What about the bathroom(s)? For some, the bathroom is a necessity that serves vital functions but shouldn’t be given a lot of time and attention in terms of lighting and overall decorating. For others, the bathroom is a place to relax, a place to luxuriate after a long day of work. For most, the typical bathroom is perceived as something in between these two extremes.

The truth is that the average Joe (or Jane) usually gives the least amount of attention to the bathroom in terms of both decorating and lighting. Investing in the bathroom vs. other more visible parts of the house often seems like a waste of resources. When given enough thought, many homeowners would come to the realization that the bathroom is where they usually start their day. It can set the mood for the rest of the morning and then carry on into the rest of the day. This may sound a bit dramatic, but think about it a minute. If you’re a man, and you start your day in a poorly lit bathroom with inadequate ventilation, you probably will face a few difficulties taking care of the grooming necessities that will make you look your best. If you’re a woman and the lighting in the bathroom just isn’t adequate, your makeup may end up looking a lot less flattering than it should when you enter the “real world”.

Guess what? One of the primary factors that contribute to the resale value of the home is the way the bathroom(s) look and “feel”. Prospective buyers may be impressed with most of the other rooms, but if they take a look at a dimly lit, poorly decorated and/or poorly maintained bathroom, they may begin to wonder what else the seller hasn’t been taking care of?

The trend today is to make the bathroom a place to feel good – a place to recharge your batteries and a good place to just plain relax. While you may not be prepared to invest in a spa tub or oversized shower, you can put your money into the right lighting.

Layers of lights in the bathroom will go a long way in improving the general mood and feel of the bathroom. One of the most critical planning issues is how to provide just the right lighting for completing the essential tasks of shaving and putting on makeup.

Let’s spend some time taking a look at the major types of lighting that make a bathroom a work of art. There are three major types of lighting to consider: Task Lighting, Accent Lighting and Ambient Lighting. I will spend the bulk of this article on the most critical of these three: Task Lighting.

Task Lighting

The bathroom vanity is where the work gets done and consequently deserves top billing in terms of planning and resource allotment. The sole purpose of vanity lighting is to provide good lighting that fully illuminates the face and the head. One of the biggest mistakes people make is using either recessed lighting or a single fixture at the top of the vanity. What you are creating when you do this are shadows. A shadow provides a false impression of what’s really there. Using too much makeup on a shaded area can result in a look you just don’t want when you are in daylight or other areas with even lighting. Shaving isn’t a breeze either when you have to contend with shaded areas on the face.
If you have the space and the decorating scheme allows it, side lighting can go a long way towards eliminating shading caused by overhead lighting.

If side lighting isn’t a practical alternative, your best bet is to purchase a vanity with lights already attached or purchase a light bar that mounts separately, above the vanity. On a practical note, the light bar or separate light fixtures should be just over 6’ above the floor and up to 80” above the floor if tall people will be using the room. To provide even lighting, the fixtures should be 150 watts and should be spread over an area of at least 2’.

If you have the luxury of buying a new cabinet, don’t “go cheap”. Even the highest quality cabinets aren’t that expensive and it’s money well spent. Some of the most elegant cabinets have the lights already attached and, although it’s usually a given, make sure that the receptacle has a ground fault circuit interrupter. If you don’t know what this is, any salesman can help you. The GFCI is designed to prevent electrical shocks, which are more prone to happen when you mix electricity and water.

If you’re a DYI guy or gal, you should allow several hours to get the job of installing a cabinet with attached lighting. One of the things that I’ve learned is that a lot of people think they know a lot more about electricity than they really do. Even 120V standard household current is dangerous and nothing to mess around with unless you really know what you’re doing. A life is a valuable thing to waste as the saying goes, so if you have any doubts about your ability to do the electrical part of the job, find someone who really knows what they are doing. As a declaimer, I suggest that you get the cabinet in place, do as much of the work to get the electrical installation done (without touching any wires) and hire a licensed, qualified electrician to finish the job. This way you can be sure that you will avoid any injuries or even a fire.

If you plan to do the electrical work yourself, be sure the electricity is turned off before you start. I’m talking about turning it off at the circuit breaker or fuse box, not just the light switch.

You can install a cabinet either flush-mounted or recessed. Although the recessed mounting usually has greater eye appeal, you may run into problems when you begin to probe into what’s behind the wall. A person experienced in remodeling may be able to make a fairly reliable educated guess with respect to what, if anything is behind the area in question. For most of us, opening a small space in the middle of the area, such as a 5” x 5” hole, can let you take a peek to see what you’re up against.

While I could provide step-by-step instructions on how to install either type of cabinet, most new cabinets come with detailed how-to instructions. If not, I suggest you pick up a do it yourself book, making sure that bathroom cabinet installation is one of the topics covered.

Accent Lighting

Accent lighting is part of the layering I mentioned earlier. If you have statuary or other artwork such as a painting or two, try installing a recessed spotlight to highlight these features. Less is better than more and a subtle glow will provide a better impression than will a glaring spotlight. Although more work and considerable more expertise is required, recessed, water protected lighting in the shower stall itself, can add some decorative as well as functional appeal. Some people even opt to use a recessed fixture over the toilet.

Ambient Lighting

The goal with ambient lighting is to simulate natural light. This is most commonly done with a ceiling light mounted on the ceiling surface. If the bathroom is large enough, A small chandelier or pendant can be used as an alternative. While I’m not a big fan of cove lighting, if it’s tastefully done it can be an appealing source of ambient light. The basic idea is to mount molding, which is several inches deep around the perimeter of the room, and then install rope lighting behind it. Done tastefully, this type of lighting can provide a glowing effect around the room and can even make the room appear larger than it is.

In summary, a tastefully done, functional lighting arrangement in the bathroom(s) of today’s homes, can provide the home owner with an enjoyable experience at both the beginning and the end of the day as well as enhance the resale value of the home if it ever comes on the market.

By: Chuck Lunsford