Your bathroom is probably the room you use the most. Many are those who go to the bathroom when starting their morning routine. It is a place where you emerge from the night, where you shower or take a bath, where you put on makeup. So many important gestures that you need to highlight in order to appreciate them even more. Here are 6 mistakes not to make so that your bathroom is optimally lit.
1 – Do not consider the main lighting
In a bathroom as in another room, it is necessary to be able to move easily when the room is dark. Nothing works without light. Every bathroom deserves basic lighting. It helps you orient yourself when you enter the room. If your bathroom is not properly lit, you can easily slip or trip. Good main lighting is necessary to prevent this.
2 – Consider a single and unique lighting
Once your main lighting is in place, it would be wrong to believe that your bathroom lighting is finished. On the contrary, you must consider the different areas in which you pass regularly. The different areas you have marked out may be lit differently. You don’t need the same light depending on whether you’re gently waking up in the shower, lounging in your tub or doing your makeup. Good bathroom lighting is therefore versatile. And a single lamp, even multitasking, can never do everything you need to do. The soloist lamp in the bathroom has only a small scale, you need a whole orchestra to bring nuances: soft hues, others stronger, clear and darker. Your bathroom lighting needs this variety. A set of lights that are both decorative and functional make your bathroom feel warmer.
3 – Do not establish zones in the bathroom
When you are thinking about the layout of your bathroom, whether it is a creation or a renovation, take the time before your work to ask yourself the following questions:
- Where do you need light in your bathroom?
- What are your bathroom habits and how can the lighting optimize them: makeup, hair styling, relaxation, maybe even reading, etc.? ?
- Do you need special bathroom lights to highlight certain areas?
4 – Not placing the right type of light in the right place
Depending on where you place your light sources, your bathroom lighting can be either over the top or a flop. So choose the place of your lights carefully before arranging them. What is often recommended:
- One or more ceiling lights as general lighting – if desired, you can also use recessed lights.
- Wall lamps are a good complement to general lighting and are also suitable as lamps near mirrors.
- Spotlights and spotlights are perfect for putting things in the spotlight, for example decorative objects or works of art.
- Indirect lighting is recommended in addition, for example above the mirror in your bathroom, your vanity unit or your washbasin.
Choose the lights that work best.
5 – Forget that water and electricity do not mix
Do you know the IP protection ratings? The ability of a luminaire to resist water is revealed by its protection class also called IP class. Its value is associated with a number and provides a degree of resistance to water and dust. The rule is: the higher the number, the better the protection against water. Take the example of recessed spotlights that must be installed in your shower or above your bathtub. It is important to ensure that they have the correct IP protection class. The first IP code indicates to what extent a luminaire is protected against the ingress of dust and dirt.
The second number describes the tightness of your new bathroom light. Because we can never say it enough: water and electricity definitely do not mix. Using the hair dryer in the bathtub is definitely not a good idea. It is therefore important that you install lights in the bathroom that are protected from water – especially near the bathtub, shower or sink. Our recommendation: If in doubt, always ask an electrician.
6 – Skip the LEDs
Good bathroom lighting includes not only the right fixtures, but also the right light sources. Although incandescent and halogen bulbs are still popular, LEDs are now at the cutting edge of technology. In terms of power consumption, durability, flexibility and lighting effect, they are truly superior to others. Modern LEDs last at least 20 years! In your bathroom, where less lighting is used than elsewhere, these bulbs can last twice as long! As for the brightness of your room, it does not only depend on your LED but also on the size of your bathroom, the colors of the walls and your personal lighting needs.