Bathroom vanity lighting plays an integral role in the overall bathroom ambiance.Becoming familiar with how to light the vanity is essential and will give you guidance on lighting the rest of the room.
Why Does Proper Vanity Lighting Matter
Bathroom mirror lighting is an important element in the space. This task of lighting enables greater visibility when grooming and preparing for another day. Higher quality vanity lights make a difference in that good illumination reflects color.
You can rest assured that the way you appear in the mirror is your natural look in the sunlight.
Poor-quality lights or bad placement around the mirror; many do not have the same results. Visit - Bathroom Vanity Lighting Ideas and Design Tips | Apartment Therapy- tips on bathroom vanity lighting.
How To Choose the Right Vanity Light Fixtures
When figuring out how to choose vanity lighting, you must understand the concept of lighting more. The objective is to provide ample illumination to clearly see every detail when applying makeup, shaving, and performing other grooming essentials. You will need not only the right lights but also the proper placement.
Determining which light is best for vanity mirrors is a subjective concept, but there area few choices of primary types of vanity fixtures to place over the unit. Some include the following:
Bar lights: Bar lights are long and straight wall sconces that can expand over the entire are of the mirror from above. It casts brilliant illumination.
Surface mounted lights: Having lights on the wall on each side of the mirror can provide illumination from the sides.
Spotlight:Attached to the ceiling shines down on the vanity to create a lighted mirror. These are especially beneficial in a morecompactspace with limited wall room.
Lighted mirrors: A common vanity lighting option for the bathroom is to have integrated light with the mirror. These are built into the mirror and provide incredible lighting face forward.
Placement of light is as, if not more so, important than having the lighting in the space at all. Read here for ideas on choosing bathroom lighting.
Positioning Vanity Lights for Optimal Illumination
When placing vanity lights, you set them up to perform. You want to ensure there are no shadows when putting on makeup or shaving or with other grooming tasks.
Paying careful attention to detail is critical with installation. The general rule is to have the lights installed at eye level which is roughly 40 inches from the mirror sides. This will generate sufficient illumination without creating glare or shadows.
When incorporating the overhead lighting options, extra care will need to be taken to ensure the fixture is placed close enough to the wall to allow facial illumination without downward shadows. It should sit right above the mirror.
Using LED Lighting for Vanities
LED lighting is quickly taking over halogen and incandescent bulbs as the most popular style for good reason. These offer several advantages that other bulb types are not able to.
Energy efficiency: LED bulbs use roughly 80 percent less energy than halogen bulbs. They transform energy to light instead of turning it into heat first, a much more energy efficiency approach.
Eco-friendly: The bulbs are an eco-conscious choice due to their energy efficiency.
Extended longevity: Unlike incandescent and halogen bulbs, LED options are rated to last for roughly 1000 hours. They can burn for tens of thousands to reduce the frequency that they need to be replaced and allow greater savings.
Cost efficiency: Aside from replacing these less frequently, you will save money in both the long and short term with greater energy efficiency. You will notice utility cost reductions over time. The bulbs come in varied lumen counts and color temperature. You can pick and choose exactly how bright and the color warmth and coolness for your lighting.
Layering Your Vanity Lighting
As is true with lighting in other rooms in the home, layering in the bathroom makes a major difference in the other visual appeal and feel of the space. Layered bathroom lighting consists of task, ambient, and accent.
Task light: Task lighting serves the purpose of adding greater focus to higher activity areas. The vanity unit is an area that’s especially important since its entire purpose is for skincare and grooming.
Beyond this area, task lighting can go above the showers and baths to offer illumination while getting clean.
Ambient lighting: Ambient lighting for bathrooms comes in the form of ceiling lights. In compact bathrooms, brilliant wall sconces are an excellent choice. The role of this lighting style is to provide a foundation that other lights will build from. Ambient light fixtures in the bathroom include:
1. Wall lights with high lumen counts
2. Pendant lighting
3. Surface mounted ceiling lights
4. Recessed ceiling lights
Accent lighting: The last layer of lighting is the accent layer, which sets the tone and vibe for the room. They can be usedto highlight specific elements in space. For instance, you may want a spa-like feel by using well-placed accent lighting.
Common Vanity Light Mistakes
Bathroom light design can be complex, especially when you lack experience. You can stay ahead of the pitfalls by becoming familiar with the most common mistakes.
Only using overhead lights
The risk of casting unwanted shadows is possible when installing only overhead lights. Downcast lights cause unflattering shadows near the mouth and under the eyes, especially. You won’t look yourbest, but it also won’t be an accurate appearance when applying makeup.
Not choosing high CRI bulbs
Bulbs with a poor color rendering index can be detrimental to the bathroom vanity lighting. CRI—color rendering index—indicates how well the true color is depicted in the light when it shines on something. Low CRI means the reflection may not be accurate, such as with makeup or clothing. Out in the sun, you may look different from the way you appear in the mirror.
Final Thought
Having proper vanity lighting is critical to a balanced and well-lit bathroom. The priority is to avoid common mistakes and perform due diligence in research when designing your vanity lighting.
