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travellife

Bathroom Double Vanity Lighting Dilemna

6 years ago

I have remodeled a double vanity bathroom upstairs, replacing the oversized 8' wide wall mirror with 2 individual mirrors. There is a single electrical box where the 6' long Hollywood style lights were located in the middle of the wall over the previous mirror. The vent pipes from the 2 sinks would interfere with positioning any lights over the new mirrors. I'm trying to keep costs down but at this point it would seem my only choices are:


1) Hire an electrician to install wall sconces on either sides of the mirrors. Estimated cost is 1k for the 4 lights and the installation.


2) Updating the old 6' long Hollywood light with LED bulbs (it takes 12 bulbs) and running it across the top of the 2 mirrors which could look kinda funky.


3) finding a light that would work between the 2 mirrors using the existing electrical box. I found this @ West Elm https://www.westelm.com/products/staggered-glass-sconce-double-w3403/ but would have to paint it a different color in order to work with the copper framed mirrors I'm using, probably black.



Comments (28)

  • 6 years ago

    Could you re-route the electrical to the ceiling and come down with pendants from the ceiling? I don't think a single light using the existing box will give you a good look. That quote for electrical seems very high to me unless you picked very expensive sconces. But sconces would look very nice and provide good quality light.

    travellife thanked flyr4fun
  • PRO
    6 years ago

    I'm confused about your decision to purchase copper framed mirrors with a chrome bathroom? That West Elm light isn't a solution to your lighting. How does this fixture solve your problem?



    Also, those mirrors you selected IMO are way too small for the vanity. Here are the mirrors 25% larger. and they are almost the right size. Seems to me you really require recessed medicine cabinets for this area. See below.


    If you try to get away with using just one electrical box and then attempting to stretch the lighting across both mirrors most fixtures don't go beyond 48", (see below) and it's not much better than the fixture you took down.





    Medicine cabinet








    travellife thanked BeverlyFLADeziner
  • PRO
    6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    just bite the bullet and have the lighting moved over each mirror. I don't think doing the double light sconce is going to be enough light. and it might be too small for that large wall. those doubles are meant to sit over each mirror.

    Or, return those mirrors you have, patch and cover the existing light, and get LED lit mirrors. (in a bigger size than the gold ones)

    these will have to be hardwired behind the mirror, so pick your poison

    or do a double size

    travellife thanked Beth H. :
  • 6 years ago

    Costco usually has the double LED mirror but are out right now.

    https://www.costco.com/Feit-LED-Mirror-24%22-X-32%22.product.100393414.html

    travellife thanked Paul F.
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    Here are some copper sconces - maybe others can suggest the right style for your bathroom. The Haley looks nice. https://mitzi.hvlgroup.com/Products/Category/Wall%20Sconce (under Filter, choose Product Finish and then Copper)

    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago

    Thank you everyone for your suggestions, very helpful information indeed. I'm strongly considering wall sconces since the vent lines create an issue with over-the-mirror lighting. Plus I think sconces will help balance out the wall space. Now I need to decide if the spacing will look alright using 3 sconces or if I need to spring for 4. My wall spacing is:


    14" - mirror - 23-1/2" - mirror - 14"


    I was in San Francisco this weekend in a hotel with one large LED mirror over the bathroom vanity. Elegant solution but I believe my overall cost would be higher since electrical would still need to be rerouted to both mirrors. I see Costco has battery operated LED mirrors, that's interesting.

    marlo199 I really like the Hudson Valley Mitzi line and was one I'd been considering. Do you think the cage on that particular light would create lined shadows?

    I don't mind vibrant colors and mixing a couple of metals. The cabinets are being painted SW Reseda Green which I believe will work well with the very pink tones on the polished copper mirror frames.


  • 6 years ago

    I agree with Beverly--larger mirrors. Then use a sconce on each side and a matching double sconce in the middle. Draw it on graph paper to determine sizing and placement.

    travellife thanked Eileen
  • travellife thanked Dawn Martinez
  • PRO
    6 years ago

    Let's start with the mirrors, they are too small and too short. I think you need to remedy that issue first.

    travellife thanked Barbara Griffith Designs
  • 6 years ago

    travel life, it's true, the Haley will create shadows on the wall. The two others I like are the Carrie and the Ella. They are 7.50" wide with a depth of 8.5" to 9" - might extend too much for your liking. Mitzi has linear styles but the glass is clear and I don't know if you like that effect.


    This is Carrie:



    This is Ella:


    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago

    marlo199 The photos you've posted really help me to visualize if 3 lights will work in the space. I think if using 3 lights they should be wider in structure like you've shown and if I go with 4 lights a narrower sized light could work. What software are you using to create these images?


    The mirrors are 20x30 and yes ideally could stand to be a bit larger. The sinks are 20-3/4" wide Jacuzzi brand that they are centered over. I ordered the mirrors by mail and at this point have no interest in re-boxing or returning them as I do believe they will be fine. This is a guest bathroom and the vibe will be more fun rather than high end. I have other ideas in mind for filling the space above the mirrors.

  • 6 years ago

    I use MS Powerpoint to create the images. I based the sconce image size on your mirror size thinking that they are 24x36 so I updated the images. I think the lights are too large for the mirror size. Something linear with a shorter depth would look better.










    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago

    I see what you mean, that size light would overpower the mirrors. I also like these Mitzi lights. In order shown below they are Via, Clara, Anya and Ava. Perhaps the last 2 would work well with the double version in the middle between the 2 mirrors.






  • 6 years ago

    How much space is available on both sides of the mirrors, in inches?


  • 6 years ago

    Wall spacing in inches is:

    15/side - 20/mirror - 24/middle - 20/mirror - 15.5/side


    The mirrors are from Rejunenation.com. I double checked with them today and the copper which was on major sale when I purchased was only ever available in 20x30. The others finishes are available in 30x42 but I feel that size might have been too large, not to mention the price difference. The mirrors are very different and cool, I like them a lot, think they'll pair well with the Mitzi line.

  • 6 years ago

    Do not get bare bulb sconces, The light is not good for a vanity.

    travellife thanked houssaon
  • 6 years ago

    houssaon Frosted bulbs are OK though correct?

  • 6 years ago

    I agree with houssaon about the bare bulbs. I'm wondering if a frosted bulb for the Haley would work? Could you ask your lighting salesperson? For your curiosity, here are the sconces you like.


    Anya: I saw this in person and I think it's too large.



    Ava: The single version is shorter than the double so you would have to use 3 x doubles.



    Clara:



    Haley:



    Via:






    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    If I go with 3 sconces my light spacing will be similar to this photo except I have return walls on both ends. The middle wall area is wider than the left/right wall areas.



  • 6 years ago

    marlo199 I posted this before you went to the trouble of showing the different Mitzi versions I like in perspective. Thank you so much for doing that.

  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    marlo199 I like the Clara or Via with the bulb in the upright position the best. In your experience are electricians hesitant to provide a written quote? I had an electrician come by who gave me a verbal quote. Couple of days later I asked for a written quote and haven't heard back from him. Maybe he's swamped right now though.


    Still also like the black and copper Haley but pretty sure it will cast line shadows, even with a frosted bulb. I'll try to verify that.

  • 6 years ago

    I normally use an electrical company and they give me a quote over the phone. The electricians I've used also give good feedback on how to space the sconces if you are not sure but they will install however you like. The spacing in the photo above looks good to me. I have two mirrors over a 10ft vanity with 30x42 mirrors. The spacing in the middle in 4 inches less than the sides. What the electrician did was install the end sconces closer to the mirrors so that all three sconces were equally spaced from the mirrors, if that makes sense.


    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago

    By the way, even with a frosted bulb it will still be unfiltered light and over a vanity it's nice to have soft, filtered light.

    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago
    last modified: 6 years ago

    marlo199 That's ideal with the lights equally spaced from the sides of each mirror. Mine will be more like the photo above but I'm sure that will be fine too. You've been a tremendous help with this project.

  • 6 years ago

    We are so used to bright unfiltered lighting with the Hollywood strip lights in our bathrooms that this will be a huge change. Strangely enough my daughter loved the bright lights when she was in her teens and older for getting ready and applying makeup. One of my concerns is not having enough wattage after going from twelve 40 watt bulbs, those really lit up the entire room.

  • 6 years ago

    We installed 3 pot lights and a 60watt pendant over the tub - there's plenty of light even though our sconces are only 40watts.


    travellife thanked marlo199
  • 6 years ago

    That's good to know. I had the electrician include the cost for installing 2 can lights down the center of the room between the vanity and the shower which is on the opposite wall.