As bathrooms become increasingly more elaborate, proper lighting has become an essential part of making the most out of your space. It's often times overlooked as a primary focus area, but your lighting needs to represent your style and theme, just like any other room. The process of choosing what type is right for you can be a bit overwhelming, though. To determine the best approach, we've put together a list of 8 modern lighting ideas to choose from.
Ceiling Lights
For an overall ambiance in the bathroom, nothing beats the all-around light created by a good overhead ceiling light. Ceiling lights are central to overall illumination of a room and set the tone for distinguishing style. Different styles include: flush, semi-flush, recessed, utility, LED indirect, and handing (pendant, chandeliers, track and rail, and island).
Bath Bars
Specially designed for creating a sleek, cohesive look across the top of a mirror, certain bath bar designs can now be installed along the sides as needed. This is one of the more basic type of bath vanity lighting options that never goes out of style. They typically come in two-, three-, and four-light versions to suit small and large rooms alike. While you want to ensure you have plenty of light, be sure to choose one that is no wider than your vanity or cabinet width, which may be wider than your mirror.
Wall Sconces
For versatility of function and decorative design, nothing beats a wall scone on either side of a vanity mirror. These are often used to cast light in certain directions or illuminate areas that may be tough to get light into. While all sconces are essentially nothing more than a lamp affixed to a wall, there are a ton of different types, styles and finishes that you have to consider. Different types include: flush-mounting wall washers/half-moon, wallchieres, lantern wall sconce, candle sconces, swing arm wall light, picture light, and sign light. Different designs include: up light, down light, and up/down & all-around.
Vanity
A vanity light is defined as a light fixture installed above or alongside a mirror. It's also commonly known as task lighting. The counter and mirror are the focal point of the bathroom, and the vanity lighting draws attention to this important spot. A properly placed vanity fixture can give your reflection a youthful glow and make it easier to do your morning routine. The height and positioning of the lights you use above your vanity play a major role in just how well your space is illuminated.
Lighted Mirrors
Lighted mirrors are exactly what they sound like: mirrors with lights built in to it. They are big abundant, bright light designs without added fixtures. Their smooth lines, unparalleled brightness, superior reflectivity and seamless integration offers a broad suite of customization. They create a very sleek and modern aesthetic to any area.
Chandeliers
A chandelier is defined as "a branched, decorative lighting fixture that holds a number of bulbs or candles and is suspended from the ceiling". The type of chandelier you choose will depend on your decorating scheme, the scale of your room, and the electrical outlets available. Popular styles include: crystal, glass, Tiffany, candle, drum, neoclassical, and industrial. It's a classic choice for making a big impression.
Pendant
A pendant light is any fixture that is mounted to the ceiling and hangs down on a rod, wire, pole, or chain or, sometimes, on three chains. It's suspended like the pendant on a necklace (which is how it got its name). It's perfect for providing directed task lighting and should not be overlooked when layering light.
Because the definition is so broad, there are a lot of different, and different-looking, light fixtures that are called pendant lights. The most basic ones have a single light bulb mounted base up, inside a globe, or under an open shade or open reflector. But lanterns, fixtures that take bulbs mounted base down - such as chandeliers - and many of the different heads available for track lights are also part of the family.
Dimmers & Controls
Dimmer switches help you to reduce the brightness level in your smart home (very modern idea to consider). They can sometimes be a hassle to install but they have many lasting benefits that outweigh the cons, including saving you money in the long run.
They provide flexibility: the same light fixture can be used for high intensity for tasks in the day and low intensity for nights (like a thermostat or a TV volume control). They can enhance aesthetics, can come in many color options, and they can replace night lights. Another major benefit for the modern homeowner is that dimmer switches will extend the life of discount light bulbs, requiring you to change bulbs less often. They use less electricity, offering you monthly savings.
We'd love to hear from you! What type of lighting do you like best?