I think it is absolutely fine to have only recessed lighting as long as you feel the bathroom is well lit. I have a main bath with only recessed lights and I have never given it another thought.

DJM - Your comment is music to my ears.

Here is the layout. I'm thinking of a triangle one above the shower, one above the sink and one on the left half way between the door and the toilet. It might be overkill for such a small space but I want this space really well lit to reduce fall risks for aging parents.

I have overhead recessed lights in my bathroom and a pair of sconces which I never use. I only use the overhead lights.

I would recommend getting a makeup mirror with lights though as that is pretty critical. You could probably get one that is mounted to the wall at face level and pulls out. If you are renovating your electrician can do a connection to hard wire it.

Some of my overhead lights operate on motion detection which is a feature which I have learned to love. They are required by Code in California so that lights aren't left on but I love not having to turn on a light or remember to turn it off.

have you looked at medicine cabinets with edge lighting as a way to give a little extra illumination?

I do not recommend recessed lighting only. you will have harsh shadows on your face in the mirror. med cabinets with mirrors can help, but are really too dim to cast the flattering light you need on your face.

You said you don't like medicine cabinets with lights, but they do work really well. I had installed a Robern Aio in my son's bathroom and the lights had 3 or 4 settings.

https://www.robern.com/products/medicine-cabinets/aio-lighted-cabinets/30-wide/ac3030d4p2l/

Hi Kendrah. I agree with the placement of the 3 recessed lights. The light over the vanity is the most critical. I don’t have a lit makeup mirror and the lighting has never been a problem for me, although I do have a separate magnified makeup mirror (no light on it). I need the magnification for my aging eyes. lol. You might want to consider having 2 light switches, one for the vanity and the other for the toilet/tub.

Good to think about makeup needs. Is that most of the need for face level lighting at a sink?

Does this change anything? This bathroom is in a guest studio to be used by my parents and friends when they come to town. My mom just wears lipstick and brow pencil and has only overhead in her bathroom at home. Many of my friends wear no make-up, though some do lips and brows, and maybe do more for a special event. I'm quite sure there would be no room to hang a pullout makeup mirror on the side and it might be used only twice a year.

Maybe I could get a $30 ConAir magnifying mirror with lights and keep it in the dresser drawer for those who want to do more makeup. (Or maybe they should go across the hall to my neighbor who is a professional makeup artist!)

Thanks for all of your feedback. I love decorative lighting and think it is the jewelry of a room and the space could look naked without it. But naked may be better than insanely over crowded. A neighbor's designer put rinky dink sconces next to the mirror in her same tiny sized bathroom and it looks completely ridiculous.

Where do your guests sleep? All women need a spot for hair and makeup, and as we age, lighting becomes WAY more important. You have to be better at makeup once u r in ur 40s because your skin just doesn’t cooperate. Can your guests have a small mirror/makeup spot in the bedroom?

My friends and I are 45 - 60 years old. My mom is late 70s. We may let our age show more than most women. Perhaps I should step up my game!

It is a studio apartment with a 16 ft hallway connecting the main room and the bathroom. This hall will be a dressing room. It will have a 41" high dresser, a large mirror above it, plus a full length mirror. The lighting will be a vintage French brass chandelier. Maybe if I put a lamp on the dresser there can be face height light near a mirror? Here's the dresser.

The dresser is just two steps from the bathroom sink. I am going to have outlets installed at the dresser height so a hair dryer or whatever else can be plugged in without scrounging around on the ground with plugs. The walls are plaster so it is no small expense to have the outlets installed but it seems prudent to get some surface space in there for people to get ready and as a toiletries overflow area. I'm thinking of covering the dresser with a glass top so I don't have to worry about damp towels or hot dryers ruining the wood.

Just a thought…I have two of these, in white, in my not as small as yours bathroom and can only use 1 at a time because they are so bright. Also have them on dimmers. Against the white ceiling they all but disappear.

https://www.lampsplus.com/products/quoizel-outskirt-11-inch-wide-brushed-nickel-led-ceiling-light__66m19.html

Yes, both of my bathrooms only have recessed lighting and I love it. No extra dusting and my bathrooms are nice and bright.

I would not place a recessed light directly overhead to light the vanity. You will get harsh shadows. Why not place a wall-mounted light over the medicine cabinet? I replaced recessed lighting in this bathroom with the fixtures seen below. They both hold 2 100-watt bulbs and the light is very flattering.

painted cabinets · More Info

Diana - Are those medicine cabinets recesseed or wall mounted? Also, do you know how high the ceilings are? We may have wall mounted cabinets and in the past when I've had them, it was hard to find lights that protruded far enough away from the wall to reach out and beyond the cabinet. Also, there hasn't been much space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling so the light feels a bit low and sort of in your face.

Why don't you just show the ENTIRE guest suite studio/bath/dressing area in it's entirety? All the walls and the windows and every last inch to scale? Use 1/4 inch to a foot. Get some graph paper and a sturdy tape measure.

You're worrying about "aging", light, falls, drying hair and doing brows and lips? The tub is a bigger issue: ) by far.

As to light above a medicine? There are many that can AUGMENT recessed. In as many finishes

As to storage beyond that over the sink cabinet Add one!!!?

Recessed storage In the wall BEHIND the entry door to the bath. I've done this very successfully for aging independent living apartments-usually VERY poorly thought out in storage

Consider dimmer switches, night light and ceiling vent fan/light in the grand plan :)

Jan, I have another discussion posted addressing tub vs shower. Didnt want to duplicate post here.

Jan, have you seen lights like the one you posted where the bulb part starts to project at 5” away from the wall? Also, what is the difference between a light over a medicine cabinet that shines down on you vs an overhead recessed?

Dimmer switches we are doing throughout and considering night lights on path to bathroom. Cannot add ceiling vent - prewar coop with strict rules and no ability to vent.

the narrow sink area and there is going to be a tub wall added just to the left of it. Imagine an airplaine bathroom...

Why add a space hog wall in a tiny bathroom?

I want this space really well lit to reduce fall risks for aging parents.

With that in mind, then the tub should be replaced with a shower.

As to the lighting question, just do recessed. Recessed is minimal and doesn't invade into the limited space or the perception of the space. Recessed is cheap, doesn't accumulate dust/ lint, design neutral.

But, if you end up wanting one above a wall mount medicine cabinet, then bump out a soffit over top of the medicine cabinet & mount the light on the build out.

Love the point about the minimal look of recessed lights. I think minimal in this space is more important than face shadow.

Here's my post on the insane shower / tub issues in this small bath, and need to add a wall to mount a grab bar at entry of either tub or shower. Feel free to comment there.

https://www.houzz.com/discussions/6327148/can-this-shower-set-up-work