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Recommendations
Bathroom

Bathroom lighting ideas and recommendations

Before moving on to specific practical recommendations, let's talk about the types of lighting fixtures and how they are used to illuminate bathrooms.

The most common for bathrooms, showers, washrooms is wall and ceiling lighting. Wall lamps, sconces are used in the area of ​​hygiene / cosmetic procedures - above or on the sides of the mirror.

Ceiling lighting is created using ceiling or recessed lighting fixtures. Less commonly used spots, suspended models. The purpose of these light sources is to provide general illumination that can be sufficient for the entire bathroom area.

When choosing lighting fixtures, buyers should consider the brightness of the lighting, the type of bulbs, and the shade of the light.

If we are talking about lighting a bathroom, then in the first place in terms of importance should come out not the design of the lamp, nor its cost or brightness, but safety. After all, a bathroom is a room with a high level of humidity, which means that there is always a certain risk associated with electric current.

Therefore, recommendations for the selection of lamps for the bathroom / shower should start with a discussion of safety issues.

Safety

To prevent moisture from forming a deadly duet with electric shock, manufacturers offer models with increased protection against moisture and dust. Finding out if the lamp you like has such protection is quite simple. It is necessary to carefully study the box and / or the operating instructions for the lighting device - there the protection is indicated by the numbers "IP", and the degree of protection is indicated by a digital code.

  •  The IP 44 code indicates that this lighting appliance is protected against accidental splashing water in the bathroom.
  •  IP 55 code guarantees that the lighting will remain serviceable, safe, not only after splashing, but even if a stream of water hits it directly. Outdoor lighting devices can boast of such a code.
  •  It should be noted that protection against water is spelled out by the second digit of the "IP" code. And its highest value is "8". But IP 55 (protection against direct jets of water) is the optimal level for domestic use, since the rest of the values ​​apply to devices in contact with sea water, as well as with the possibility of immersion.
  •  If the documentation does not contain such information about the safety level, then the device is not protected.
  •  Installation of luminaire on walls, ceiling or floors in the bathroom requires a lot of time and skills, so it is worth contacting specialists who can also worry about safety.
Where to install?

Luminaires with IP 44 code (splash protection) are perfect for a bathroom, shower room, toilet as the main light or lighting for the cosmetic area. And models with an IP 55 code (protection against direct water jet) - are great for areas where water procedures are accepted (for example, over a shower or bath).

However, remember that even devices with a maximum "IP" value are not recommended to be installed at a distance closer than 50 centimeters from the source (tap, shower head). This will give an additional guarantee of the safety of the lighting fixture.

By the way, the “IP” code also indicates that special coatings were used in the manufacture of this model. Thus, high humidity will not affect the coating and paint on the protected luminaire, even after a long stay in such a room.

Brightness

Surprisingly, the second most important factor in choosing a bathroom lighting fixture is again not design. The second most important factor is the brightness of the model. After all, it is the item which will allow you to take water procedures with comfort and will allow to use the functionality of the cosmetic zone.

Bathrooms need a high level of brightness. Any light bulb can provide it, but each of them will need a different wattage. So, lighting of 1 square meter of the room will require 20 watts of an incandescent lamp.

A halogen lamp with the same area will cope more economically - it only needs 13 watts. And an energy-saving light bulb is even less - 4 watts. It will most economically illuminate a room of 8 square meters. And a light bulb with LEDs is spending even less (about 2.5 to 3.5 watts).

If you plan to use several built-in models, then the total capacity can be divided by their wattage number. For example, dividing 160 by 4, we get 40. This means that the bathroom lighting is 8 square meters. can be carried out using 4 built-in sources with a power of 40 watts each.

Choosing a bathroom lighting style

The vast majority of interior styles can be divided into four main categories - traditional, modern, contemporary, ethnic. This division is quite suitable for determining the design of lighting fixtures. Including lighting for the bathroom.

The main rule for choosing a luminaire design is its stylistic correspondence to the general concept of the room. Therefore, for a bathroom made, for example, in a classic style, it is necessary to look for a lamp with complex ornate lines, luxurious shapes, and rich decor.

Of course, there are styles (for example, eclecticism) that imply a dense mixture of elements characteristic of different eras and traditions. However, such styles are not at all a chaotic heap, but on the contrary, they require a thoughtful, careful selection of every detail. That will create a lot of imagination to create a bathroom with an eclectic style, choose a lamp or a sconce for it.

  •  Classic. Traditional styles are hidden under the word "classic". Their list is quite impressive. All of them were created in different periods of the history of European states. The styles of this category are characterized by a sense of aristocracy. If their forms are magnificent, then up to luxury, if they are simple, they still have noble features. Lamps of such styles are easy to imagine in a palace or castle, their silhouettes look harmoniously inside any room. If we talk about the bathroom, then they will add palace splendor, elitism, high cost to it. In order for a traditional-style lamp to look good inside a bathroom, the room must be spacious, high, without cluttering objects. This includes:
    • Baroque;
    • Rococo;
    • Empire style;
    • Classicism;
    • Romanesque;
    • Victorian;
    • Venetian;
  •  Modern styles are often called "hi-tech", which is not entirely true, since hi-tech is just one of many. Along with it, you can find other styles attactive:
    • Bauhaus;
    • Futurism;
    • Minimalism;
    • Avant-garde;
    • Grunge;
    • Loft;
    • Techno;
    • Pop art;
  •  Ethnic style bathroom lighting is not a frequent visitor to catalogs. The reason lies in the fact that ethnics are characterized by the use of natural materials. First of all, wood. And the bathroom is far from the ideal place for natural wood. Even repeatedly treated with special waterproof varnishes, all kinds of compounds. Therefore, if you come across a bathroom lamp made of wood, we recommend that you immediately pay attention to its cost - well-processed wood of a suitable moisture-resistant species is not cheap, so the model itself will be more expensive than any similar samples. If traditional styles are tied to Europe, then ethnic ones were created on different continents, in different historical eras. Therefore, they carry the features of the cultures of different peoples. Please see below some of the examples of ethnic bathroom lighting:
    • Arab;
    • Bungalow;
    • Egyptian;
    • Moroccan;
    • Japanese and Chinese (oriental);
    • Mediterranean;
The quality of light

There is another important point that should certainly be discussed when talk about lighting in the bathroom. This is the quality of the light of each type of light bulb. When purchasing a lamp for a bathroom, not every buyer pays attention to the type of light bulbs. However, in this case, this factor plays a significant role.

  •  Currently, the popularity was gained by:
    • Incandescent lamp - characterized by light of a strong warm shade. It is undesirable for cosmetic needs as it distorts the color of the skin, foundation, lipstick;
    • Halogen lamp - lighting is closer to natural sunlight, but might be pricey to purchase;
    • Energy saving (compact fluorescent) lamp - bright, economical light, but it does have a cool tint, which can make the skin color appear bluish, unnatural;
    • LED lamp - lighting is closer to natural sunlight, but might be pricey to purchase;
Additional tips
  • Dimensions
    The choice of lighting fixture for the most of the rooms is limited by strict rules concerning even the size of the product. In the case of the bathroom, these rules remain unclaimed, since manufacturers deliberately do not offer excessively large or high models. So choose the dimensions according to your own taste!