Illumination Made Simple

Bathroom design should address three layers of lighting within the space.

The first is Ambient Lighting which provides general brightness or overall illumination in the bathroom space. This is often achieved with recessed ceiling cans or close-to-the ceiling fixtures. It is typically controlled at the wall panel and is often the switch you might flip on for everyday activities in the space.

Task Lighting can often be found in the vanity area since additional light is generally more focused for tasks like grooming or shaving at the sink. Vertical sconces work well and are frequently located at 60” above the floor or eye level to illuminate the face. If you have a small bathroom space, sconces may be located over the mirror for space savings or newer lighted mirrors that include a strip of LED in the glass surface offer great illumination when paired with general lighting.

The shower lighting is also a task lighting area. This area requires a dedicated wet-rated light source. If you are using clear shower glass, general lighting will also create illumination.

Accent Lighting is considered visually appealing light sources such as an accent strip below the floating vanity or decorative ceiling pendant.