Your bathroom is a personal sanctuary away from the outside world, somewhere to prepare for the day ahead or to unwind in the evening. This room can have a large impact on your mood and yet it is so often overlooked, amidst the various design choices, one element stands out as paramount: lighting.
Lighting is a perfect way to personalise the room, allowing you to personalise the style and also the atmosphere of your bathroom. We are here to talk you through the process of upgrading your bathroom lighting, including all of the technical terms, the best placement for your needs and some of our most popular designs!
How to Choose the Right Bathroom Lighting
It is important to create a bathroom that represents you and your needs. So there are a few key questions to ask yourself:
What mood do you want to create with your bathroom lighting?
Is your bathroom a space used purely for functional tasks or is it a room in your house where you take time to pamper yourself and unwind? Both of these environments may require different lighting so it's important to understand what you need from the space. Consider colour temperature, which is measured in Kelvins (K). A colour temperature of 2700K-3000K provides a warm, cosy light, while 3500K-4500K offers a neutral, brighter light ideal for task lighting.
For functional lighting brighter wall lights or mirror lights will be a great addition to assist in your daily tasks such as getting ready for the day ahead. Whereas if your bathroom space is where you take more time to relax then more ambient and warmer accent lighting is a perfect way to generate a peaceful mood. Installing dimmable lights allows you to adjust the brightness according to your needs and preferences, creating a more versatile and relaxing atmosphere.
Which features do you want to enhance?
What areas of your bathroom do you use the most? Which parts of the design have you put more time into and you would want to be a feature in the interior? Lighting is a great way to draw the eye to certain areas of an interior and the bathroom is no different. A common way to achieve this is by wall lights around your bathroom mirror or even recessed lights along the floor to highlight feature walls.
How much time do I want to spend on maintenance?
Ensure your chosen lighting fixture is easy to install and maintain. Hard-wired fixtures will require professional installation, whereas IP-rated portables can often just be charged and placed where needed. Choose materials that are easy to clean and maintain their appearance over time. You could also consider energy-efficient integrated LED lights that consume less power and have a longer lifespan than traditional bulbs. This will save you money on energy bills and reduce your environmental impact, as well as saving you time having to change fiddly bulbs.
Technical Questions
Bathroom Zones for Lighting
What are bathroom zones when it comes to lighting?
When choosing lighting for your bathroom you need to consider where to fit them, to maintain both your safety and the longevity of the product. As such, it is important to know where you can install the light.
Bathroom zones are based on their proximity to a water source:
Zone 0: inside the bath or shower, IP67 or above required
Zone 1: around the bathtub and shower walls - minimum IP44, ideally IP65
Zone 2: areas surrounding the bathtub, shower, and sink beyond 60cm width and 225cm from the floor - minimum IP44
Zone 3: all areas outside Zone 1 and 2 (no water protection) - minimum IP20
What does IP rating mean?
IP (Ingress Protection) refers to the protection levels of a light fixture from dust and water. The IP rating consists of two digits with the first referring to the protection from solids (i.e. dust and dirt) and the second from water (i.e. rain). The higher the value, the higher the protection.
Tala Kilter LED Wall Light
Astro Minima Recessed Light
Nuura Liila 1 Wall Light
Axolight Spillray Plus Pendant
Different Types of Bathroom Lighting
Bathroom lighting works especially well when layered. Adding layers of light can help stylishly compliment your bathroom space and can also help disperse light more evenly, resulting in more natural illumination. The best way to create functional but inviting lighting in your bathroom is by using three layers. The first layer is through ambient pendants or wall lights which act as the general source of lighting in the room. Next is layer two which is more functional task lighting often fitted by your mirror to accommodate daily activities. The third layer focuses on accent lighting, allowing you to highlight key design aspects of your space.
Whilst each of these fittings is successful alone, when put together they compliment each other perfectly and generate a soothing atmosphere that is perfect for such a tranquil space.
Our Bathroom Lighting Collection
Browse our selection of carefully handpicked bathroom lighting solutions, available in a range of applications and styles.
All of which are IP-rated and add a relaxing glow to your space.
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