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When it comes to bathroom recessed lighting placement, there are a few things you need to take into account before starting your layout. What is the best positions for recessed lights in a bathroom? What size recessed lights should I use in my bathroom? How far apart should I place my bathroom recessed lighting? These are all important questions that will determine the look and feel of your bathroom.
Read on for some tips and ideas!
Table of Contents
Where should I place my bathroom recessed lighting? When it comes to bathroom recessed lighting, the most important thing to consider is the function of the room. Bathrooms can be used for a variety of purposes – from getting ready in the morning to taking a relaxing bath at night – so you will want to make sure your recessed lights are placed in the right locations to achieve the desired effect.
There are three main types of lighting you will want to use in your bathroom: ambient light, task light, and accent light.
Ambient light is used to illuminate the entire room and can be achieved with a combination of recessed lights and other fixtures such as sconces or chandeliers.
Task lighting is necessary for tasks such as shaving or applying makeup, and can be provided by recessed lights placed over the bathroom vanity.
Accent lighting is used to create a certain mood or atmosphere in the room, and can be achieved by wall washing with recessed lights or highlighting architectural features.
Knowing How Far Apart Do You Put LED Downlights with the aid of a downlight spacing calculator will help you with how far apart should I place my bathroom recessed lighting. The spacing of your bathroom recessed lighting will depend on the size of the room and the type of light you are using.
There is not exact rule to follow but be led first by where you want the light to be delivered and then see if there are any areas left unlit. If you are using recessed lights for ambient light, you will want to spacing them further apart than if you were using them for task lighting.
A general rule of thumb is to space recessed lights four feet apart for ambient lighting and two feet apart for task lighting.
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The size of your bathroom recessed lights will also depend on the size of the room and the type of light you are using. For example, if you are using recessed lights for accent lighting, you will want to use smaller lights than if you are using them for ambient lighting.
However, it’s more likely that you will choose the same recessed bathroom light throughout the bathroom rather than opt for differing sizes in the ceiling. When it comes to bathroom recessed lighting, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
If you are using recessed lights for task lighting, one of the best places to place them is over the bathroom vanity. This will provide direct light on the area where you are working and help you see what you are doing.
Read More: Choosing Your Perfect Bathroom Vanity Light
It’s very important not to rely upon light directly downwards from the ceiling over a sink and vanity area, as the light casts shadowing under the eyes and nose unless counterbalanced from other light sources coming into your face. This is why the best recessed lighting for bathroom is combined with wall lighting.
Another great spot for task lighting is over the shower. This will allow you to see what you are doing while you are showering and create a wonderful source of reflected light that spills out into the bathroom.
Read More: Choosing the Perfect Shower Light
If you are looking for ambient light, one of the best places to put your recessed lights is over the bath. This will create a relaxing atmosphere in the room and allow you to bathe in soft light.
Be sure to use fixtures that are rated for damp or wet locations if they will be placed over the bathtub.
Another great place for a recessed light over a toilet as it creates an ambient light that is useful so you can see what you are doing as well as create a soft, relaxing light in the room as the white toilet bowl reflects light back into the room making it feel more inviting.
When it comes to bathroom recessed lighting, one of the most popular uses is for wall washing. This involves using a light that is designed to wash the walls with light, creating an effect that can be quite stunning.
Wall washing is a great way to add interest and drama to your bathroom and can be used to highlight architectural features or to create a sense of depth.
One of the great things about bathroom recessed lighting is that it can be used to create a focal point in the room. This is done by using an accent light to highlight a specific area.
This could be anything from a beautiful piece of art to a stunning view out of the window. By using wall washing and accent lights, you can create a bathroom that is truly unique and one that you will enjoy spending time in.
When it comes to bathroom recessed lighting, there are a few different layout options that you can choose from which of course should be tailored to your own requirements.
One of the most common layouts is to have one light in the center of the room. This light will provide ambient light and act as a focal point for the space, as long as it is a larger styled recessed light and backed up with other lighting sources in the room.
Another option is to create a grid pattern with the recessed lights. This is a great way to evenly light the space and make sure that there are no dark corners. This is the usual approach for a smaller bathroom as each fixture provides enough light to overlap each other and completely cover the floor plan.
If you are using recessed lights for task lighting, you may want to consider a linear layout. This means that the lights will be placed in a line above the bathroom vanity or shower and not necessarily in line with the other positionings in the room. This creates a definitive pool of light over the vanity becoming the brightest and naturally the most focal part of the room, which is already usually is with a mirror located central to the vanity unit.
Read more: How Far Apart Do You Put LED Downlights
Finally, you can also create a random pattern with the recessed lights. This is a great way to add visual interest to the space and be led by placing each fixture where it is needed first and then see if there are any spaces that need filling in with light.
Design Tip: Place one over the toilet, one or two over the sink and vanity area, one or two over the bathtub, one over the shower and then see what is left.
Position the fixtures close to the wall, approximately 12 inches away and about 20 inches apart to create a more uniform wash of light down a wall. This is useful in a bathroom to reflect lots of light back into the room.
The closer the light source is to a wall the more intense the light will be so try and keep them about 20 inches offset from the walls.
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When it comes to bathroom recessed lighting, there are some regulations that you need to be aware of.
First of all, all bathroom recessed lights must be IP44 rated or higher. This means that they are suitable for use in damp or wet conditions. IP65 is for over showers or baths with a risk of direct jets of water.
Secondly, the bathroom zone regulations state that any light fittings placed within 0.60m of a bath or shower need to be low voltage (max 12 volts) or double insulated.
Thirdly, it is important to consider the color temperature of the light. This is measured in degrees Kelvin and will determine the warmth or coolness of the light.
Most people prefer bathroom lights with a lower color temperature as they feel more relaxing and calming. Bathroom recessed lights should have a color temperature of 2700K-3000K because bathroom lighting needs to be soft and relaxing as opposed to harsh and bright found in 4000K or above.
Fourthly, the bathroom recessed lights should have a high color rendering index (CRI). This means that the light will accurately show the colors of objects and surfaces in the room.
The minimum standard of acceptable CRI is 80 Ra but higher quality products now are 90 Ra and above. Buy as best as you can, particularly for over the vanity and mirror area to ensure the optimal representation of your skin tones.
Finally, bathroom recessed lights should be bright enough to light up the space without being too harsh. A good rule of thumb is to use enough lighting to create 50 lumens per square foot.
Bathroom recessed light should be the main source of light in the room, and other lights should be used to supplement it. This means that you can use other types of recessed lights such as spotlights or downlights, but they should not be the primary source of light.
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