Bathroom Lighting challenge

12 years ago

Currently, my bathroom has really bad drop ceiling fluorescent lighting. Not only is it ugly, it only partly works, and getting rid of those awful 4 ft bulbs after they burn out in a green fashion has proven to be very frustrating. I'm looking for ideas of how to replace this lighting in a practical but functional way. The tiling on the wall only goes up to the soffit and the ceiling is cement slab, so I'm not sure how realistic the idea of tearing it out all together and installing other over head lighting is. My only thought so far is to close off the soffit with drywall and instal can lights, but I don't think only having down lights in the bathroom is the best. Please help!!

Featured Answer

Pamela (retired) DeCuir

12 years ago

I'm thinking that the person who designed this never had to apply make-up :-) It appears that the soffit may also be housing your heating/a.c. vents. This will make it more difficult to remove as you will also be coming up against re-routing them.

I'm guessing that this is a condo (because of the ceiling description) so it's going to be a little more tricky. I'd remove the existing lighting, sheetrock, and install recessed lights over each mirror. Definitely not decorative, but they will give you much needed/necessary light. This won't be a DIY project, you'll need to hire an electrician.

Good luck!

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Comments (15)

PRO
LBC Lighting
12 years ago
Consider closing up the soffit and dropping a pair of pendants to bring the illumination to face level.
lynellingram thanked LBC Lighting
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lynellingram
Original Author
12 years ago
It is indeed a condo with the vent going through the soffit. Maybe closing it up with a combo of recessed lights and pendants would work, thanks so much for the ideas!
PRO
Avery Construction Design Consulting, Inc.
12 years ago
It looks like there is a duct or exhaust fan on the far right side that may be a factor in removing it, but that is by far the best result. To keep it simple you can fill in the bottom. You will need to have recessed lights here as well as recessed lights in the high ceiling above in order to make up for the light that you are loosing by eliminating the fluorescents. You could also add sconce lighting to the walls above the mirrors to be more decorative. Keep in mind that this will reduce the height of the mirror. Check out my website gallery for ideas at www.AveryHomeRemodeling.com
PRO
Lights Online
12 years ago
Oh my goodness, this is the opposite of what bathroom lighting should be! No wonder you want to improve it!
Using pendants or wall sconces to flank the mirror and create a nice wash of light will make a world of difference the first time you flip the switch. That method can be done alone or in addition to using vanity light strips above each of your mirrors.
User
12 years ago
If there is a duct in the soffit, a recessed light will not fit. Most places have codes prohibiting pendants that close to the shower, glass door or not. Can't very well put recessed in a concrete ceiling either. Replacing this with recessed would give you LESS light that is more spotty. Even two over each mirror would be less consistent light than you have now. Changing the tube temperature color and the diffusers will give you better results. Your only other real option here is to add wall sconces. This can also be a real problem if this is a fire wall. Is this wall common to your neighbour's unit?
lynellingram
Original Author
12 years ago
Fred S, that is a shared wall. The graphic you attached is interesting because that means that most likely the lighting that is currently there is not to code. Right now, the shower head nearly bumps against the soffit, though the fluorescent fixture above the shower doesn't seem to work. (Burns out bulbs in days.) The length of the bathroom is a little over 12 feet, so there are 3 4" bulb fixtures behind the soffit lined up end to end.
lynellingram
Original Author
12 years ago
4 foot, not four inches. Oops.
User
12 years ago
That code only applies to hanging fixtures, not sconces or the fluorescent you have. I would hate to take a guess at why that one next to the shower doesn't work, too many possibilities, but it should. You will need to get a clear understanding of what you can put holes in from the building department before you can figure out the best options. Many things are possible, but some of them are like opening up a big can of worms in a condo situation like this. How much money do you want to spend on this?
User
12 years ago
The fluorescent over the shower would fall under the code that says it needs to be listed for damp or wet locations.
User
12 years ago
Never mind, it doesn't look like the fluorescent actually goes past the shower door. So, no code problem.
lynellingram
Original Author
12 years ago
The fluorescent does span across the shower. I was hoping to keep this a budget fix. It seems the previous owners had just recently installed all of the tile and such so I'd hate to tear it up. Unfortunately, they left the lights, which I think are original, when they did the update.
User
12 years ago
The second picture must be deceiving. It looks like the light stops just before the shower door. It doesn't have to end up costly, just find out what the requirements are for making holes in the wall before trying to decide which way to go. If the building has a certain classification and building method, the tile could be cut into fairly easy to put in sconces. The wrong building classification and construction methods could require very expensive fixes. When we know what is or isn't cost effective, I can design a lighting scheme with the proper light output.
lynellingram
Original Author
12 years ago
Ha, it's that the last 4' bulb is out that makes it look like the light stops. Thanks for the advice, I will start by contacting my HOA to see what is allowed.
User
12 years ago
Oh! Usually, the diffuser plastic is 4' long, so that faked me out too. Depending on the mood of the inspector, that last fluorescent needs to be listed for damp locations, but it may already be. Maybe you could get rid of the plastic and fluorescents and put some outdoor led strip on the back side of the lip for starters. I doubt that will be enough, though, and getting something the right color (around 3000K) is still a bit pricey. It may be cheaper than cutting into that wall.