When you start to remodel a room, you usually think of furniture or flooring first, but have you considered how lighting will impact your room? When you remodel a bathroom, lighting should always be one of your first priorities. Due to the small size of bathrooms combined with the shadows from fixtures inside, bathrooms can be some of the hardest rooms to light effectively. When doing a remodel, it’s important to work carefully with your contractor to ensure your lighting needs are met.
Ready to learn more about lighting your bathroom? Check out these tips below!
List your priorities
Bathrooms have several different uses, and you’ll need to think about what you want to prioritize with your lighting. Do you want the space to be a spa-like oasis? Do you want to be perfectly lit up when you apply your makeup each morning? Think about these goals as you plan the lighting for your space.
As you plan, keep the color scheme of your bathroom in mind too. For a traditional light bathroom, you’ll need less help from the lights to make the rooms seem bright. If you choose a darker look for your bathroom, you’ll need to be more intentional about where you place your lights. There’s nothing wrong with having darker tones in a bathroom, but you need to make sure that there is still enough light to complete basic tasks.
Take some time to consider your light fixtures too. You want these pieces to be both functional and match the space. For instance, you probably don’t want an antique chandelier in a minimalist modern bathroom. Shop around to find fixtures that best suit the space. Don’t be afraid to test something out — you might find something gorgeous and unexpected!
Plan for different types of light
There are multiple styles of lighting that can impact how your bathroom looks. You’ll want to include a combination of these four styles of light:
- Ambient. This lighting is an overall gentle light, usually used to light the room from above.
- Task. Task lighting is intended to light work spaces like your vanity.
- Accent. Think of accent lighting as the kind you see in a museum – it highlights items like art, plants or other pieces you want to emphasize.
- Decorative. Decorative lighting is just what it sounds like: decorative. It doesn’t provide much if any practical use and instead only acts as a standout piece for the room.
While planning for these types of light in certain parts of your bathroom, keep in mind how reflections from mirrors and shadows could impact how the light looks. For this reason, many people focus their light source on a ceiling light with some additional task lighting. This doesn’t mean you’re limited to these types of lighting – you just need to be careful about how you place any additional light sources.
Tips to improve your space
After you’ve got your lighting ideas in mind, now’s the time to sit down with a contractor to start making plans. Before you dive into your remodel, we have a few last-minute tips to keep your project looking fresh:
- Don’t light from directly overhead. It’s natural to think that overhead lighting would be the best way to light a vanity, but it actually produces an effect that casts shadows on your face. Try to light from in front of you or choose something that’s angled your direction without casting an overhead light.
- Add a dimmer. You may not want your lights to be blinding first thing in the morning or late at night, so adding a dimmer can help you to avoid harsh lighting.
- Get some natural light. Many are wary of windows in a bathroom, but they can do wonders for bringing light into your bathroom. If privacy is a concern, place windows higher in the room to avoid any issues.
- Don’t overdo it. If you want an area that’s bright, look into ways to keep the space from being too bright. A guest may not want to go inside your bathroom and be blinded by white light. In this case, consider multiple light switches to control the lights or get a dimmer as mentioned previously.
Looking to improve your bathroom lighting? Contact Elite Renovations at 417-708-8393 to schedule a consultation for your renovation.
