Bathroom Lighting Design

Not only do you start your mornings in the bathroom, but you also end your day there, washing away the remnants of your work day. Your bathroom is just as much a place to start your daily rituals as it is a retreat, serving as a place to relax and unwind. From morning to night, you use your bathroom at different times of the day for different reasons, which is why layered lighting in your bathroom is essential when considering your bathroom design. At Southern Lights, our showroom technicians can help you find the best lighting options for every aspect, function, and corner of your bathroom, so you can finally get the luxury lavatory you’ve been dreaming of.

The Three Tiers of Layered Lighting

There are three essential types of lighting when it comes to designing your bathroom: ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. Long gone are the days when a single overhead light would suffice. By layering your lights, you can create several different ambiences, depending on your mood or the time of day.

Ambient Lighting

Ambient lighting, also known as general lighting, typically serves as the primary source of light for your space. But not only does ambient lighting fill in your space with “natural” light, it also improves the warmth and depth of a room. Getting the right ambient lighting for your bathroom means providing a sufficient level of illumination without there being too much glare.

Adding a chandelier, track lights, recessed lights, or wall sconces are all great ways you can add ambient lighting to your bathroom. The light fixture you choose will set the tone for the type of bathroom you want it to be. If you’re going for a luxe bathroom style, add a mini chandelier to create a soft glow around your bathroom. Or for a more modern aesthetic, opt for LED light strips on top of the bathroom cabinets, or underneath the soffit. And if you have the option to add a tray ceiling to your bathroom, add rope lighting in the open air soffits for soft, unobtrusive lighting. Ceiling tray-based lighting can add a seductive element to your bathroom.

For bathrooms with lower ceilings, we recommend installing recessed lights, as it will free up the space in your bathroom, opening up the room to make it appear larger. We recommend recessed downlights mounted in the ceiling, for an even, diffuse light.

Southern Lights also recommends installing dimmable light bulbs. Not only are dimmable lights more energy-efficient, but they’re also great for versatility — you can adjust the ambience of the room from day to night.

When choosing the light source, remember to pay attention to the color rendering index (CRI). Natural sunlight has a CRI of 100, so you want to opt for a CRI number greater than 80, to allow you to see colors fairly accurately. As for color temperature, you want to opt for a range between 2700K and 3000K for your light source. This range offers a flattering warm-white illumination that’s perfect for bathroom tasks.

Task Lighting

Task lighting is a bright light designed to localize the light on a focused task, such as putting on make-up or shaving your face. This type of focused lighting can be achieved through a simple overhead light, or through wall sconces and vanity lights.

Traditionally, vanity lights come with three or four bright bulbs right above the mirror that casts light down onto the vanity surface. But this standard approach can cause dark lines and shadows to appear on your face, which isn’t favorable for grooming. This is another reason why we don’t recommend recessed lighting directly above the mirror.

Instead, you should opt for two wall sconces, one on each side of the mirror. By installing two sconces, you have even lighting coming from opposite directions. For a contemporary aesthetic, look for vertical LED light bars. By placing these fixtures near eye-level, you eliminate the problem of unflattering shadows on your brows, nose, and chin.

For vanity lighting, look for bulbs with a higher color temperature, such as 4000K, which is close to the color of daylight. You want an accurate depiction of color, especially when putting on make-up, styling your hair, shaving, and more.

Accent Lighting

For the finishing touch, add accent lighting to balance the overall brightness of the room. Much like ambient lighting, accent lighting helps set the mood for the space. But it’s also used to highlight key elements in a room, drawing your eye away from aesthetically-displeasing features in the room, and towards decorative details, artwork, or plants.

Accent lighting adds dimension to your bathroom. For a trendy, nighttime look, you can install rope lights at the base of your bathroom cabinets. You may also consider installing recessed lights into the floor, around the base of your bathtub. Or install track lighting that directs lights toward different details in your bathroom, such as artwork or architectural design. You can also point it towards the shower, as showers are becoming a huge feature in many bathrooms these days. Track lighting can highlight the water, the glass door, and even the glint of the tiles!

Wall sconces are another easy way to add a touch of accent lighting. In addition to your mirror, consider installing a pair of sconces on either side of the door or near the toilet. Again, by adding dimmer switches, you have the power to get creative with the ambiance you want for your bathroom.

Areas of a Bathroom to Light

In addition to understanding the three types of layered lighting you must consider when designing your bathroom, it’s important to understand which areas of a bathroom need more attention when it comes to lighting.

Vanity Lighting

For a single vanity, we recommend installing two sconces, on either side of the mirror, so you can have light shining directly across your face, with little to no shadows. For bathrooms with a double vanity, consider three sconces, one between two mirrors, and one sconce for either end of the mirror, creating great task lighting as well as some ambient lighting for the entire bathroom.

For bathrooms with mirrors that stretch from wall to wall, leaving no room for a wall sconce, consider installing mini pendants. Mini pendants can be hung from the ceiling, about 12 to 18 inches away from the wall and adjusted to eye level.

For powder rooms, consider a single vanity light above the sink, as the room is small enough not to require excess lighting. A horizontal bath bar will keep things modern. Opt for a gold or brass finish on your light fixture for a timeless look.

Bathtub Lighting

Most buildings are strict about keeping open or hanging fixtures at least 8 feet above the tub or whirlpool. Most bathrooms are less than 8 feet tall, which limits the types of lighting options you have for your bathtub.

That’s why Southern Lights is here to help you enhance your bathtub and its surrounding area through good lighting design. Tubs typically need general lighting, but that doesn’t mean you need to stick with just a recessed fixture. If your bathroom has the height for it, then consider hanging a mini chandelier over your tub or whirlpool for a touch of elegance. Or consider mounting wall sconces at the sides of the tub for a more charming atmosphere.

If you’re going for a modern, geometric aesthetic for your bathroom, then consider recessed cove lighting at the base of the bathtub. This will create sharp, clean lines, giving your bathroom extra depth.

Shower Lighting

For most showers, you will want to consider multiple recessed lighting fixtures that are wet rated (we will explain more on this later). Opt for smaller recessed lights for indirect light to illuminate the sides of your shower.
Another creative use of accent lighting is to add some recessed lighting or LED strip lighting to your shower niche. Other options are to add shower sconces to the wall, next to the showerhead.

For your shower, you want to choose bulbs with a warmer temperature, between the 2700k to 3000k range. If your bathroom has beige, earth-toned tiles and stones, opt for a 2700k temperature. For bathrooms with white, blue, or black tiles and walls, opt for a 3000k temperature.

Since your bathroom is constantly exposed to humidity, make sure your bathroom light fixtures come either damp rated or wet rated. These will be listed as UL or ETL, listed for damp locations. For light fixtures close to a bathtub or shower, where they are directly exposed to water, look for fixtures listed specifically for wet locations.

Find Your New Bathroom Lighting Today!

Whether you’re building a new home or renovating a few rooms, Southern Lights is here to help you find the right lighting solutions for you. Your bathroom requires special care and attention, as it’s a room you’ll spend a lot of time in, to get ready, to relax, and to end your day. You need the right lighting design in order to turn your bathroom into the sanctuary you envision. Our team of lighting experts is here to guide you through updating your bathroom, finding the right fixtures for your budget, and making sure you get the aesthetic you’re looking for.

Browse through our online catalog to view some of the products and brands we offer. Or visit our 25,000-square-foot showroom for an amazing selection of wall sconces, vanity lights, track lighting, and more! Whatever you need, you’ll find it in the largest showroom in the Midwest!

We look forward to assisting you on your next big lighting project!

Bathroom Lighting Design