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Choosing lighting for your bathroom can become a little tricky. As a room you'll spend every day in, you want to make sure it's lit for every task and every mood. Read these Do's and Don'ts to create the best bathroom lighting.
DON’T put a single downlight above the sink, and nothing else. A light directly overhead creates unflattering and harsh shadows that aren’t ideal for shaving or putting on makeup (plus it can age you by 10 years!)
DO create light around the vanity that surrounds your whole face. Above, you want at least a 24in fixture for a single vanity, accompanied by sconces on the side, at least 28in apart and 5ft off the floor. For a double vanity, get a fixture almost as wide as the mirror about 6.5ft off the floor.
DON’T use low lighting. Having lights on dimmers is fine, especially for days that you want to relax with a bubble bath, but you don’t want to have inadequate lighting. Not only is this unsafe, but won’t allow you to properly execute your daily tasks. Just imagine putting on your makeup, thinking you look hotter than a Kardashian, and going about your day. Then as you’re walking to lunch you catch your reflection in full daylight and realize you put it on way too heavy. Don’t say we didn’t warn you!
DO make sure you have enough light for various tasks. In a master bathroom, this could include chandeliers in the center, sconces around the tub and mirrors, and recessed lighting in other areas. In any space, make sure there is enough light in the shower and tub area(s), around the vanity, and near the toilet.
DON’T guess how much light you need. Many people think it’s okay to just put recessed lights in a grid, but this doesn’t give you the even light you think it will. Lighting is more complicated than placing them wherever seems right.
DO the math. There are a few simple equations to calculate how much overall light and task light you need. Overall lighting is the general light you need to see and move in the space, and task lighting refers to extra light needed to read, prepare food, etc. For overall lighting, multiply the square footage by 1.5 to get the total wattage you need. The equations look like this:
length of room x width of room = square footage
square footage x 1.5 = total wattage needed
Task lighting uses the same equations, but multiply the square footage by 2.5 instead. For placement, seek a professionals help. At Wilson Lighting, many of our sales associates are Certified Lighting Consultants and can help you with any lighting task you need.
Now you can confidently design your bathroom to be lit like the relaxing and functional space you imagined. Share pictures of your beautiful bathrooms with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!
