How to choose bathroom lighting fixtures
The lighting in the bathroom is completely dependent on the characteristics of the bathroom lighting fixtures. Yellow sunlight makes the room cozy and warm, a cool white shade more distinctly conveys the contrast and somewhat resembles a surgical room.
How to find the golden mean and choose the right bathroom lighting fixtures , creating a soft, comfortable and simultaneously energetic atmosphere? Let’s try to understand the variety of products offered by the modern lighting industry.
What factors influence the choice of lighting?
Choosing lighting equipment, you need to take into account two points: the decorative design of the product itself and its lighting capabilities.
If you make a mistake in the design of the project with the choice of the model you want, you will not be able to implement the plan. Suppose you liked crystal recessed bathroom lighting for a suspended structure, but you can not use a beautiful acquisition, because the ceiling in your bathroom is a monolith made of concrete slab.
Sometimes it is worth moving away from fashionable modern trends and stopping at traditional lighting techniques: a chandelier in a large area bathroom with high ceilings looks not only appropriate but also original
To avoid a nuisance error in the selection, we focus on the following factors:
- interior style and color palette of walls, floors, furniture, sanitary ware;
- levels of planned arrangement of devices;
- the dimensions of the room and the distance between the lamps;
- zoning, the allocation of more lit, “active” sites;
- reflecting surfaces – mirrors, gloss of ceramic tiles, tension structures.
Be sure to consider the layout and cabling before starting the installation, as some products require certain conditions (for example, floor lighting).
Requirements for bathroom lighting fixtures
In order not to have to frequently change not only the light bulbs, but also the instruments themselves, take care of the quality of the products. Expensive brand lamps or chandeliers for the bathroom, in contrast to cheap products, retain aesthetic appeal for a long time.
Pay attention to the site, painted in a bright blue color. This is the most hazardous area exposed to water spray, so all electrical light sources must be marked IP – the maximum degree of protection
Built-in products have different parameters of “penetration”, so when installing them, you need to be guided by the distance to which the ceiling is lowered. The minimum width of the ceiling area is 40 mm, but for some lighting systems it is necessary to lower the suspended structures by 80-100 mm, which is absolutely not suitable for bathrooms with low ceilings.
The light from the built-in models is directed downwards and does not illuminate the ceiling surface. Lamps with high power are better not to choose – a large amount of heat emitted by them, accumulates in the inter-ceiling space and affects the performance of the suspended structure.
Design of overhead lamps
The design of the overhead luminaries is diverse: from laconic lamp-balls to planeloads from Murrain glass on a gilded base.
The technical “body” of semi-finished models is located behind the ceiling, and the ceiling is located outside. To install them, you also need a ceiling space, but the heat from the lamps will spread throughout the room, therefore, it is possible to pick up more powerful lamps.
Design features of bathroom lighting fixtures
Directional light is an excellent opportunity to experiment with lighting work areas, therefore, as an artificial light source, rotary lamps are often used. They have a simple design: the base is fixed, and the outer part is dynamic, that is, it turns in opposite directions or in a circle.
Types of spotlights
The use of spotlights is the most successful solution for small areas, therefore we will consider in more detail which groups they can be divided according to the characteristics of direct light sources – electric lamps.
Incandescent lamps
Lamps incandescent, popular in the last century, are becoming less popular. Many people habitually continue to use them, believing that they save on their low cost, absolutely not taking into account high energy consumption and other disadvantages.
Suspended light fixtures
Energy-saving lamps are required if the bathroom has suspended lights: many models traditionally have cartridges designed for incandescent lamps
Halogen lamps
The halogen lamps have replaced the incandescent lamps. They are preferable to traditional lamps in many respects: they give more light, are more economical, they last longer (about 3 times). Halogen spot devices can be mounted even in low-lying ceilings – the flow of light is evenly distributed throughout the space of the room.
Halogen lamp
Variant of the most popular halogen lamp for spotlight: model 220V 50W has a mirror reflector that increases brightness, and is made in the form of a cone
And now about the minuses. The surface of the bulbs reacts negatively to the touch of the hands – they just burn out. This is due to the effect of fat from the skin on the quartz covering the flask. It is more difficult to change a lamp: it is necessary to remove a fixing ring on a spring and get a cone, and then in the reverse order to install a new one.
LED lights
Although the development of modern LED lamps are engaged until now, their performance has long outperformed the characteristics of less efficient analogs. The only obstacle preventing users from buying them is a high cost.
Location of LED lights
The brightness of the LED sources is successfully used to illuminate the “active” areas – the washbasin, the bathroom, the working area (the place where the washing machine and the dryer are installed)
When choosing LED products, be guided by the characteristics indicated on the package. For example, a 12 W mark indicates that the luminous flux will be the same as that of a 100-watt incandescent lamp, but more intense. The color transfer coefficient is 70-95, and the higher, the better. Cheap lamps can not have a score of 95. Buy products with an aluminum radiator, since plastic means low quality goods.
Bath in art decor style
A sample of the placement of lighting in the art deco bathroom: a luxurious chandelier on the ceiling, a pair of bright sconces near the mirror, a ceiling lighting above the bathroom and along the step of the podium
Because of the small area in the typical apartments, bathrooms tend to be minimalist. However, there are many ways to diversify the lighting: make a hidden back light of LED tapes, light up niches, use lamps of all kinds of colors, combine various types of lighting devices – chandeliers, sconces, built-in models.
Here are important tips for choosing bathroom lighting fixtures
Do not miss these tips to choose lighting accessories for the bathroom . In this environment of the house we need to have good light to be comfortable when it comes to shaving, shaving and even cleaning.
What bathroom lighting fixtures to choose
First of all and before going to see what kind of lighting fixtures to buy for your bathroom, keep in mind:
- Budget available
- Personal taste
- Style and decoration of the bathroom
- Dimensions of the bathroom
Nowadays there is a lot to choose from in the market; the alternatives in terms of wall lights and lighting have evolved so much that you get wall panels, recessed lights, vertical or hanging lamps, glass, and those appliqués of different materials, from metal, through wood, iron, glass, to acrylic between other possible.
Illuminates the bathroom and decorates at the same time
You can play with the bathroom decoration and not only provide light with the accessories , but also give a personal style by placing decorative appliques of different designs and colors strategically located.
It is very important that you take into account the space and the meters that the bathroom has, this is because it would not be good to choose for example a ceiling chandelier or a large lamp to place on the ceiling in the central area of the bathroom, if it has dimensions of 2x2mts.
Intelligently select where you will place the lighting fixtures so that when you turn them on, the light will be well distributed or directed to areas where more light is needed.
If you have a bedside table in the bathroom, you may also want to place a table lamp or for example others on the mirror or perhaps near the shower …. There are multiple possibilities.
Finally, bathroom lighting fixtures nowadays it is also possible to choose different types of light bulbs, not only to regulate the intensity of the light , but also to play with different shades and colors; so you can find from white light, to pale yellow or those that simulate natural light, without forgetting that there are also other colors that are not so natural.