Bathroom lighting: what to consider when choosing it?

Choosing the right lighting for your bathroom is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also functionality and safety. How do you create a space that’s as practical as it is pretty? Contrary to appearances, it’s not a difficult task – you just need to remember a few aspects that will ensure you won’t regret your decision. Which ones exactly? You’ll find out below!

Bathroom lighting – why is it so important?

The bathroom is a space where we spend a fair part of the day: on our morning and evening routines. It’s often a windowless, and therefore dark, room. Applying make-up, shaving or skincare are just some of the activities we do there, and the lack of light can make them much more difficult. Unevenly blended foundation, missed, untrimmed patches of beard, traces of toothpaste on your face – who would want to leave the house like that?

Proper bathroom lighting allows you to carry out many tasks more comfortably and precisely, preventing the slip-ups you risk with poor visibility. Well-chosen lighting also gives you a better chance of accurate colour matching, which is important, for example, when applying make-up or choosing clothes. And most importantly – the bathroom is a place to relax and unwind after a long day, and the right lighting can significantly influence the atmosphere and comfort of using it.

What lighting is best for a bathroom?

Base your choice of the best bathroom lighting on a few key factors that will give your bathroom a balance of functionality, safety and aesthetics. What exactly should you focus on?

Types of bathroom lighting: which light points do you need?

The bathroom requires several types of lighting to be functional. You’ll definitely need main lighting, plus additional lighting, wall lights around the mirror, and often spot lighting as well.

Main lighting, usually mounted on the ceiling, provides evenly distributed light throughout the room. This is the primary light source and should be bright enough to allow trouble-free use of the bathroom. What bathroom light will be best for this spot? Flush ceiling lights are the most popular choice, as they provide adequate illumination and are a safe option for a room as humid as a bathroom.

The next type is a hanging light by the mirror. The bathroom needs additional lighting, such as bathroom wall lights placed on either side of the mirror or above it, to provide good facial illumination, which is essential for shaving or applying make-up. Such a bathroom wall light can take different forms, e.g. multiple light sources, or a single one in the form of a long LED strip.

You can also consider accent lighting to highlight selected features of the bathroom, creating a cosy, relaxing atmosphere. Spot lighting for the bathroom works well, for instance, above the bath.

Well-chosen bathroom lighting can not only make everyday tasks easier, but also create a pleasant atmosphere. Consider which bathroom lights will work best for you and remember to opt for options with a high protection rating (IP).

Colour temperature and the practicality of lighting

What light should you choose for the bathroom? Colour temperature is specified in kelvins (K) and ranges from warm (yellowish) to cool (bluish). Which colour temperature will be the most functional in a bathroom? Much depends on the type of lighting. For example, warm light, with a tone similar to natural sunlight (around 2700-3000 K), is ideal for creating a relaxing atmosphere conducive to unwinding, e.g. during a bath, so it works well as main lighting or spot lighting above the bath.

Cool light (around 4000-6500 K), on the other hand, will be a more practical choice in areas where we carry out tasks requiring precision, such as shaving. This colour temperature renders natural colours more accurately, making it much easier to apply make-up or match it to your outfit. It’s therefore worth choosing cool light for the wall lights placed around the mirror.

Take the above tips into account and it will be easier to make the right purchase. Also remember to match the bathroom lighting to the style in which it has been decorated, and everything will come together beautifully.