternoons and nights or relaxing baths.
Conclusion
Now you know the bathroom lighting ideas that will help you create ambiance yet provide enough light. You have a variety of light fixtures at your disposal, from LED strips to sconces to chandeliers. You can combine any of these fixtures to create a well-lit environment with intensity you can tone down for when you want to relax. Plus, there are even ideas for you to create night lights which makes going to the bathroom at night safe and less disruptive to your sleep. So, consider the above ideas and select the ones that best fit your needs and bathroom theme.