When it comes to choosing rooms to remodel, bathrooms are always near the top of almost every homeowner’s list. Families grow, styles change, and fixtures seem to look dated quicker than in other parts of the house, so bathroom renovation is a natural choice after just a few years.
After you’ve decided on the bathtub and the color scheme, consider how lighting can become the final touch that brings the room together. Nothing completes a room like the right lighting scheme, and few decorating accents can do so much with such a small amount of effort and money.
Layer the Light
If your bathroom lighting consists of one fixture in the middle of the ceiling, you’re in desperate need of an upgrade. While a single ceiling light might give you enough light to shower by, it doesn’t do anything for the look of the room. Task lighting will give you layers of light while adding warmth to the space. Put in a light above the shower or bath, flank the dressing mirror with side lights, and even add tiny lights along the bottom of the wall to stand in for old-fashioned night lights.
Use Non-Traditional Lighting
A complete bathroom renovation calls for a complete rethinking on your lighting scheme. Why stick with traditional bathroom ceiling lights in your sleek new room? Consider other types of light sources to give your bathroom a unique designer look while lighting up the space. Try bean pot lamps or candlestick lights on a side table, hanging kitchen lights over the vanity, or small electric candles through the room for a soft, romantic glow.
Vanity Lighting
If your bathroom design doesn’t leave much room for dedicated vanity lighting, add light sconces directly onto the surface of the mirror. The mirror behind the lights will double the brightness, giving the room twice as much light in a very small space.
Lighting as Decor
Bathroom lighting doesn’t have to be a simple utility. When you choose the right fixtures, the lighting can become a crucial part of your bathroom design:
- Sleek, modern rooms look great with lots of chrome lamps and fixtures.
- If your design flair leans toward the funky, incorporate strings of rope lighting wound around the curtain rods.
- For a room that is romantic and ruffled, bring in some bedside lamps and candle sconces to continue the theme.
- If this bathroom is mainly for the kids, use lamps in bright primary colors, or check the bedroom department for colorful lamps with their favorite cartoon characters on them.
You may have to change things out as your (or the kids’) interest wanes, but then it will give you a good excuse to give the room a makeover.
Use Multiples
When it comes to bathroom lighting, if one is good, then many are better. Plan a design that includes multiples of all the lights you plan to install. Instead of one central light fixture, install three or five hanging bulbs with decorative shades on different lengths of cord. Group bunches of electric candles on the back of the toilet. Use multiple small bulbs around the vanity mirror instead of one or two smaller ones. More always looks rich and abundant, and it takes your room away from the cookie-cutter design look.
Some lighting changes are a snap to do on your own, but some require a licensed professional electrician to install them safely. When you speak with your electrical contractor and plan your bathroom renovation, let him know about the lighting designs you want to use so he can incorporate them into his renovation schedule.
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