04 Oct 3 Ways to Light up your Bathroom like a Design Expert

You want all the rooms in your house to be well lit, but good lighting is so much more important for bathrooms. Your lighting decisions should help you to do a better job of shaving or doing your makeup, but also promote safety in an extremely accident-prone area of your home. The OLIVA team explains here why a bathroom needs multiple light sources and how to make them make it functional and elegant.

For example, using only a sconce seems romantic but it is impractical while using harsh recessed lights might provide safety but create the complete opposite desired effect. A can-light can illuminate a poorly lit shower, but it needs a watertight seal to keep the water out. A makeup mirror design with lighting built into it is ideal for people who prefer to put on makeup while in the bathroom. An eye-catching chandelier above the tub will give your bathroom more character, but you will need to supplement this light source to make it efficient. Great designers install light fixtures in a way that works with the orientation of your bathroom and allows you to make the best use of your space. Read on to find out (from expert designers) how to select bulbs and place fixtures so that your bathroom lighting is just right.

Exploit Natural Light

You want as much natural light as possible in your bathroom. That is how you will be lit outdoors, according to Sneed. This calls for window treatments that admit more light. If you are fortunate enough to design your own home, place your bathroom facing north to benefit from softer and more diffused indirect sunlight. Adding a bathroom skylight will also admit more natural light into your bathroom and make your baths a lot more enjoyable.

Install Fixtures Purposefully

Bathroom light features should ideally be overhead can lights. If they are four-inch recessed, they will give your bathroom a clean look. Overhead lights are just more functional. We like to pair them with sconces lined up beside or just above the mirror. You will be looking at a flattering reflection in the mirror. If you are facing the mirror and your face is backlit, it will be in the shadow. That is why you need some light between the mirror and yourself. Use more than one type of lighting, allowing you to enjoy a good ambiance at any time of the day or night.

Select Light Bulbs Carefully

Warmer light is always better. 2700K LED lights have proved themselves in the designer’s experience because they act as natural light. Bright bulbs of 150 watts allow you to see everything brightly, but overhead lights should not be as bright because they ought to give a softer, more comfortable feel. You want to avoid ending up with a bathroom that feels too cold and clinical. It should give you a warm feeling.