Something like this could also work well. https://www.amazon.com/Lighted-Medicine-Cabinet-lighted-commercial/dp/B016TUZWWA

There are some really cool illuminated medicine cabinets out there like the one below, but I'm just to cheap to pay $1500+ for them :P

Paris Mirror Illuminated Medicine Cabinet

I'm willing to sacrifice a bit of medicine cabinet space to have proper task lighting at the vanity :) This is just an ensuite bathroom and I will have plenty of space in the vanity itself. The medicine cabinet will be pretty tall (about 37") for extra space.

In that case, I like the sconce lighting with the smaller vanity. They'll provide better light and I think pendants are a bit weird in bathrooms. Could you make that option only have one door? The split in the middle would bother me while using the mirror.

Thanks!

I was hoping to use an Ikea GODMORGON Medicine Cabinet (23.625" x 5.50" x 37.75") that I already have (which has two doors). I don't think I'd mind the split mirror -- I kind of like the look of it visually. I think I'm leaning towards a smaller cabinet with sconces as well :) Thanks!

We have the Ikea STORJORM and LOVE it, only wish it had a door handle. Smudges easily, but have to clean/wipe anyway. The inner strip lights and mirror lights make up for it.

I voted for F but see you can get a bi/tri-door where all the doors open to the center so you minimize hitting the sconce with the door. Also, if you're not recessing the cabinet, find a sconce with some projection to bring the light to the horizon of the mirror. I'm doing the same thing right now, good luck!

@Janie Gibbs, I really like the look of the STORJORM as well; however, I was scared away from it by reviews saying that the wire on the door (or the lights themselves) fails after 1-3 years :(

@Joe, the GODMORGON cabinet will be surface mounted. I'll have to check, but I don't think that the GODMORGON doors would swing open far enough that they would hit small light sconces styled something like this:

I'm not really sure what you mean by the projection of the lights an the horizon of the mirror?

Thanks!

Since the cabinet is going to be surface mounted and not recessed, try to get a sconce that has some projection from the wall so it sits on the same plane as the front of the cabinet. So basically not too close to the wall but not too far past the "horizon" or front of the cabinet. The picture you posted doesn't appear to be a surface mount cabinet, it looks flush with the wall and the sconces project just beyond it. The sconces may look odd if they appear behind the face of the mirror and it may also affect the light direction. Hope that makes more sense.

See how they have sconces that project from the wall with the surface mount cabinet?

Ah, now I understand! Thanks!

The medicine cabinet is 5.50" deep. Should I aim for a wall sconce the is also 5.50" deep, or should I project out a little further than the surface of the medicine cabinet?

Thanks!

I am going with equal or a little more but I would imagine that it depends on the direction the light is cast as well. Maybe a pro will chime in with a more definitive opinion.

I was thinking something like these, considering that my medicine cabinet is 5.50" deep::

Wade Logan Rickford 2-Light Wall Sconce (4.75" deep)

Latitude Run Glenford 2-Light Wall Sconce (5.00" deep)

@Emily Jowers, this is the best deal on an illunicated cabinet that I could find available to Canada:

Decoraport 24x32 Medicine Cabinet -- $730

I really like the look of them, but they're still pretty pricey and I'm not confident that the LED strips will last a long time. It's definitely safer to have separate wall sconces where the LED bulbs can be easily changed. I think the wall sconces can look nice too :)

Thanks!

I really like the look of the wall sconces. I was only worried about loosing the storage space. If you don't need to storage, then the sconces are a great option. Just make sure they are far enough out, so you don't get shadows, like Joe was saying. I think you should be fine with the ones you posted.

Thanks! I think I should be able to fit a 24" medicine cabinet in the space which allows 10" on each side for wall sconces -- hopefully that's sufficient. I do lose a bit of space compared to having a 40" medicine cabinet, but I think that's OK. If I were to get a lighted 40" medicine cabinet then I'm probably looking at something in the $1500 price range :S

The sconces will be about 5.00" deep and the medicine cabinet is 5.50" deep -- hopefully that's enough projection on the sconces so that shadows aren't created.

Thanks!

I chose option B over all the others, I'm not a guy but if I was to shave on front of a mirrored cabinet I think that a direct light would be what I would like , even if applying makeup or plucking those unwanted facial hair for a better view of ourselves we need proper lighting reflecting on the whole face not partial lights , side lights will not work on my opinion. When we decorate we not only need to think of the décor it self we also need to do what works for our needs .

Downward light is actually the worst for applying makeup because you get shadows. It's much better and more natural-looking when it comes from face level and the sconces should provide plenty of light, not partial light. Just make sure they aren't mounted below face-level.

@Geneviève, from what I have read online, optimal task lighting for a vanity should be placed at the sides (which is why I'm trying to avoid the light over top of the vanity like in Option B). Lighting at the sides apparnetly avoids shadows on your face. Thanks!

I couldn't make up my mind for the poll, but, as you know: more mirrors mean more light, so, for that reason I would say I like the larger medicine cabinets!

Good to know Bryan, I thought differently! I guess that I must update my light fixture now :(

I am in the process of remodeling a bathroom as well. I looked at the LED lighted mirrors (pricey, yes!) and they look awesome from a distance, but I found the light actually blinded me a bit when I got close to the mirror. I prefer sconces on the sides as well.

Put recessed LED lights in the ceiling centered over the bathroom sink. Build a box attached to the ceiling to make that part of the ceiling lower than the rest of the ceiling and to create a space for the recessed LED lights to be centered over the bathroom sink.

That space is too small for hanging pendent lights and you really want your lights to light the space -- not to provide decoration and certainly not to glare directly in your eyes.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! I've decided that I will install an Ikea GODMORGON medicine cabinet (23.625" x 5.50" x 37.75") with wall sconces on the side that project our to 5.00". Thanks!

Hi Janie Gibbs!

May I ask how long you have had your stormjorm?