Any downward light has the potential to cast shadows -- pendant light or wall-mounted sconces. In the bathroom, your brows and nose can create shadows on the lower part of .your face.

Keys to getting it right -- let's divide the lighting into tasks, and we don't really need to see a floorplan:

General lighting for the bathroom -- This is for walking to the toilet, coming in to get some lotion, putting away clean towels. The recessed lighting of which you spoke will be centered in the room, right? This is your general lighting. Since it'll be behind your head, it will throw big shadows on your face when you stand at the sink, but you don't really care -- you're just walking to the toilet or coming in to get your lotion or putting away clean towels. Specific thoughts:

- This should be your easiest-reach switch, as it's your most-used lighting.

- I assume a 1940s house has small bathrooms, so one central light should be enough. It is a one-room bath, right?

- Since you like pretty fixtures (good for you!), this can be something nicer than a recessed pot light.

- A budget-minded builder would tell you to skip this light, though it won't cost much while you already have the electrician on hand. You could just use the vanity pendants for general lighting, but having a ceiling light is nicer.

Task lighting at the sink -- I'm not sure if you're shaving or applying make-up at the sink, but the pendant lights of which you spoke will give you good, strong light in the right places. Flank your sink with TWO pendant lights right at eye level /head level. A single light could still throw shadows to one side, but two lights will eliminate this problem. You can test this right now with a small lamp: hold it directly above your head, hold it just above your head and to the side, then hold it to the side of your face ... you'll see where the shadows fall. NO to a single pendant above your head ... shadows galore. Put them on dimmers, as their light will be "doubled" in the mirror. And put them on a separate switch because you don't always want /need that strong light at the sink (like in the middle of the night).

Specific lighting in the bathroom:

- In addition to the above most-important lights, you also want a recessed light above /in the shower /tub area. If you're really fighting against shadows, consider two small recessed lights on opposite ends of the shower ... as above, light from two directions will eliminate shadows. This light will probably be combined with a fan ... don't skimp on your fan, and choose a model that'll turn itself off after X minutes.

- Maybe a recessed light above the toilet. As they aged, my grandparents (and now my parents) have all had some ... um, special medical needs at the toilet. Extra light in this area might be useful. Maybe not, but it won't cost you much to put it in, and then you're "future-proof". At the worst, it'll make cleaning easier.

- Consider a soft night light, so you can avoid turning on all these lights in the middle of the night. You could place an outlet near the floor and run a rope light under the edge of the vanity. Or you could place an outlet near the ceiling and hang a string of lights around the ceiling.

- Yes, the type of bulb /amount of light matters, but PLACEMENT of these light fixtures matters most when we're talking about eliminating shadows. Light of any type can only move in straight lines.

- If you have a linen closet in the bathroom, add a recessed light to the front of its ceiling so you'll have good light IN that closet.