Bathroom make-over: Simple improvements with bathroom lighting

Good lighting is as important as design and decor in a bathroom, so it's a good idea to consider several light sources to maintain the balance between function and ambience when planning your new bathroom or upgrading your existing one.

What you want is good clean light all round with an extra light source for the mirrors and vanity areas. Shiny surfaces also reflect light and will make your bathroom look brighter.

Good bathroom lighting options

When planning to make improvements to your bathroom, give some careful thought to the best lighting options to highlight your bathroom's features. Good bathroom light sources to consider are:

• Having one central light, plus two side lights at the mirror to eliminate shadows
• Fluorescent lights
• Halogen bulbs
• Combination light/fan/heat unit
• Down lights
• Mood lighting

While natural light is best, in its absence fluorescent lights give a good white light but can be a bit harsh on skin tones. The new colour improved fluorescents will lessen this effect, so they are definitely worth consideration, or you can use fluorescent bulbs instead as they are more compact and energy efficient. For a more flattering and accurate light source consider using halogen bulbs. The more ambient the lighting, the better it will look.

Bathroom lighting effects

Down lights, dimmers and mood lighting are all clever ways to create a relaxed or romantic atmosphere in the bathroom or to highlight special features. If your bathroom is large enough to have a spa you may want to install dimmer switches on the light fittings for your spa area. Clever ways with lighting can totally transform your bathroom with very little effort.

On a more practical level, you should definitely consider installing a combination fan/light/heater unit as well. The extractor fan can be wired to the main bathroom light source if you wish and this is often recommended as then both will come on together. Combo units provide a good source of light and have the advantage of warming the room as well as clearing the bathroom of steam.

For more information, visit lighting specialty stores as you can view what's available and discuss your options with people in the know.