How To Choose Bathroom Lighting

When designing a bathroom, choosing the lighting is perhaps the last thing on your mind after having to pick a new bath, sink, toilet, tiles, paint, flooring, shower, and taps. However, it is important to spend time picking the right light, as it can dramatically affect the ambiance of your washroom.

• Check out the IP rating

Before you start flicking through Pinterest for your favourite designer light, it is essential to check the IP rating of the fitting. This refers to how capable the light is at preventing water from penetrating, and it is important to get a high IP rating for a bathroom, as there is lots of moisture around.

According to Plumb World, lights placed directly over the bath or shower require an IP67 rating; those that will feature near the sink need an IP44 rating; and areas that are not at risk from a jet of water should have a minimum of IP20.

• Wall or ceiling lights?

The next question to ask yourself is whether you want wall lights, such as around the mirror for a more flattering glow, or you want a ceiling light, which makes the room feel brighter and can make it easier to see yourself clearly in the mirror.

• Mood lighting

You can also choose to have different lights, depending on what mood you want to create at the time. For instance, a pendant light is great at adding a sense of luxury and brightens up the space.

However, if you fancy a relaxing atmosphere, with low lighting, calming music and a luxurious bubble bath, you might want to install a couple of wall lights that can be controlled with a dimmer.

For retro bathroom lighting, take a look here.