There are plenty of reasons why incorporating adequate lighting should be an integral part of your bathroom remodel. It’s difficult to wash and shower in dim light. It’s dangerous to step around wet surfaces in the dark. Neither would you want to groom yourself at a vanity covered in shadows, nor allow the damp, unlit corners of your bathroom to become an easier breeding ground for mold and other bacteria.
How can you ensure adequate lighting is part of the remodeling plan? Here are a few tips.
Choose the appropriate lighting fixtures
The tub, the shower, the sink, the toilet—there are many spaces in the bathroom that need to be illuminated so you can make the most out of them.
For example, your sink and vanity will need task lighting: clear, focused lights that help you accomplish specific activities from brushing your teeth to shaving or putting on makeup. You shouldn’t use these same focused lights for your tub or shower unless you want to soak under a glare instead of a relaxing glow.
You can light tubs and showers using overhead fixtures, like mini-chandeliers, or accent lighting controllable by dimmers. For the vanity, you can pick wall lamps or bulbs that flank the mirror and sink, as this positioning provides cross-illumination and prevents shadowing. Do you want a more traditional-looking vanity, or one that evokes a theatrical dressing room? Such simple choices about lighting help shape the overall design for your bathroom remodel.
Make room for natural light
You can also open up your bathroom to more natural light. Flooding your bathroom with daylight not only curbs the costs of heating and electricity, but also helps you enjoy the physical, emotional, and psychological benefits of taking in the sun.
Discuss with your contractor how you can add windows to the space, regardless of whether the room has no windows to begin with, or simply too few. Think beyond traditional panes. A skylight or picture window would lend a decorative flourish, not to mention an added source of ventilation in case the Atlanta summers prove too stuffy.
If your home affords you with a view, that might be all the more reason to open up wall space and enjoy the sights while relaxing in your tub.
Don’t forget the night light
Opening a bathroom to daylight addresses concerns for health, mood, and aesthetic, while choosing the appropriate fixtures addresses functionality. Making sure your bathroom has night lights checks off the box for safety.
A night light can be as simple as a bulb you plug into a power outlet, but it can also come part and parcel with your bathroom’s decorative features. Imagine what stylish guides some footlights or recessed accent lighting would make for those sleepy, late-night trips!
Sources:
Designing Bathroom Lighting, HGTV.com
7 Tips for Better Bathroom Lighting, ProRemodeler.com
7 Essential Improvements for Your Next Bathroom Remodel, TheSpruce.com
