Bathroom lighting is the main element of the interior in the bathroom. It is the thing that needs enough attention and must be properly planned. Bathroom requires adequate supply of lighting for safety and convenient purposes. And most importantly, lighting highlights the features of the bathroom giving it an elegant appearance and comfortable ambiance.
Proper lighting in the bathroom requires several forms of light fixtures that need to be installed in different areas of the room. These fixtures have their own function that provides special light effects.
Bathroom light fixtures include chandeliers, wall sconces, close to ceiling lights, recessed lights and portable lamps like table and floor lamps.
Chandelier or close to ceiling fixtures are used to provide general lighting. This type of lighting provides light to the entire room especially when the natural light is absent. This is usually installed in the center ceiling of the room or above the bathtub.
Task lighting is probably the most important scheme in the bathroom. Installing wall sconces on both sides of the mirror or placing a vanity light bar above the mirror is necessary. This will give shadow-free supply of light in the mirror area which is very essential when doing certain tasks such as applying makeup or shaving. Installing recessed light in the ceiling above the vanity mirror is not a good idea as it will give shadow to the face.
Some of the fixtures like recessed downlights, track lighting, wall sconces and portable lamps are used for the decorative type of lighting in the bathroom. These fixtures are installed to highlight some decorative features inside the room such as the frame on the wall, a decorative tile work or an elegant vase.
For safety measures, choose the bathroom light fixtures that are vapor-proof especially those that need to be installed in the shower area. Also hire an experienced electrician to work with the bathroom lighting.