Lighting is one of the most important aspects of your home because it affects both your mood and efficiency throughout your day.
Bathroom lighting, especially, should be at the top of your priority list since you spend time in your bathroom every morning, night, and usually several times in between. There are many different kinds of lighting to choose from that will enhance the beauty of the room and your level of comfort while in it.
Choose and Place Lighting Wisely
Proper bathroom lighting comes in two levels, task lighting and ambient lighting. So, let’s start with the essentials of task lighting. The area of your bathroom that needs adequate lighting the most is the vanity since you need to be able to see your face and body in detail to perform grooming routines, such as shaving or applying makeup. A lot of people make the mistake of placing harsh light fixtures above the mirror, which actually casts shadows on the face, making daily routines more difficult. As an alternative, you should consider placing sconces or vertical lighting fixtures at the sides of the mirrors to generate light that is more evenly distributed.
Natural or Ambient Light Is Best
Natural light is ideal, such as a frosted glass window, since the sunlight will assist you when waking up in the morning. Though, natural light isn’t always an option; this is where ambient light comes in. Ambient light is a substitute that is easy on your eyes and provides you with a relaxing environment. Get creative with this one! Add some candles or lamps around the edge of your tub or even string some Christmas lights around the top of the room. What sounds better than having a glass of wine in your jacuzzi and reading your favorite book by candlelight?
Halogen Bulbs Are Worth the Extra Cost
Once you figure out the placement and style of your light fixtures, you then need to choose what kind of light bulbs you want to use. For the vanity, the best kind of light bulb to precisely portray skin tones is the halogen bulb. It may cost a few extra dollars upfront, but it will last up to three times as long as a standard incandescent.
Energy-efficient compact fluorescent bulbs are also a good choice because they provide a crisp, white light. You can place these bulbs in all areas of your bathroom and further customize them by purchasing a light dimmer. Then, you can have bright light in the morning when you want to wake up, and dim light when you need some evening relaxation.
