Use warm, soft light in the sink and mirror area.
Most people begin the day in the bathroom, showering and performing daily care to get ready for school or work. This makes the room's lighting a crucial part of getting a good start on your day. The best lighting for your bathroom may include a variety of fixtures, so if you are planning a remodel or new construction, make sure you have plenty of power to the area.
Area Lighting
Consider each task you do in the bathroom and plan the lighting for each area separately. This includes mirror lighting for all of your personal grooming needs, lighting in the shower and bath area for cleaning and lighting in the toilet area for visibility. In small bathrooms, one light source may cover all of these areas but larger rooms will need multiple sources of lighting. Consider the mirror area as your primary lighting need, as this is where you want the most visibility.
Placement
Mirror lighting should light you from above and in front when standing in front of the mirror. This causes the least amount of shadow while maintaining visibility. Shower and tub lighting should be directly overhead but diffused, for the same reasons. Diffused light is best for any bathroom, no matter where the fixture is placed, so choose fixtures with white or frosted glass covering the bulbs.
Light Bulb Types
Soft white bulbs work well in bathrooms, although you may want one fixture with daylight bulbs to let you see colors as they will appear in daylight conditions. can also help you feel more awake in the morning if your bathroom has no window to let true daylight in, but the effectiveness of this is psychological and varies.
Try using daylight bulbs in an overhead general fixture and soft white in the mirror lighting to give yourself the best of both indoor and outdoor lighting looks. Avoid ultra-daylight bulbs, fluorescent tubes, or any lighting that has a blue tint, as the light will be unflattering for personal grooming.
Considerations
Bathrooms are high-moisture environments, so use fixtures specifically designed for bathroom use, especially in shower and tub areas. If you do not have a variety of lighting options availabe or simply want to add a bit of mood lighting to your bathroom, try hanging exterior string or rope lights to create a festive mood.
Rope lights work particularly well along the floor edges, creating a soft, colored glow as you relax in the bathtub. Exterior-rated lights will withstand the room's moisture and heat changes, giving you lasting light that suits your needs and mood.
Tags: lighting your, your bathroom, daylight bulbs, lighting should, lighting your bathroom, mirror area, personal grooming