Is recessed lighting right for your bathroom?

You have your new bathroom design all figured out: new fixtures, new accents and a lovely, relaxing environment. Your bathroom ceiling light and other lighting needs, however, present many appealing options.

What should you go with? Among your choices is one idea that has been around for many years but has gained more and more popularity among modern builders and designers. Recessed lighting. You have probably seen this kind of lighting on a small scale.

They are the kinds of lights that are inside some showers. The round-but-flattened bulb set into a hole in the ceiling, emitting a soft but bright effect.

At first glance, this might seem far too simple for your tastes, but recessed lighting can be an effective lighting method. It is so much more than just some light in the shower ceiling. Today’s recessed lighting designs offer an attractive option to light up all or part of your bathroom.

Recessed lighting can be placed into the ceiling, the walls and even the floor to create a beautiful effect any homeowner would be proud of. These lights, by no means have to be boring. They come in many shapes and sizes and can be strategically placed to form a pattern or design that is both interesting and aesthetically pleasing.

There really are now limitations to using recessed lighting, except maybe the size of your bathroom, and of course your imagination. Recessed lighting gives you a lot of room to play around and find the perfect lighting effect to suit you and your new bathroom.

While recessed bathroom lighting is intended to blend into the architecture of your bathroom, choosing the right style will achieve all of your lighting needs: ambient lighting, task lighting and of course, accent lighting. Recessed lighting in itself is typically a great energy saving option.

They can be wired into your normal light switch, but if you want to save even more on energy costs while adding a sense of mood, intrigue and allure to your bathroom, attaching a dimmer switch is the perfect final touch for recessed lighting.

As you continue in your bathroom creation, recessed lighting is just one of many great options to serve your bathroom lighting needs.

March 30, 2010 | admin | Tags: , | Comments Closed

Putting Yourself in the Best Light

Have you ever looked at yourself in the mirror in the morning, thought you looked great, then left the house only to find out that something is missing? It may be that your bathroom lighting is failing you. Your bathroom lights don’t flatter you or perhaps flatter you too much.

So, in order to get the perfect balance of lighting, it is necessary to look at what the most popular bathroom lights do and how to mix the different types of lighting available to create the best look.

One very popular trend these days is recessed lighting. However, they can be problematic if they are the only light in your bathroom, thus sending you into a shadow and not allowing you the best vision.

Similarly, using a recessed light that has a halogen bulb can have an effect that makes you look more like a Jack-O-Lantern and less like yourself.

The best lighting balance is to use recessed lighting in combination with other more general forms of lighting. When using recessed lighting, try to place the wall mounted lights near the mirror to cut down on shadows.

When creating the best lighting look possible, it’s best to start with lights that will be bright enough for you to be able to shave or apply makeup, but to have enough soft light to complement facial features. Additionally, for the vanity area, try using colored or coated bulbs.

Another thing to keep in mind is to make sure that the light accents everything else in the room—the plumbing accessories, tile, and wallpaper. Of course, make sure that the lighting is safe for the room.

Do not put portable lamps in the room since their proximity to the sink or tub can create quite a lot of electrical problems. Similarly, make sure that anything that will be used in a damp location is UL rated for damp locations.

Ultimately, remember that brightness and lots of light is the best choice. The light can always be dimmed with the addition of a dimmer switch.

March 7, 2010 | admin | Tags: | Comments Closed