Bathroom Lighting Tips

The lighting in the bathroom is often overlooked. This RONA video provides tips on choosing the best type of ambient and task lighting for your bathroom:

General lighting should be soft to create an ambience for relaxation. Chandeliers or flush mounts are ideal because of their high position, which allows them to diffuse light over the entire area without restricting movement in the room. Luminaires with spots or recessed lighting are also good choices. Halogens coupled with a dimmer and installed in a floating ceiling provide a relaxing atmosphere and an elegant look.

Activites such as grooming, hairstyling, shaving, and putting on makeup are centered around the mirror and require optimal lighting. You should have good punctual lighting – not too flattering, true to colors and not too aggressive – and ideally should be frontal and uniform to avoid creating shadows or accentuating the circles under the eyes. Lighting from both sides or from symmetrically spaced sconces are good solutions for eliminating shadows. The best solution is a traditional makeup mirror with lights all around.

Incandescent lamps help prevent glare. To prevent light from bouncing back into the mirror, avoid white walls. Choose ambers, beiges, yellows or pastels that diffuse light and create an intimate feeling to the room. Avoid morning flash by installing frosted bulbs.