Bathroom vanity lighting. Explore the vanity lighting ideas available

The bathroom is one of the most used rooms in the house. It's where we shower, have a make-up routine and tidy ourselves up. For all these processes, it is essential to have a well-lit bathroom vanity area, even if you have a window that allows natural light. Walking through furniture stores you will see bathroom sets including vanities with sinks and mirrors and of course, over-vanity lighting. 

It may seem like an easy task - to choose a unit which appearance you would like. You may see a beautiful bathroom vanity design combined with nice lighting ideas and imagine how good it would look in your room. But in fact, this may not be enough. Modern vanity lighting in Canada should illuminate not the mirror itself but the person standing in front of it. According to NKBA  guidance, the light should fall at a certain angle so as not to distort the features of the face when you shave or apply makeup. Additionally, bathroom vanity lighting in Canada should have a certain light colour temperature as well.

In this Cut2Size post, we wanted to share with you some tips on choosing and installing task bathroom lighting. Below, you will see all types of lamps available, and their features in terms of functionality and aesthetics.  Keep reading and you will be able to find your best lighting ideas for bathroom vanities.

Types of vanity lighting fixtures

If you have been to a hardware store to purchase home essentials, may it be a living room accessory or furniture, you probably notice that there are a lot of options to choose from. Sometimes, it is hard to pick when you are presented with many choices. The same goes for choosing the best lighting for the bathroom vanity. There are just a great number of options for vanity lighting for the bathroom. In order to narrow down your choices and pick the right lighting bathroom vanity, you should be familiar with these types and know their features and characteristics. Listed below are the most common vanity lighting fixtures and mirror bathroom vanity lighting ideas.

1. Bathroom vanity lighting over mirror

You can find many lighting ideas over a mirror and there are several unique ways to incorporate vanity lighting in the bathroom. But, perhaps one of the most popular lighting fixtures you’ll see in the vanity is vanity lighting over a mirror. Vanity mirror lighting refers to lighting fixtures that are installed at the top of the mirror. This type of lighting for a vanity mirror serves two purposes: accent lighting and task lighting. The best lighting for a round vanity mirror is sconces or lighting fixtures that are mounted on the wall and usually placed on either side of the round mirror.

1. Pendant lighting for bathroom vanity

A vanity pendant lighting is a type of lighting fixture that is suspended from the ceiling. This type of lighting is commonly used in dining areas, kitchens, and porches. However, there is also pendant lighting above the bathroom vanity. If you have a high ceiling in your bathroom, this type of light fixture will add style and character to the room. To properly style pendant light in your vanity, look for bathroom vanity pendant lighting ideas and take inspiration from other designers. 

1. Double vanity lighting

Most vanities have double sinks and double mirrors installed. For this kind of vanity, double-sink vanity lighting is essential. A bathroom double vanity lighting has a more elegant appeal because of its symmetrical and proportional visual arrangement. Lighting for a double sink vanity requires at least two lights on top of each sink or mirror. For other double vanity lighting ideas, you can opt for stylish wall scones, light bulbs, or even pendant lights. 

1. Recessed vanity lighting

Recessed lighting above the bathroom vanity is the type of lighting that is installed on the ceiling right above the vanity counter or sink. A bathroom lighting above the vanity equally distributes light throughout the space, thus, making the vanity well-lighted. bathroom vanity recessed lighting is best used in minimalist bathrooms with limited space and low ceilings. 

1. Vanity lighting for non-recessed medicine cabinet

If you have a non-recessed medicine cabinet, your recessed lighting placement over the bathroom vanity needs to be configured differently. You might find it a bit challenging to install a lighting fixture over your medicine cabinet or decide what vanity lighting over a non-recessed medicine cabinet you should actually install. The trick is to opt for a bathroom vanity wall lighting that is attached to a lighting track and extended a bit forward to completely light over the mirror of your medicine cabinet.

1. Powder room vanity lighting

Powder rooms are bathrooms and vanity areas in our house that are meant to be used by guests. For this reason, the makeup vanity lighting fixture in the powder room should have a warm white color temperature which is considered suitable lighting for the vanity makeup table. The best vanity lighting for makeup is a light source that equally distributes light in the space and does not cast any unnecessary shadows on the face. Because powder rooms are often used by guests to retouch their makeup and check their appearance in the mirror, you should install the best makeup vanity lighting to make it well-lit and stylish. 

1. Under vanity lighting

Under vanity lighting refers to the type of lighting that is installed under the bathroom countertop or sink. Floating vanities are the types of vanity designs where this type of lighting is incorporated. Under bathroom vanity lighting highlights the furniture and creates visual interest to the floating vanity. LED lighting under the bathroom vanity is the most common type of lighting installed in this area.

1. Off-center vanity lighting solutions

One common problem designers encounter when installing vanity lights in the bathroom is making it off-centred. There are also instances wherein the position of the mirror and the vanity itself are a little bit off the center. To visually fix this, install track lighting over the bathroom vanity. Putting vanity side lighting on either side of the mirror will also help fix the problem. Another solution is adding vertical vanity lighting above the mirror to create an illusion and help visually balance everything.

Bathroom vanity lighting design ideas

Designing the lighting for the bathroom vanity is challenging. There are many things to consider including the desired style, the color temperature, and the vanity lighting fixtures themselves. In order to choose the best lighting for vanity, you need to determine first the type of interior style you want to achieve. Doing this will help you narrow down your choices for the best bathroom vanity lighting. Here are several vanity bathroom lighting ideas to incorporate and style your bathroom vanities with.

1. Contemporary vanity lighting

The most common interior design style for bathroom vanity is the contemporary look. Contemporary interior style is characterized by clean lines and streamlined décor. Wood is a common element that is used as an accent in contemporary houses. For this reason, most people go for wood vanity lighting when styling their contemporary vanities.

2. Modern vanity lighting

Another interior design style that is somewhat similar to contemporary is modern. Modern focuses on functionality and practicality and modern bathroom vanity lighting ideas also embody that principle. For modern bathrooms, LED vanity lighting fixtures are used. Bathroom vanity lighting LED is a practical lighting solution for a modern bathroom and it also has a streamlined aesthetic appearance.

3. Farmhouse-style vanity lighting

Farmhouse bathroom interior style is a trend these days. Whether you are living in the countryside or in an apartment or condo unit in the middle of a busy city, you can achieve the farmhouse vibe by incorporating farmhouse bathroom vanity lighting in your very own bathroom. Farmhouse vanity lighting is characterized by a warm white colour temperature, globe vanity lighting design, and metal cage wall scones. 

4. Industrial vanity lighting

Another interior design style that had homeowners swooning over is the industrial bathroom look. To achieve this look, designers often suggest going for black vanity lighting fixtures and vintage sconces, lamps, track lights, and pendant lights.

5. Rustic bathroom vanity lighting

A rustic bathroom interior design style is a charming interior style that will almost always be on top of the trend. This is commonly seen in modern farmhouse interiors and is characterized by the use of lighting fixtures made of brass or metal, glass pendant lights, and metal-caged lighting fixtures.

6. Small bathroom vanity lighting ideas

The best vanity lighting for small bathrooms is LED strip lights, vertical lighting, track lighting, wall sconces, recessed vanity lights, and flush mount lighting fixtures. A small vanity with lighting that is not too overwhelming will create an illusion of a bigger space. Lighting also affects how a space is perceived which is why it is important to select the light lighting fixtures to use.

Best colour temperature for vanity lighting

In this section, we will talk about the best colour temperature for vanity lighting. There is no rule that says one temperature only should be used throughout the bathroom. It can actually vary depending on the ambiance you want to create. You also need to know how many lumens are for vanity lighting and the right vanity lighting height to achieve the desired effect.