Tag Archive 'bathroom lighting'

Jan 10 2010

The Basics Of Modern Bathroom Lighting

Published by Montgomery Decorator under Home Lighting

Without a doubt, the bathroom is one of the most essential rooms in any house. One essential aspect of a good bathroom is the lighting. Good lighting makes the bathroom a pleasure to use. Now, there are modern bathroom lighting fixtures that can transform any bathroom from drab to fab in no time at all.

Installing modern bathroom lighting in your bathroom can spell the difference between simply adequate to cozy and comfortable. A well thought of new lighting fixture can instantly add style and sophistication to your bathroom. But most importantly, carefully planned lighting will enhance the function of your bathroom tenfold. Modern bathrooms have many functions as evidenced by the basic amenities it has such as vanity tops, sinks, bath tubs, cabinets, and mirrors. You can start you bathroom redesign by taking into account the different functions either in a single bathroom or in a number of bathrooms in your house.

Installing new lighting fixtures in your bathroom is closely tied with its interior design. It can be said that adding the appropriate lights is the finishing touch to the bathroom’s design because it will enhance the room’s ambience, add to its functionality and create a place that is pleasant and relaxing. If you use your bathroom more as a place for relaxation after a long hard day’s work, then using ambient lighting will surely enhance the relaxing atmosphere.

Another type of modern bathroom lighting is ambient lighting which aims to simulate natural light, thus creating a soft and subdued illumination. Ambient lighting can be achieved using different types of lighting fixtures. One of these is the use of cove lighting. You can also use rope lights which are installed behind recessed moldings for a more sophisticated but subdued effect. The goal of ambient lighting is to illuminate the room sufficiently without creating glare, thus the use of subtle lighting fixtures.

Meanwhile, for bathrooms that are mainly used for grooming and hygiene purposes, task lighting and side lighting will be more appropriate. Lights that fully illuminate the face and the body are used here. This ensures that grooming and make up can be accomplished in the proper manner. Shadows and dark areas can make grooming and putting on make-up harder than it is. Thus, strong and clear lights are used in task lighting. A good tip is to install lights along the sides of your bathroom mirror. You can also install side lights that illuminate your face and body without too much glare.

Accent lighting is another type you can use. As its name says, this type of lighting is used to accentuate and emphasize certain features inside your bathroom for dramatic effect or aesthetic appeal. Mini spot lights or flood lights can be used to enhance the look and feel of your bathroom. A trip to your local furniture shop or interior decorator’s atelier can help you pick out what type of modern bathroom lighting to use.

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Jan 06 2010

The Basics Of Modern Bathroom Lighting

Published by Montgomery Decorator under Home Lighting

Without a doubt, the bathroom is one of the most essential rooms in any house. One essential aspect of a good bathroom is the lighting. Good lighting makes the bathroom a pleasure to use. Now, there are modern bathroom lighting fixtures that can transform any bathroom from drab to fab in no time at all.

Installing modern bathroom lighting in your bathroom can spell the difference between simply adequate to cozy and comfortable. A well thought of new lighting fixture can instantly add style and sophistication to your bathroom. But most importantly, carefully planned lighting will enhance the function of your bathroom tenfold. Modern bathrooms have many functions as evidenced by the basic amenities it has such as vanity tops, sinks, bath tubs, cabinets, and mirrors. You can start you bathroom redesign by taking into account the different functions either in a single bathroom or in a number of bathrooms in your house.

Installing new lighting fixtures in your bathroom is closely tied with its interior design. It can be said that adding the appropriate lights is the finishing touch to the bathroom’s design because it will enhance the room’s ambience, add to its functionality and create a place that is pleasant and relaxing. If you use your bathroom more as a place for relaxation after a long hard day’s work, then using ambient lighting will surely enhance the relaxing atmosphere.

Another type of modern bathroom lighting is ambient lighting which aims to simulate natural light, thus creating a soft and subdued illumination. Ambient lighting can be achieved using different types of lighting fixtures. One of these is the use of cove lighting. You can also use rope lights which are installed behind recessed moldings for a more sophisticated but subdued effect. The goal of ambient lighting is to illuminate the room sufficiently without creating glare, thus the use of subtle lighting fixtures.

Meanwhile, for bathrooms that are mainly used for grooming and hygiene purposes, task lighting and side lighting will be more appropriate. Lights that fully illuminate the face and the body are used here. This ensures that grooming and make up can be accomplished in the proper manner. Shadows and dark areas can make grooming and putting on make-up harder than it is. Thus, strong and clear lights are used in task lighting. A good tip is to install lights along the sides of your bathroom mirror. You can also install side lights that illuminate your face and body without too much glare.

Accent lighting is another type you can use. As its name says, this type of lighting is used to accentuate and emphasize certain features inside your bathroom for dramatic effect or aesthetic appeal. Mini spot lights or flood lights can be used to enhance the look and feel of your bathroom. A trip to your local furniture shop or interior decorator’s atelier can help you pick out what type of modern bathroom lighting to use.

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Oct 06 2009

Lighting the Bathroom Mirror the Right Way

Published by Montgomery Decorator under Bathrooms

One of the most important parts of any bathroom is the mirror. When properly lighted, a bathroom mirror can be every woman’s best friend. Have you ever wondered why some bathrooms can be so friendly and welcoming while others are harsh and uninviting?

The answer probably lies on proper lighting. Let’s admit it; everyone spends a considerable amount of time in front of a mirror. We primp and preen in front of a mirror trying to fix ourselves in as many ways as we can. A mirror is an important tool in providing ourselves proper grooming. The mirror needs to be properly lighted so that spending time in front of it will be an everyday pleasing routine.

It is a challenge to provide good lighting for a mirror. Lighting a mirror properly will eliminate unnecessary shadows and provide good illumination for every user. Frequently, we see only a single ceiling fixture in a bathroom. Instead of providing a friendly illumination, this type of lighting only casts shadows below your eyes and hit your eyebrows, which are definitely unfriendly effects. Cross lighting is the key to good mirror lighting. Cross lighting includes direct light from above, both sides and below. Achieving this can be made possible through a wide range of available lighting fixtures. Glare from frosted bulbs or those fixtures with opaque plastic or glass shields should be avoided.

Decorators suggest that the sink’s front edge and countertop should be illuminated with a light on the ceiling above the mirror. This could be a recessed task light that can be a round incandescent ceiling fixture that should be at least 12 inches in diameter with a bulb rating of 100 to 120 watts. You can also choose a fluorescent ceiling fixture above the sink. It is recommended that a fluorescent ceiling fixture above the sink should hold two 24-inch bulbs with 20 watt rating.

In order to complete the cross lighting, you should place light fixtures on both sides of the mirror. It is important to choose a light fixture that casts light in four directions – up, down and both sides. Rows of exposed incandescent bulbs with low wattage are especially designed to light mirrors. Pendants or wall-mounted fixtures are also common choices. These types of fixtures should be placed at eye level and should have at least 60 to 70 watt bulb. Fluorescent tubes are also favored choices because these utilize low electric consumption and last longer. Today, there are a lot of fluorescent tubes that are designed for vanity use and which provide a full spectrum light. A 24 inch 20 watt tube placed on each side of the mirror will create the required illumination. If your bathroom mirror is more than 24 inches wide, you can use a wall mounted light above the mirror and at the same time use the same type of fixture on the sides to complete the cross lighting effect.

Finally, for mirrors larger than 36 inches wide, sidelights may not be enough to provide the desired illumination. However this can be corrected by using powerful overhead light sources, which will be enough to cover even the mid section of the mirror that the side fixtures may fail to illuminate.

Michael Russell

Your Independent guide to Lighting

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