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michael_behr69

Bathroom lighting

4 years ago

Looking for input on lighting scheme for our new bathroom - specifically where do I put the recessed lights and how many? Thinking the shower will have 2 lights, one over the toilet, but what about the rest of the space? And how many light switches? Each sink will have wall sconces. Thanks for any guidance!!



Comments (9)

  • 4 years ago



  • 4 years ago

    Are you also going to have a fan somewhere? We just redid our master bath last year and put the fan between the shower and the toilet (they are across from each other, just like yours are). The fan has a light. You can buy them with and without. The fan and its light are on one switch. The two lights for general lighting in the room could be semi-flush fixtures instead of cans if you would find that to be more attractive. We did that in our current bathroom and the bathroom we did in our previous house. I like them better than cans because the light spreads out more. You don't get as much of a spotlight effect. If you did that you could also maybe dispense with the separate lights over the tub and toilet. But that depends on how you prefer to light your space. Since your toilet area isn't enclosed it will benefit from general room lighting.


    We have the vanity lights on one switch, the overhead lights on another. The shower could be on its own switch as well. You don't have to put them all by the door. It's confusing if there are too many switches and you can't remember what goes with what. We also put dimmer switches on all of them.


    What are you going to do with the empty wall next to the tub (where one of the sinks is)?

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you @RL Relocation LLC and @kandrewspa for your input. Surface mounts sound nice - we'll have to explore that. The fan will actually be between the toilet and shower door. No plans for the empty wall - maybe a heated towel rack. I'm open to other ideas

  • 4 years ago

    I'm not sure I agree with RL -- I don't want light behind me in any of the settings where he put it there (vanity, toilet) and I *do* want it in walkways, just like in the kitchen.


    I think I'd do two lights in the walkway from the entry to the closet, one (with fan) between shower and toilet, lined up with the toilet, and then maybe a third between the fan and the entry light. Those all on one switch. Separate switch for the shower (I think one central one would be ok unless you have a rain head), for the bath, and to run the fan. Separate switches by vanities for those sconces and for the closet. (The overhead walkway light will be enough for washing hands, so you only need the sconces when getting ready.)

  • 4 years ago

    Thank you @acm. Is the lighting layout that I have drawn here what you propose? Thanks!


  • 4 years ago

    That is one dark vanity area. above.

    I didnt put one light behind anything so I am not sure I understand @acm

  • 4 years ago

    Yes, that's my thought, Michael.


    @RL, the OP stated that there would be sconces on either side of each vanity mirror. so cans don't need to fill that void. and yes, if you look, for example, at the toilet space, a seated person would have lighting behind them...

  • 4 years ago

    Ok sometimes I'm not doing a to-scale drawing and just giving ideas, I would want the option to have sconces and overhead for full lighting, and or situation depending on the time of day. We are here to give ideas that's all. Best of luck to the op.

  • 4 years ago

    "Thinking the shower will have 2 lights"

    Be very careful where you put the shower lights. I made the installed two recessed lights in the shower before I installed the shower plumbing. I then realized that I'd put one light right over the large shower head and all its light reflected off its top onto the ceiling. I disconnected it but just one light -- connected to a dimmer -- centered over the 30 x 60 shower pan would have been sufficient.

    "one over the toilet"

    Not directly over the toilet, right?