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By Hannah Martin and Lori Keong
The right light fixtures can totally shift the mood of any lackluster space. If you’re rethinking your bathroom’s ambiance, we’ve got plenty of bathroom lighting ideas to get you on the right track. From glass pendants to antique sconces, there are a buffet of options to tastefully let some light into your powder room. We spoke to interior design experts as part of our deep dive on bathroom lighting ideas to outline how to select the best accent lighting for around your sink or vanity, and even shared some ways to shop the bathroom light fixtures as seen in the beautiful homes featured in AD. Read on for a comprehensive guide to outfitting your space with luxe bathroom lighting ideas that truly shine.
The type of lighting you choose will come down to a couple different factors. According to Becky Shea, the creative director of New York City’s Becky Shea Design, the most important consideration for lighting design is the geometry of the room. When you’re working with a small bathroom that has lower ceilings versus a cavernous space, she believes that a commanding pendant light might not be the best fit among all your lighting options.
Hema Persad, the principal and founder of Sagrada Studio in Los Angeles, shares that thinking about how much natural light you’re already getting will dictate how much artificial lighting you need to bring to the space. Then there’s the type of ambiance you're aiming to create. Persad notes that a “bright and clinical atmosphere will require a lot of overhead lighting, and if you're looking for a more relaxed vibe, you’ll probably want more eye-level lighting like sconces.”
With so many options for lamp shades, you might need a nudge in the right direction to maintain the bright lighting that illuminates your bathroom without ruining the ambiance in the space. Linette Dai, founder and principal of LA’s Linette Dai Design, notes that shades will make a big difference on the mood that emanates from the light source. A fixture with a metal covering that doesn’t permeate light may not be suitable for a bathroom, she explains, because “it will make the light very directional and harsh,” unlike a linen shade that “[creates] a very soft and diffused light.” On the other hand, she explains that you might want to opt for glass over a fabric lamp shade in a small space that gets damp.
Our design experts agreed that a warmer light is always preferable than a cooler hue in the bathroom. That’s because “anything that mimics natural sunlight is always going to be the most uplifting and flattering,” Persad says.
Dai specifically recommends 3000K lighting, describing it as a warm white, “fail-proof color temperature for bathroom lighting—not so warm that it’s yellow, but also not a cool daylight color.” She explains that this balance is ideal “because you want the vibe to be conducive to restfulness before bed, but also need to be able to see yourself clearly in the morning when you’re getting ready for the day.”
Another bathroom ideas tip is making sure that all the fixtures in your bathroom are the same color temperature, which Dai says will help balance out the contrast in the space and prevent one white light bulb from showing up as yellow while the other looks more blue.
While bathroom vanity lighting is certainly an important consideration, adding lights in more unexpected spaces can give your powder room warmth and character. Persad suggests installing ambient lighting around baseboards and tubs, plus under counters and on shelves. “It gives off a nice warm glow around the entire space and adds dimension,” she says.
With so many options out there, from delicate sconces flanking the bathroom mirror, to large lanterns and chandeliers, to the simple ceiling light flush mount, finding the best lighting for your bath can be a challenge. For those of you in the midst of a bathroom renovation (or just a slight refresh), we’ve compiled some illuminating inspiration from the AD archives and revealed the lighting sources behind each.
In Naomi Watts and Liev Schreiber’s sleek New York apartment, design firm Ashe + Leandro employed a gleaming McCarren Single Tier chandelier in natural brass by Ralph Lauren Home.
In this minimalist bathroom, Sagrada Studio selected elongated LED lighting from Kelly Wearstler. The looks lends a diffused glow to the bathroom vanity area and has the added benefit of being energy-efficient. “Eye- or face-level lighting is often overlooked, but if you’re someone who does most of your getting ready in the bathroom, you want to consider sconces that will directly light your face rather than vanity light which casts shadows under the eyes and chin,” Persad explains.
In a family-friendly Manhattan home, designer Michael S. Smith sourced a stunning steel-and-brass Snake lantern from Paul Marra for the bath.
For a double vanity like this one, consider hanging lights in front of your mirrors for an overall symmetrical effect that dials up the visual interest and plays off the tall bathroom ceilings. “Creating a bit of unexpected tension adds to the drama of a space,” Dai says.
“To make more of a statement in a moody powder room, consider a sculptural fixture that will stand out,” Dai suggests, like this glam sconce that’s comprised of a handcrafted glass globe surrounded by brass petals.
Michael Anastassiades’s pendant Ball lights in black patinated steel add a graphic touch to a powder room in a Cape Cod home designed by Leroy Street Studio.
Even mounting your lighting with unexpected or contrasting materials can lend flair to an otherwise toned-down bathroom. “Bring natural materials into the mix, such as walnut, oak, or metals that work well with the surrounding bathroom design and make any space feel warm and cozy,” Shea suggests.
In this spa-like primary bathroom, Dai’s team set alabaster pendants over wooden slats for a “harmonious organic feel,” then added metal perforated flush mounts on the ceiling for contrast. “Choose a fixture with an alabaster or opaque milky glass shade if you want a beautiful and even glow,” she advises.
If you’re leaning into trends, Sarah Speck, director of product strategy at lighting brand Mitzi, tells us that recently bathroom lighting has gotten a lot more creative and personal; you’re more likely to see sculptural pendants and sconces like those you’d find in a living room rather than the traditional multi-light “bath bars” you might have spotted over a bathroom vanity in the ’90s. In a Shingle Style Hamptons house by Robert A.M. Stern Architects, designer Steven Gambrel sourced the sconces and the Strand polished nickel pendant light (shown) from Jamb Ltd. in London.
“We are also seeing a resurgence of beautiful, smaller diameter flush mounts that can be used to direct light where it’s needed while also enhancing the design of the space,” Speck says. The primary bath in Madeline Stuart’s Santa Barbara retreat is accented with brass Bryant sconces and the Marine flush mount (shown), all from Circa Lighting.
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