There are many ways to implement vanity lighting - but how do you go about it in the proper way? This post, we go over the basics of lighting in the bathroom and how they pertain to how you should do vanity lighting in your bathroom for maximum effectiveness.
Task Lighting
In general, vanity lighting should include some task lighting above or around the mirror, such as in the bathroom above, in order to provide adequate light for cosmetic practices, be that brushing your hair or plucking your eyebrows. The amount of ambient lighting, the number of mirrors, the color scheme of your bathroom, and the amount of natural light present will determine how bright your task lighting needs to be to adequately illuminate for these tasks.
An Example
Let's look at an example for how to implement task lighting for you vanity. In the bathroom above, there are a couple windows that seem to be providing good lighting. The color scheme is of shades of white, allowing the natural light to light up the room even more. Seeing as the room is already bright, the task lighting around the vanity mirrors is not directed at the glass, allowing for a different look. Come nightfall, however, this may be detrimental to the performance of the task lighting - something to keep in mind.
Blue
Here is an example of an inadequately lit room. Though the fake candles and vase lights add a unique look to this vanity space, they do not do nearly enough work lighting up the mirror. Additionally, the color scheme is dark and there does not appear to be natural light, things that this bathroom would already have to compensate for.
Honey and Mahogany
Just because we want adequate lighting doesn't mean you have to stick to white exclusively! This bathroom of honeys and mahogany is opting for a warm glow rather than a bright white. Between the wide mirror and the large window - not to mention plenty of overhead lighting - it is well-lit in a way the previous bathroom was not. This allows for the lighting around the vanity to be much more decorative, adding an extra touch to your bathroom decor.
Loud and Clear
Here is another bathroom that opted not to have task lighting at the vanity, yet still achieved a well-lit room. In this instance, the colors are bright, there is a nearby window, and the mirrors are large. Additionally, since the mirrors reach the ceiling, the overhead lights act as vanity lighting themselves. If you're looking for a streamlined, clean look with few frills, this is one way to do it.
Bright and White
It would be difficult to get better lit than this! The owners of this bathroom opted for lighting behind many of the pieces, creating both a contemporary effect as well as a very bright room when combined with clean white walls and ceiling.
