Up-To-Date Bathroom Lighting

Today's designers believe that bathrooms should be the most illuminated places in a house. One of the basic principles of bathroom lighting is its distribution at three levels: bottom - from 0 to 16 inches, average (working) - at a height of 2.5 ft from the floor; top - above 6 ft. Success of lighting depends entirely on correct positioning of lights at all three levels, regardless of room type. Applied to bathroom it will look as follows.

traditional design bathroom lighting

This bathroom lighting in some cases is provided by a single lamp. This option is effective only for small bathrooms. In spacious bathrooms, for a uniform distribution of light, a few light fixtures are often installed. Moreover, the greater is number of lights, the lower may be their power, and hence size.
The multi light is made of small lamps often with halogen lights. Halogen lights are both embedded and open. Embedded designs are intended for installation in suspended ceilings, with ceiling material can be any. A beam of light embedded in ceiling fixtures is often directed strictly to the floor that is not always rational for bathrooms. Spotlights with adjustable angle of rotation are more suitable for general lighting of a bathroom.

In bathrooms with high ceiling a reflected light beam is used as a light solution. On a distance of 1.5 ft from the ceiling an aluminum suspension is installed, on a lower bearing surface of which a few point-ceiling luminaires for halogen lights are set. To create a reflected light beam on upper surface of aluminum structure a lamp with a wide angle of dispersion is placed. Combination of direct and reflected light fluxes can obtain the necessary level of illumination.

In bathrooms, as well as in other areas of the house, there is a need for zoning. Local lights are used for light zoning. Even in a small and technically simple bathroom it is good to allocate space near the mirror in a separate functional area. In bathroom with niches, podiums, and various sorts of design delights, even a few areas can be indicated.

classic bathroom lighting design (click to enlarge)

Mirror and sink is a most important area. Lighting designers recommend to install a pair of symmetrically located sources of scattered light on sides of mirror, which on one hand, would provide a good light, and on the other they will not dazzle the eye and cast sharp shadows. It is important that the light is not reflected in the mirror.
Shade of frosted or white glass can be used as a lens. The glass should be white because the color light in a mirror zone distorts the natural color of skin. Symmetry is required for smooth distribution of light.

Bath

In order to distract and relax in the bath, it should be at least relatively isolated from the rest of plumbing place. Some manufacturers offer models with independent bath lighting, which is quite a spectacular but also a very expensive solution.

Designers offer an additional option of bathroom lighting - furniture highlighting. In drawers, opening cupboards, open shelves have built-in small lights that helps to find things quickly.

Floor lighting creates a special mood in bathroom. This lighting belongs to the category of additional or decorative lighting. There are special strong and airtight lighting fixtures designed to illuminate the garden paths. They are also suitable for illumination of bathroom floor. The external diameter of such luminaries is about two inches. Lamps used for this type of lighting should not be more powerful than 5 Watts.
In bathroom lighting designers suggest using floor lamps, transparent and colored lights to create unusual lighting effects. This type of lighting devices is classified as supplementary and decorative.
Striving for beauty, we must not forget about safety requirements, that should be carefully observed in designing of lighting system of a bathroom. Lights should always be protected from direct contact with moisture, and metal fittings of high-voltage fixtures in bathroom require a mandatory grounding.