Flattering Light 101: Ideas for Vanity Light Fixtures & More

You don’t need to hire an interior designer to get great lighting for your bathroom and vanity. With a few bathroom vanity light fixture ideas, you can improve both the lighting in your bathroom and the aesthetics of the room. Learn everything you need to know about making flattering light in the rooms that need it most.

 

The Challenges of Bathroom Lighting

While some rooms are relatively easy to light, bathrooms are the opposite. Because they are small rooms full of mirrors and clutter, bathrooms are one of the most difficult rooms to provide lighting for.

When looking for vanity light fixture ideas, you might see something gorgeous. But in reality, the lighting could be completely wrong. Before you choose a fixture, you need to consider how to overcome the challenges of bathroom lighting.

 

Overcome the Darkness

Typically, bathrooms don’t have much natural lighting. They either have no windows, or small windows that have clouded glass. In any case, it’s rare for a bathroom to be brightly lit by the sun.

For this reason, it’s crucial to overcome the darkness. One of the bathroom and vanity light fixture ideas that accomplishes this is to use a simple, glowing light in the center of the room. If you have pale walls, the light will bounce off your walls and brighten the darkest of rooms.

 

Work with a Small Space

The small size of a bathroom or powder room limits your lighting options. If you don’t have the space you think you need for proper lighting, you should consider installing a few sconces.

Although wall sconces tend to be small, they are effective and bright vanity light fixture ideas. Depending on the layout of your room and your choice of sconce, this type of lighting may be all you need to get flattering light.

 

Limit Shadows

If you’re trying to shave or do your make-up, shadows can cause an issue.

One of the vanity light fixture ideas that avoids shadows is to position downlights close to the mirror. The light should shine into the mirror and reflect back onto your face. Instead of placing your lights in the center of the room, place them on the side.

 

Providing Enough Brightness for Make-Up Application

Another challenge that comes with bathroom lighting is the need for lighting that allows you to see high level details. As you do your make-up, you need bright lights that allow you to be precise.

If your main goal is to do flawless make-up, one of the vanity light fixture ideas you could use is to place a dual light fixture above or at the side of your mirrors with fluorescent bulbs. They don’t cast shadows, but they do cast off enough light for make-up application.

For a more flattering appearance, use a warm bulb. But to get more precision, you should opt for a cold white bulb. If you install a dimmable light, then you can adjust the brightness as needed.

 

Hide the Clutter

A cluttered bathroom is difficult to light, as light fixtures only add to the clutter. Fortunately, there are vanity light fixture ideas that don’t need to take up more space to light your room. Instead of using large light fixtures, use a small LED or fluorescent light strip on your mirror.

This limits the clutter and gives you bright light. Additionally, it draws attention to the mirror and away from the clutter.

 

How Can You Tell if Your Lighting is Flattering?

Before anything becomes permanent, you should test your bathroom or vanity light fixture ideas. For one, you should try out your lights in different areas of the room. Look closely at shadows and be certain that your mirror is bright enough.

Another way to determine whether or not your lighting is flattering is to take a selfie. Using your smartphone, take a picture of your face as you stand in the bathroom. Be critical of the lighting in your picture and think about how you can improve things.

Work with Color Cord Company

If you’re looking for bathroom or vanity light fixture ideas, you need variety and the ability to customize your lighting. Here at Color Cord Company, we give you access to the lighting and lighting accessories you need to get flattering light in your bathroom. To get started, check out our selection of products and call us with any questions.