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Best recessed light and vent layout for small bathroom?

last month

Hi. I’m planning lighting for a small bathroom (5ft x 8ft) and I’m not sure what layout would work best. The bathroom will have an ceiling exhaust fan, vanity light bar, and recessed ceiling lights. I’m trying to decide between 2", 4" and 6" ceiling lights.

Which layout makes the most sense:

  • 2x 6" lights total, with 1 over the shower/tub area and 1 slightly off-center, with vent in between
  • 3x 6" lights in a row, with off-center vent
  • 3x 4" lights in a row, with off-center vent
  • 4x 4" lights spaced around the room with vent centered
  • 4x 2" lights spaced around the room with vent centered
  • 4x 2" lights spaced around the room, with 1x 6" light above tub, with vent centered

What would you recommend?



Comments (11)

  • PRO
    last month

    Our suggestion is 2x 6" lights total, with 1 over the shower/tub area and 1 slightly off-center, with vent in between.


    Instead of the bath fan and 6" light off center, make them centered. Bath fan centered on toilet and 6" light centered off vanity.

    Pat thanked CAGE Design Build
  • last month
    last modified: last month

    I'm not a lighting pro, but we installed a ceiling exhaust fan and light that was also a heater. Warm air heated up the bathroom in a few minutes. Love it.

    It provides ambient light but we also have can lights and mirror sconces.

    Also installed an outlet next to the toilet for a plug-in bidet seat that provides warm seat, water, air. Well worth it.

  • last month

    Thank you.

    CAGE Design Build, that was my initial plan but I was worried that it might not provide enough light with curtain being closed (I will install a glass door in the future though). Just want to add that the bath fan vent will have no built in light, since it's an inline fan.


    tracefloyd, I am definitely installing a bidet seat, I have this in my second bathroom and it's one of the best purchases. The exhaust fan is an dual inline so I can't add a light to it. Also, I'm in Florida so I will skip the heater. I will add some accent led light in niches and under vanity too.

  • last month

    I have done:

    2 x 4" in the tub/shower (eliminates the dark corners)

    2 x 4" in the "hallway"

    Fan over toilet

    Wall light over vanity mirror

    4 switches with dimmers


  • last month
    last modified: last month

    "I was worried that it might not provide enough light with curtain being closed."

    Captain Obvious reporting in: A transparent curtain won't block any light. A translucent curtain won't block as much light as an opaque one. And then there's hotel-style (link) with a transparent panel at or near the top of an otherwise opaque curtain.

  • last month

    That recommendation is probably too much fixture in a 5x8 bathroom.

    Understand that a bar vanity light with a shower light is typically functionally adequate for the entire room (regardless of shower curtain opaqueness). You have not specified the vanity light, but:

    • A 4 light bar (as drawn) may provide between 1500-3000 lumens;
    • A 6" recessed fixture provides around 1200 lumens;
    • A 4" recessed fixture provides around 900 lumens;
    • A 2" recessed fixture provides around 600 lumens;
    • In a bathroom, there is no need to "light the floor," your head/shoulder while sitting on the toilet, or top edge of door - ambient light is adequate. The vanity light will provide the appropriate task light for your face and counter.

    Typically I would recommend over a tub (with no soffit, 8' ceiling) either a single 6", or (1) or (2) 4" depending on lumens and finishes, combined with your vanity light. However, based on your planned niche/toekick accent lighting, the assumption is a higher-end aesthetic. So to that degree 2" might match better and add to the drama desired, but the "4-die pattern" method isn't good. They can be in the aisle (for mood) or accent a wall depending the fixture and finishes chosen.

    For a uniform result, the same effort spent on tile selection should be spent on lumenaire selection.


  • PRO
    last month

    I have a wide bath bar with 3 lights all LED 4000K lights the whole room including the shower with a curtain My bathroom same size as yours in fact same layout

  • last month

    Fan light over shower, one recessed light centered in main space (toilet/vanity area) and proper vanity/grooming lighting is great for this size room. Anything more is overkill.

  • last month
    last modified: last month

    Patricia, what is a bath bar? I've only ever seen that term used to refer to soap. And I just did a web search and got a lot of hits for bathtub gin. I'm pretty sure you didn't mean either of those things!

  • PRO
    last month

    Google can only help so far so go bath bar lighting then you will see many choices .

  • last month

    Got it, Patricia, thanks! Learned something new today!

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