The bathroom is not only a place for daily morning and evening hygiene procedures, here you can take a shower or plunge into a warm bath. And in order to relieve the stress accumulated during the day, or negative emotions, a favorable atmosphere in this room is important. To do this, the lighting in the bathroom must be at the appropriate level. In addition, many designers agree that the lighting of this room plays an important role.
Choice of fixtures
Let's start with the question of what kind of lamps you can choose for the bathroom. Here it is necessary to be guided not only by the price (for many, this is the most important factor in a limited family budget), but also by other characteristics, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each option. This will allow you to rationalize your expenses.
Let's take a look at the most common light sources that can benefit the bathroom below.
Habitual lampsincandescent
Such light bulbs are very popular due to low cost, ease of installation. In addition, many people have already become accustomed to such lighting for a long time of use. However, the service life is not very long - about 1000 hours. Ambient temperature has little to no effect on lamps.
In addition, these sources produce little light and can get very hot. Because of this, they cannot be used in plastic shades. Fabric lampshades are also not an option.
Halogen products
Bathroom lighting with halogen lamps has a high light output and a longer service life. And if they are used in spotlights or spotlights, then thanks to the aluminum diffuser, the heat generated is absorbed. This allows them to be placed in a false ceiling. But there is one caveat: a step-down adapter is required for 12-volt lamps, which is not cheap.
Luminescent Solutions
The main advantage of these lamps is that the luminous flux they create is as similar as possible to natural light. Depending on the amount of phosphor, the luminous flux is created in three types:
- cold;
- warm;
- daily.
At the same time, this solution also has certain nuances. The power of the lamps is not more than 150 W, when the voltage drops, they turn off, and during operation you can hear a characteristic crackle.
LED backlight
LEDs are characterized as the sources with the longest lifeservice among all other light sources at a given time - 50 thousand hours, or even more. However, they consume very little energy. Often they go on sale in the form of ribbons or as part of spotlights.
The use of modern LED lighting in the bathroom, on the one hand, can be justified by a number of advantages:
- good degree of illumination;
- energy saving;
- durability.
But on the other hand, there are some drawbacks. This is the high cost of the LEDs themselves, as well as the involvement of the necessary equipment for the full operation of lighting (ventilation system, transformers).
Lamp designs
Today, a wide range of artificial light sources can be found on the market. This allows each buyer to choose the right option for each specific case. Depending on the method of fastening, structures can be of the following types:
- embedded;
- pendant;
- invoices.
Recessed design is a kind of spot type or spot type fixtures. In a small room, such lamps can be used for both main and additional lighting. Installation is carried out thanks to special ears and is made directly to the base of the false ceiling. When using incandescent lamps, the dimensions of the ceiling sinus should be no more than 12 cm, and for halogen lamps - 7 cm.
With a suspended structure, everything is already clear, just look at the photo of the bathroom lighting. Multi-track chandeliers or single-lamp fixtures are hung on a metal hook. In this case, it is enough to choose the optimal power of the lamps so that the lighting is not too bright. However, this option is more applicable to high ceilings.
Surface-mounted ceiling lights can fit almost any surface. They can also serve as a primary or secondary light source. Designs involve the use of plastic or metal. Installation is carried out using hardware.
Bathroom lighting
In most cases, there is no natural light in the bathroom, and therefore this nuance has to be compensated by artificial sources.
But here it is important to meet certain requirements:
- Lighting should have a natural spectrum as close to daylight as possible.
- Each zone in the room should have its own lighting (if possible).
- It is worth taking into account the high level of humidity in the bathroom, and therefore all light sources should be as safe as possible during operation.
Illumination in the bathroom with just one light bulb will not provide the necessary comfort for all manipulations. Therefore, a rational option is to use several lamps placed in different places. This will create a not very bright, but at the same time functionalatmosphere. Moreover, they can be included both together and separately. Or even use some kind of harmonious combination.
In addition, shaving, makeup, laundry require more intense lighting, which will be localized in a specific area.
Functional areas
A bathroom can be considered fully functional only when the design of the room is in harmony with convenience. And regardless of the applied ideas. You should choose lamps depending on the size of the room. After all, too bulky chandeliers as lighting in a small bathroom will only serve as a hindrance.
In addition, it is desirable to divide the entire space into several functional areas, illuminated by their own lamps. These may be the following sections:
- place for water treatments - bath, shower;
- sink with mirror;
- area with shelves or cabinets;
- location of household appliances (washing machine and other appliances).
Despite all these amenities, not every bathroom can be divided into such zones. For example, the layout of Khrushchev is seriously limited in its capabilities - it is not always possible to place household appliances or furniture in such a small space in a given room.
Bath
Many stores sell bathtubs with LED lighting. Only this option requires considerable investments of financial resources, and therefore it may not be suitable for every buyer. Howeverthis zone can be played in many different ways, even without a huge budget.
Alternatively, you can highlight the bath with a directional stream of light, while the rest of the room will be in twilight. You can hang a sconce with a lampshade (preferably from colored glass) above the bathroom itself on the wall. Or place ceiling lights that can change the luminous flux. At the same time, they can illuminate several areas of the bathroom at once due to the possibility of rotation.
Another option is to frame it around the perimeter with LEDs as an additional light source in combination with the main ceiling lamp. When bathing, it is better to make the light on the ceiling more intense than the lighting of the bath itself.
Illuminated bathroom mirror cabinet
Almost every bathroom has some piece of furniture. And this is also room for creativity. By placing small lamps in drawers or shelves, you can provide yourself with quick access to the things you need.
It's safe to say that mirror cabinets are held in high esteem as they are not only versatile but also an aesthetic piece of furniture found in almost every bathroom. At the same time, they can be floor-standing, which allows you to install a cabinet near the sink or in some corner. But there are also wall-mounted options, which are often hung over the sink, but they can be placed in any other convenient place. If you need to consider yourself from all sides, you can installfloor structure opposite the sink, above which there is also a mirror.
The versatility of this furniture is that you can store various useful and necessary things inside, as well as accessories, accessories (towels, cosmetics) for the bathroom. Thus, the mirror cabinet with lighting in the bathroom performs two functions at the same time. In addition, nothing interferes, and the right thing is always in the access zone. The base cabinet can also accommodate a dirty laundry basket.
Materials
When choosing a mirror cabinet, you need to be vigilant, as there is a wide range of similar furniture on the market, which creates certain difficulties. First of all, you should consider what material these cabinets can be made of.
And, of course, the material must be moisture resistant. The most common options include:
- Particleboard is an economical solution, but the service life is usually no more than 5 years. Over time, the cabinet loses its shape, swells and can spread an unpleasant odor.
- MDF is the more expensive and durable option and is therefore most commonly found in bathroom furniture. The service life can be up to 10 years, if not more.
- Plastic is also a budget and practical solution that can also last for a long time. However, such cabinets look unpresentable. In some cases, lacquered plastic is used as a coating for chipboard or MDF in order to improve their properties.
- Tree –these pieces of furniture are even more expensive. At the same time, there are special types of wood that endure the effects of moisture. Such furniture is relevant for rooms with a high level of humidity, does not require additional varnishing. However, you should consider the interior and other items in the bathroom, because the lighting of the cabinet in the bathroom will not be combined with every style of decoration of the room.
- Metal+glass – lovers of modern style will be delighted with these mirror cabinets. Such furniture is characterized by a special laconic style and durability.
As for fittings, they must certainly be made of stainless steel. This requirement is due to the high level of humidity. It is also important to maintain the integrity of the bathroom design.
Sink
Almost every bathroom has a sink, usually there is a mirror above it. This part of the bathroom is the main one, because it is here that we spend more time than in other areas. Therefore, the lighting here must be fully effective and functional.
There are illuminated mirrors on sale, the purchase of which allows you to quickly resolve this issue. Some models of illuminated bathroom cabinets already have a sink.
However, you can arrange it yourself with the help of lamps or LEDs. The main thing is to place them correctly so that the lighting does not blind and does not create glare in the reflection in the mirror.
The light should fall on the face in an even stream, without renderingannoying effect. To do this, on the sides of the mirror, as well as above it, you can place several lamps with matte shades. Alternatively, you can use a sconce with a lampshade instead.
Good decor
Those who appreciate beauty and style and want to give their bathroom a touch of originality should take a closer look at LEDs.
In this case, preference should be given to spotlights or strip lights, which, in combination with the main ceiling lighting, can significantly transform the room, making it visually wider. But even with only decorative lighting in the bathroom, the atmosphere will become more mysterious, mystical, and for some even romantic.
General lighting
If it is not possible to distribute the lamps in different places in the bathroom, you can get by with a ceiling chandelier of the appropriate size. A general background light will be created, which will be enough for many daily activities, from washing hands and taking a bath to using a washing machine.
And since such a lamp is an element of decor, then it is necessary to select it depending on the design of the room. Moreover, if the bathroom ceiling is high, then the light source can be any (you can even hang the most beautiful chandelier). In the case of a low ceiling, it is necessary to pay attention to flat lamps so as not to reduce the already modest space.
Built-in spotlights toowill be an excellent option for creating a "glowing" ceiling, which is very important for rooms with small dimensions. In this case, shadows are not formed, which makes it easy to carry out cosmetic repairs. With such lighting in the bathroom, even the room itself will seem larger and wider.
In the event that the bathroom hood does not allow steam to be removed in a timely manner, it is worth choosing sealed fixtures with a high level of protection against moisture. The same applies to sauna rooms.
