Bathroom lighting: ideas and tips

Wellness at any time of the day: To feel good all around, we need the right and soothing lighting in the bathroom. We give you tips and tricks on how to ensure good bathroom lighting.

Nowadays there are lamps like sand by the sea - also for the bathroom. But which is the right thing? Well, it depends on what you want to effect or illuminate. Security is also an important point. It also plays an important role whether you have a daylight bath or not.

Good basic lighting in the house has a direct impact on our well-being. In addition, we usually need a different light in the morning than in the evening. In order to start the day awake, we need vitalizing light, especially in the bathroom. In the evening, dimmed light brings us into the desired relaxation. This applies not only to the lighting in the bedroom, but also to that in the bathroom - after all, many people like to use it in the evening for a relaxing full bath.

If you value a home spa, don't forget decorative or accent lighting! Individual points of light loosen up the atmosphere and turn a simple bathroom into a real oasis of wellbeing. Colored LED strips in corners and niches or under shelves conjure up great effects.

The right lighting in the bathroom

The requirements for bathroom lighting are varied - bright light is needed to wake up in the morning and warm light to relax in the evening. Ideal lighting conditions in the bathroom are created by a combination of basic lighting, mirror lighting and decorative light. If you do not have a daylight bath, it is all the more important to ensure good and adequate lighting. Basic lighting of at least 300 lumens per square meter ensures orientation in the bathroom. This also offers more security - for example, to recognize slippery puddles of water on the floor tiles or butt edges in good time, but: Even if daylight falls into the bathroom, at least the darker corners should be sufficiently illuminated. Ceiling lights, panels and recessed lights are ideal for basic lighting. Depending on the room height, pendulums can also be considered. Many luminaires can be dimmed these days - this way you can adjust the lighting mood as required.

We need mirror lights especially in the morning for shaving and applying makeup. Two lights: one on the left and one on the right, next to the mirror ensure good lighting. Depending on the size of the mirror, a luminaire mounted horizontally above the mirror may also be sufficient. Another variant is to illuminate the mirror all around. LED strips, for example, are very suitable for this. Care should be taken not to shine in the mirror, which is uncomfortable for the eyes.

Bright and cool light in the bathroom makes it easier to get up in the morning.

Photo: Paulmann

In this daylight bathroom you can provide additional light with LED strips on the mirror.

Photo: Bathroom Takeaway

If you have a bath flooded with light, you should provide a warm light in the evening.

Photo: Paulmann

Safety for bathroom lighting

Good bathroom lighting should not only be functional, but also comply with the current safety standard. Here there is the so-called IP value, which is specified with two digits. The first number describes the protection against foreign bodies and contact and the second the tightness against water and moisture. This can also be important for good kitchen lighting.

Which protection class for which bathroom lights?

In the area of ​​the bathtub or shower, the lights must have IP protection rating 67. This makes them waterproof for temporary immersion. With areas up to a height of 2.25 meters around the shower head and bathtub or shower tray, the IP 65 is the right protection class for luminaires. This means they are protected against water jets. Up to 60 centimeters around the bathtub or shower and on the bathroom wall up to 2.25 meters high, the lights should have IP 44 protection so that they are splash-proof.

Lighting in the bathroom: The right IP protection is crucial here.

Photo: Paulmann

Bathroom lighting: these are the trends

There are various trends emerging in bathroom lighting. On the one hand, flat light, through panels and other flat ceiling lights, provides good lighting for waking up, applying makeup and shaving. On the other hand, LED stripes create almost invisible, indirect light sources that create a particularly cozy atmosphere.

We owe many modern furnishing styles to the Scandinavians. After “Hygge”, “Lagom”, which stands for balance, dominates. With this trend, the use of natural materials such as wood and concrete gives the otherwise rather cool bathroom a pleasant, warm atmosphere. At design fairs, in addition to the classic "chrome" fitting color, you can also see many fittings in gold, copper or black - and this development does not stop at lighting. In the bathroom, pendant lights in combination with black, gold or copper head mirror lamps are popular.

Absolute trend in the bathroom: pendant lights with a copper look.

Photo: living4media / Bauer Syndication

Better bathroom lighting without structural measures

The lighting in the bathroom can be easily improved with a few simple steps. If the ceiling lighting is too dark, it is replaced with a new, modern LED ceiling light. If it is a standard version like E27, it is often enough to replace the lamp. Modern LEDs with smart controls or lamps with which the color temperature and brightness can be set are particularly practical. If you have not installed a dimmer, you can also use lamps with a so-called 3-step dimmer.

Mirror lights that are too dark can also be replaced by new, brighter models. If classic mirrors are used in the bathroom, they can be upgraded with mirror clamp lights, for example. With LED stripes, indirect decorative light can be created in the bathroom. The stripes can be glued under the vanity or around the mirror and give the bathroom a cozy atmosphere.

Violetta Hoffmann editors haus.de