Types of Light Fixtures for Layered Bathroom Lighting
Types of Light Fixtures for Layered Bathroom Lighting
There are many types of lighting you can install in your bathroom. Most bathrooms have a small layout and somehow are still always gloomy and lost in shadows. Bathrooms tend to be primarily lit by a ring or row of bright vanity mirror lights. There may also be a central overhead light or, in older homes, perhaps a row of track lights. However, bathroom trends are change and, we think, for the better. Bathrooms are getting bigger, we're embracing more relaxing bath routines and lifestyles. And we're also getting more versatile with how we design and plan bathroom lighting.
Gone are the days when you have to settle for a shadowy shower or even an overly bright vanity. Smart lights, waterproof light strips, and layered lighting design are transforming how we light the bathroom.
It's time to consider your bathroom lighting options and how you might combine your favorite fixtures into an improved bathroom experience both for bright-lights cleaning and mood-lit relaxation.
Types of Bathroom Light Fixtures
Vanity Mirror Lights
The vanity lights are the stars of bathroom lighting. Usually a row or frame of bright bulbs, vanity and mirror lights give you the opportunity to handle cosmetics and the morning routine with perfect, glaring, clarity. However, as great as vanity lights are for styling hair or applying makeup, they aren't so great for actually lighting the rest of the bathroom. Vanity lights almost always leave both the shower and the toilet in shadow.
In addition, vanity lights no longer need the bright hot filament in the center, risking an afterimage in type eye if you look to close. Frosted, diffused, and smart bulbs can replace your typical vanity lights. In fact, our current favorite vanity light upgrade is an LED ring, more like a streaming ring light on a large scale than a classic bulb vanity.
Pendant Lights
Pendant lights make wonderful centerpieces in bathroom remodels. Small or ceiling-close pendants create an artistic piece and are especially beautiful in a spacious bathroom where there is room to step back and admire the fixture. The right gently lift chandelier also makes the perfect view if you have a soaking bathtub in the center of your bathroom design.
Smaller pendant lights can make a long bathroom look elegant while a single pendant can offer area light, for example, in the toilet nook.
Wall Sconces
Wall sconces are less often used in bathrooms but some bathrooms have the right layout for a beautiful wall-sconce design. Waterproof wall sconces might be the right touch to make your spacious stone shower into a dreamy escape. Wall sconces on either side of the sink can provide a soft light alternative to the vanity lights.
Canister Lights
Canister lights set into your ceiling and are usually installed several at a time. Canister lights are spaced out and the bulbs are flush with the ceiling to provide an even layer of light. Canister lights are common in more spacious bathrooms because they offer a tidy way to provide a total coverage of light, except over the shower.
Flush Lights
Flush lights are light fixtures that are set directly against the ceiling, but protrude with glass bowls or other ornamentation unlike canister lights. One flush light can light a whole room without obstructions and flush lights are commonly found in modern bathroom design.
Track Lights
Track lights were popular in bathrooms a few decades ago and there are still a few bathrooms with light tracks installed. Track lights are individual spotlights set into a row, or track, and are each adjustable to provide directional light. Track lighting allows you to point your light at the walls to spotlight art or create a unique sort of mood lighting. Combined with smart bulbs, track lights do offer an incredible versatility in how a room is lit. If your bathroom is spacious or you already have a light track, track lights might be thee perfect lighting addition in to your bathroom.
LED Strip Lighting
The latest in lighting technology today is the LED light strip Simple, approachable, and waterproof, LED light strips are flexible strips lined with colorful and white-range LED light diodes. They can be used to line shelves, the upper molding of the room, furniture, and vanities. LED strips have the greatest potential for diverse lighting and lighting that layers lower than the ceiling level. If there's any area of your bathroom that needs light and light fixture illumination can't reach, a light strip is your ideal solution.
Designing Your Bathroom's Layered Lighting
Layered lighting is a great plan to bring better lighting to your bathroom. By planning for multiple fixtures and light sources, you can light every corner of your bathroom or plunge your bathroom into moody relaxation. Here are some methods to approach building layered lighting design in your bathroom.
From the Top Down
Think about how light flows from the ceiling down. Layered lighting brings in light from multiple levels, especially in the bathroom. Consider flush lighting like canister, hanging pendant lighting, and eye-level vanity lighting, as well as the option for lighting the lower regions with LED strips.
From the Toilet to the Shower
Both toilet nooks and shower stalls tend to be under-lit despite the power of bathroom vanity lights. With waterproof fixtures and rubberized LED strips, you can finally give your shower a clear source of light. You can also add an additional fixture or strip of lights to gently illuminate the space around your toilet.
Lighting Up Dark Spaces
Layered lighting is a great way to improve your entire bathroom experience in more ways than you will realize at first. When you sink into that first bath with dimmed mood lighting or enjoy your first shower with clear illumination, that is when you'll really thank yourself for well-layered bathroom lighting. Contact us today to consult on your home lighting solutions.
