Bathroom Lighting Showroom

Archive for the ‘Lighting Needs’ Category

A floor lamp or ceiling light fixture can add the finishing touch that turns a nice room into an elegant room, yet in the world of interior design, lighting is an area frequently overlooked.

Homeowners tend to cut back on the light fixture budget in favor of spending more on other decorative items like throw rugs or furniture. This is due in part to advertising by home furnishings companies. Apparently the light fixture folks prefer a small advertising budget, or they spend the money on other things. Yet it is true that a floor lamp or ceiling fixture can tie the room decor together.

The floor lamp in particular must be both decorative and functional. Just about any type of table lamp will work on an end table or coffee table that supports light objects. The attractiveness of a table lamp is a matter of individual taste. But a floor lamp has a presence. It must be pleasing and blend in with the décor while also being functional and providing enough light for tasks. It must not produce glare or shadows or it interferes with tasks and may produce eye strain or even headaches.

The key to finding a floor lamp that is both attractive and functional is selecting the right shade. Shades with bright cloth patterns may look great in the daytime when the lamp is turned off, but in the evening when the lamp is turned on, the room is bathed in somber, spotty light with bright and dark spots. A floor lamp should have an opaque, light color of shade that mutes the bulb’s light yet provides plenty of illumination for performing tasks.

Coordinating the style of the floor lamp’s shade with other lighting fixtures such as ceiling fixtures and table lamps will result in a sophisticated, harmonious look. You can also coordinate a floor lamp shade with smaller versions of the same shade on a chandelier or other hanging fixture. Matching wall sconce shades add a subtle yet defining touch that will complete the look.

Along with matching the shades, you can coordinate the light fixture bases as well. For example, if your floor lamp has an antique brass base, try to find other lighting fixtures with the same type of base. As another example, if you have a Tiffany-style lamp shade with a nickel base, it will look out of place if poorly matched with fixtures that have copper bases. When it comes to decor, perfection is in the details. Be sure the base and shade of your floor lamp and the other fixtures in the room are coordinated for the best results.

In planning your interior lighting, whether for a new house or the remodeling of your current house, don’t overlook the bathroom.

Too often bathroom lighting is given insufficient thought, while all the other rooms in the house get the attention. Good bathroom lighting requires both ambient and task lighting. Task lighting helps avoid shadows on the face when grooming and illuminates a specific area, while ambient lighting illuminates the entire bathroom area. Today recessed lighting fixtures are very popular and are often recommended, along with a dimmer switch for adjusting ambient lighting. Being able to control bathroom lighting offers you the benefit of versatility. You can lower the lights for a relaxing soak before bed or turn them all the way up to help you start your day.

The three general types of bathroom lighting are general, or overall illumination for the entire bathroom area; task lighting for grooming, reading in the tub, or exercising; and accent lighting for highlighting artwork, plants, or decorative objects.

If you choose bathroom strip lights, place them on either side of the mirror, rather than above the mirror, to improve visibility for grooming activities like shaving and applying makeup. If you go with vanity strips with globe bulbs, choose frosted instead of clear, as this will help minimize shadows. Use light bulbs that emit a natural daylight spectrum in order to enhance skin tone and the appearance of your bathroom decor.

Choosing fluorescent bulbs for the vanity area will result in energy savings, long life, and good color. A pair of decorative wall sconces flanking the mirror will look attractive. In the morning, dimming all incandescent and halogen lights will help your eyes adapt from the dark to the light. Bathroom lighting should consist of a mixture of task lights for illuminating specific areas and supplementary lighting for general background illumination.

A good designer creates lighting zones that can be operated independently to create different moods. Working areas such as the sink countertop should have high wattage, independent task lights to illuminate a specific area without creating shadows.

For low-level background lighting, recessed strip lights with a ceiling light on a dimmer switch can be used to create the right ambiance. You can have both elegance and functionality in bathroom lighting.

If your bathroom is dark and gloomy, a new bathroom lighting fixture can brighten it right up.

Having good lighting throughout your entire home is important, but it’s especially important in the bathroom. Inadequate lighting in any room can be a safety hazard, but low visibility in the bathroom can be dangerous when you’re reaching for a razor, selecting a medicine from the medicine cabinet, walking across a slick floor with wet feet, or plugging in the dryer. You might not see the bar of soap on the floor or the puddle of water by the electric outlet. The majority of accidents involving injuries occur at home in either the bathroom or kitchen.

On the other hand, too many bright lights in your bathroom can make the room seem harsh and uninviting. You want just the right amount and quality of light for comfort, ease in grooming, and safety. Fortunately, all you may need to add to your bathroom for perfect lighting is a new fixture.

You can choose from among a wide range of styles and materials. Styles include modern, Craftsman, Tiffany, and classic, among many others. While it may be difficult to make a decision because of the many choices available, you can narrow your choices down by limiting them to a style that goes with your present bathroom décor. Regardless of the lighting style you choose, be sure that it will adequately illuminate the bathroom area.

For practicality, you can also choose a bathroom light fixture that will be easy to clean and not make bathroom maintenance a bigger chore. Yet another tip on finding the perfect bathroom light fixture is price. Many people put off shopping for a new lighting fixture because they can be expensive. However, many light fixtures are available on sale and at discount prices. If you shop around, you are sure to find the perfect light fixture at a price that you can afford.

If you are replacing inadequate light fixtures with new fixtures, installation may be easy. If, however, you are installing a bathroom light fixture in a new location, unless you are an experienced electrician, you will want to hire a professional to do the job. Proper wiring is important as well as sufficient knowledge for safety. When brightening up your bathroom, you’ll want to consider installation along with discount light fixtures and cost, style, and bathroom maintenance.

It may be easy to overlook the importance of bathroom vanity lights, yet they are essential when natural light is not available, such as at night and in bathrooms without windows.

Overall general lighting is also important in developing the personality and décor of your bathroom. Since the day typically begins and ends with a trip to the bathroom, good lighting helps us start and end the day more comfortably. Your bathroom should contribute to your feeling of relaxation and well-being. It should be easy to see when you’re grooming yourself for the day.

Many bathroom vanities have only one light above the mirror, while others have two or more, or a row of recessed ceiling lights. Other vanities are side-lit by bulbs in a sconce on each side of the mirror or medicine cabinet. Some bathrooms have a ceiling light in addition to vanity lights. The number of lights often depends on the size of the vanity mirror and the bathroom. Regardless, the important thing is to make sure your bathroom mirror is evenly illuminated. It should be free of shadows for ease in applying makeup, shaving, styling your hair, and other grooming activities. If your bathroom has two vanities, they should both have the same style and setup of lighting.

It’s important to have both ambient and task lighting in the bathroom. Ambient lighting refers to the overall lighting for the entire bathroom. This general lighting allows you to see and move around safely in the bathroom. Task lighting is lighting that is focused on a specific area for a specific activity.

Ambient lighting includes chandeliers, surface-mounted bathroom vanity lights, wall sconces, and recessed fixtures. Ambient lighting should be controlled by dimmers to allow you to change the intensity of the light. You might want to turn down the light for a relaxing soak in the tub, for example. Ambient lighting directs the most illumination towards the floor, but it produces more glare than other types of bathroom lighting.

Task lighting, not intended to light the entire room, consists of specific fixtures that direct a beam of light to a particular area. You might have a light for reading in the tub, putting on makeup, shaving, exercising on the treadmill, or putting in your contact lenses. A task light is turned on only when you need it. Wall sconces on both sides of the mirror often serve as vanity task lights, allowing you the benefit of lighting coming from both sides.

Accent lighting fixtures are used to help create a visual effect and atmosphere in the bathroom. They may highlight selected details of the room, such as a basket of fragrant soaps or silk flowers, for a decorative touch. Track lighting is good for spotlighting decorative objects or enhancing a relaxing environment to add to your enjoyment when soaking in the tub.

Decorative lighting fixtures draw attention to themselves and are used to create an effect. Chandeliers, low voltage pendant fixtures, a fireplace, and candles, both electric and traditional, are common examples of decorative lighting.

You have many different options in types of lighting styles and fixtures for your bathroom vanity, but when it comes to light bulbs, always choose those that provide light in the natural spectrum. Bulbs that emit mostly yellow or white light won’t show you how you will appear in natural light, which makes applying makeup properly more difficult.

A luxurious soak in the tub is a great way to begin or end the day. The lighting in your bathroom should enhance your enjoyment by providing you with a warm, cozy feeling. Then, when you need to see well while grooming or shaving, your vanity bathroom lights should make your task easy.

If you feel unsure of how to proceed, you might consult with a lighting designer. A specialist can assist you in creating the best lighting for your home. You should also read and learn as much as you can about bathroom vanity lighting and overall lighting in your home. With good planning, design, and implementation, you will be able to have the kind of lighting and effects you want in your entire home as well as your bathroom.

Light is so much a part of our lives we tend to take it for granted and not realize the influence it has on us.

The right lighting can have a tremendously positive impact on a home, making even a simple setting look palatial or elegant.

Light certainly affects how we perceive color. Have you ever bought an outfit that you thought was the perfect color until you brought it outside in the sunlight? Different types of light bulbs have different spectrums. The lighting spectrum in some stores is very different from natural light. In a home, the color of furniture changes with the amount and type of light in a room. Too much light can make bright colors look washed out, while too little light can make things appear darker than they are. We can use light fixtures to achieve the effect we want in a room. We can choose the spectrum, intensity, and type of lighting at the touch of a switch.

The Effects of Light on Emotions

Light can induce or enhance specific emotions and feelings in humans. A sunny day can enhance feelings of optimism and cheerfulness, while a gloomy room can inspire feelings of sadness or despair. Getting the light just right is an essential ingredient in setting a romantic scene; we dim the lights for intimacy and light a candle to create a private circle of warmth. While dimming the lights can promote relaxation and meditation, it can also make you feel lethargic when you want to feel energetic and do a task. It’s important to be able to control the light in your environment so that you can use it to serve your purposes.

Imagine that you are sitting in a room with inadequate lighting. Before long, you may begin to feel confined, sad, or sleepy. Now imagine that you are sitting in a room that is brightly lit with attractive lighting fixtures. You might note how this enhances positive feelings such as happiness and enthusiasm.

Light not only enables us to see the objects around us, but affects our perception of them as well. For example, a dim room looks visually smaller than a brightly lit room of the same size. Our perception of space is affected by the light in that space. If the lighting in a room makes the space look narrow, it could cause a person to have unpleasant memories, such as being stuck in an elevator, or general feelings of claustrophobia. Good lighting is likely to call up pleasant memories.

Home Décor and Lighting Fixtures

We all think of our homes as our private getaways, and we like to decorate them to reflect our personalities. Furnishings alone don’t allow us to create the effect we’re after. In addition, furniture and decorative objects can be a very expensive way of achieving this goal. Lighting fixtures, on the other hand, take up little space and are relatively inexpensive. You can use them to enhance the atmosphere you want your home to have. You can use accent lighting to highlight artwork and other features or items. You can use ambient lighting to create an overall mood. An elegant chandelier with electric candle lights can instantly give a room a Victorian flavor, while spotlighting conveys a modern look. Whether you prefer a classic, period, or modern style, you can find the right type of lighting to add the finishing touch.

Using task lighting to help illuminate your bathroom mirror when shaving or applying makeup is vital.

Central room lighting is usually not bright or focused enough to illuminate a task you are trying to accomplish. In addition, you often have to deal with shadows, either your own or something between you and the source of the light, which adds to the difficulty. While you can try to solve this problem by putting a higher wattage bulb in the central fixture and increasing the brightness of the general lighting, this still won’t eliminate shadows. In addition, this may create a new problem: too much light can be harsh and oppressive when you don’t need it to perform a task. The solution to the problem is to install task lighting.

Task lighting is commonly found in kitchens. For example, under cabinet lights installed behind a facia panel provide direct lighting for work surfaces. This eliminates the formation of shadows falling on food preparation surfaces and greatly reduces the risk of accidents while using kitchen implements. You can purchase under cabinet lighting at local home improvement stores or online.

Another example of task lighting is a clip-on spotlight you can move to any room in the house where you need it. Moveable task lighting can be extremely handy. You might use it to read in bed without waking up your partner, work on a drawing or craft project, or fix an appliance. An angle-poise lamp is more stationary, but it can be positioned differently depending on the requirements of the particular task you are doing. A floor lamp is usually permanently positioned and provides backlighting in addition to task lighting to complement the primary source of light in a room.

Many manufacturers offer fixtures for bathroom task lighting. One type of fixture is installed above the bathroom mirror and includes a shaver socket. These fixtures should only be installed by a qualified person; water and electricity do not mix. In addition, there are many regulations governing the installation of light fixtures in bathrooms.

Task lighting is also advantageous in the bedroom. A couple can each have an individual task light, allowing one to read while the other sleeps. A room that contains a display of information, such as how to operate equipment, will benefit from task lighting. Low voltage track lighting or a small light turned upwards to highlight a painting or decorative object will have a dramatic effect on atmosphere. The eye of an onlooker will naturally be drawn to the item or items on display.

Two easy ways of installing task lighting in a room that only has a central lighting fixture is to change the fixture to a three-way spotlight or to install a track light with a central feed. This can be done inexpensively. Many companies offer central task lighting fixtures. Again, any electrical work should always be done by a competent person. An incorrectly installed light is more dangerous than poor lighting.

Whether you spend a lot of time in the bathroom or only a little, the bathroom is a vital part of your day.

When you’re there, you need the bathroom to serve its function of helping you groom for the day. The bathroom is a private, special place where you can attend to your personal appearance. For that, good lighting is essential. When you get up in the morning, effective bathroom lighting can set a positive tone for the rest of the day.

You might spend a lot of money renovating the bathroom, but it will be the lighting fixtures that will add the finishing touch and make the bathroom a pleasure to use. Be sure to give sufficient attention to lighting from the start. Proper lighting will highlight your remodeling efforts, while inadequate lighting will detract from them. Too often bathroom lighting is inadequate. You don’t have to buy expensive bathroom lighting fixtures to solve the problem, but you do need to buy the right fixtures. You can be creative and buy distinctive yet tasteful fixtures that go with the rest of your decor.

A bathroom does not have to be viewed as merely functional and therefore less important to consider in design. Functional does not have to mean boring. Instead, the bathroom can be viewed as a private retreat, a place to relax and get oneself together before or after a hectic day. It can be a place of sensual enjoyment as well, where you can enjoy quiet moments. It can be an esthetically pleasing, beautiful environment.

Bathroom light fixtures come in many different kinds of materials and designs, from contemporary to traditional. Chrome coordinates well with mirrors and ceramic, brass adds elegance, and glass is charming with anything. For the best facial lighting, install a fixture of your choice on each side of the mirror at eye level. This is the most effective height.

Vanity task lighting should be bright and natural. Choose light bulbs as close to the spectrum of sunlight as possible. If glare is a problem, choose frosted bulbs. The purpose of vanity lighting is to help you perform grooming tasks like applying makeup, shaving, fixing your hair, and brushing your teeth. You need clear, bright light to see well when performing these tasks.