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Bathroom Lighting

Bathroom Lighting


That bathroom is your oasis. At the very least, it’s often the closest you can get to complete privacy when you’re at home — especially if you have a big family. As such, it deserves a special amount of tender love and care.

However, on top of being the most private room in the house, it’s also one of the most frequently used. The bathroom more than any other room — perhaps beside the kitchen — may be the most important place where you need to ensure your lighting is functional as well as aesthetically pleasing.

When you’re in the market for brand new bathroom lights Butler Lighting is here for you. While you can always browse our generous selection of residential and commercial lighting online, we want to invite you to stop into our Greensboro or High Point lighting showroom. Either way, you’ll find top-quality lighting fixtures from the industry’s leading manufacturers — for every design preference and budget.

Bathroom Lights: Types & Styles


When you’re trying to come up with the ideal bathroom lighting, it’s important to think of the three types or functions of lighting: ambient lighting, task lighting, and accent lighting. 

Using these in proper conjunction is called layered lighting. Layering your lighting ensures you have the light you need for day-to-day use as well as specific lighting for the various tasks you need to accomplish in your bathroom. 

However, the lighting is not simply about function. You can also add your own personal stylistic flair by choosing an ornate flush mount or semi-flush mount. And if you really want to impress, adding a chandelier over the bathtub is a fairly common modern lighting trend.

When you shop at Butler Lighting, you’ll find a variety of bathroom lights that’ll meet your every design preference. Here are a few of the options you’ll find at our lighting showroom:

Design Types

The available types of designs in bathroom lighting vary greatly. You can find lighting in different sizes, finishes, and glass options. Often you will see multiple different-sized versions of the same vanity light fixture. Light bars can also vary in size and are available in LED integrated options. Other bathroom lighting design types are listed below for clarification. We can recommend where and how each type of light fixture should be installed for best use.

Linear Light Bar

Keep proportional and inside of the vanity (sink) over the mirror. Cutting holes into the mirror will cause an issue down the road if replacing the fixture with a different backplate. Great option for consistent light along a fixed width.

Wall Sconce

Good for placing in hallways, powder rooms, master baths by positioning them on each side of a mirror, or one side depending on the allotted size and space. Modern and chic designs are popular with sconces.Read more in our Wall Sconce Guide

2 Light Bathroom Light

Up to 36 inch vanity.

When installing lights in a bathroom, you have many options concerning the number of lights you wish to have installed. There are many two-light fixture designs that can spice up any bathroom. These are typically used for vanities up to 36 inches.

3 Bathroom Light

36-48 inch vanity

Three light fixtures are very typical in most homes and ligthing projects. Many vanities fall between the 36-48 inch range. Bulb and light count are not always indicators of width, double check your sizes.

4 Bathroom Light

48-72 inch vanity

A 4 light fixture is simply a step up from the 3 light fixture. Typically, a four-light vanity fixture will be installed over a vanity sink that ranges from 48 to 72 inches.

5 Bathroom Light

72+ inch vanity

Finally, a standard 5-light fixture is the most extended option most vendors will carry. Higher light counts like six can be found but are not typical. When working with a vanity that is 72 inches or more 5 lights are mostly used when there is only one centered junction box. Another application is when dealing with a single junction box in a double vanity set up this allows you to fill the gap with as much light and fixture as possible.

Bathroom Lighting Tips

Trying to come up with the perfect bathroom lighting can feel more than a little overwhelming. That’s why Butler Lighting doesn’t just sell lights. We offer full-scale lighting design solutions. Here are some helpful guidelines to keep in mind when selecting your bathroom light fixtures.

step-1

Consider Natural Lighting
Natural lighting, or daylight, is one of the most powerful types of lighting. Not only can it lift your spirits, but it plays a pivotal role in your body’s sleep/wake cycle. When planning your bathroom lighting, it’s important to keep daylight in mind and use it to your advantage.
When you are thinking through updating your bathroom lighting, take some time throughout the day to peek into your bathroom and observe how the natural light behaves. See how it casts shadows, what it

step2

Use Fixtures That Match
While your bathroom lights don’t have to match exactly in terms of brand and exact style, they should have similar finishes and colors. This will help maintain a consistent, sophisticated look.
Often times bathroom lighting upgrades are made all at once. In that case, it’s easy to ensure uniformity. However, if you’re just upgrading some of the lighting in your bathroom, it’s especially important to take this tip into consideration.

step3

Make The Best Use Of Wall Sconces
Having lighting above your vanity seems almost a given. However, one of the best things you can do for your bathroom lighting is to install a side-mounted sconce on either side of your vanity. This helps give you adequate lighting to accomplish a variety of tasks.

step4

Style Must Be Married To Function
This is directly tied to the tip above. While it’s important to consider the functionality of your bathroom, you also want to make it look beautiful, both in terms of the fixtures themselves as well as the light they cast.

step5

Prioritize Safety
At the end of the day, electricity and water are quite literally a killer combination. When you are developing a brand new bathroom lighting strategy, especially if you need to re-do the wiring in your bathroom, take the time to talk to a certified electrician.

Bathroom Lighting FAQs

Choosing the right vanity lights for you is a combination of preference and functionality. When installing these lights in an already finished bathroom you need to try and match the bathroom around it. You also need to identify where your junction box is to determine where you can even install lights. If it’s on the sides of your mirror, you’ll need a wall sconce or a single vanity. If it’s higher up then you’ll need to commit to an over-the-mirror vanity light. You also need to know the size of the vanity. You don’t want to get a fixture that will overpower or underpower the rest of the bathroom.

The size of your vanity light will need to match up with the vanity. You also need to ensure that the wall will not obstruct your vanity light. You also must ensure the width of the fixture is inside of the vanity.

Most lights can go up or down. The appearance of the fixture may not always look the best either way though, that will be up to personal taste. You should also take note of the glass and how it’s designed, and any arms and arches off of the bracket of the fixture. Your lighting designer should help you decide what would be best for you. A light facing up and a light facing down are two very different things.

There is no specific number of lights that there should be on a vanity. Ultimately, you should ensure that the size of whatever vanity lights you are installing is proportional with your vanity and the bathroom.

Ultimately, there is no right answer, it’s up to the person installing it to decide how they want it. 70-80 Candles Per Foot is the recommended amount. Use 70 or 80 and multiply by the square footage of your bathroom. This formula gives you the total number of lumens, 80 on the high side, 70 on the low side for a bathroom. Bathroom lighting can be anywhere between 2700 kelvin and 3500 kelvin (the color). Light output is measured in lumens, and this can vary based on light fixtures and light sources. A dimmer can be installed to adjust the brightness of a given light.

This depends on preference and there are pros and cons with both. Cool light can be too overpowering for people, and sometimes warm light doesn’t produce enough light for others. This is up to preference and there is no right answer when it comes to light temperature.

LED lighting is great for many applications. They save money on the energy bill, and time that you would normally spend replacing them. They also provide more consistent lighting. As of now, they are starting to take over every lighting project.

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The usual kinds of light fixtures you’ll find in a bathroom are recessed lighting, pendants, mini chandeliers, over-mirror lighting, and wall sconces. The kinds of lights you can see in your project will of course all depend on your preference and the amount of money you’re willing to spend.

Shop For Your New Bathroom Lights In High Point

We hope some of the bathroom lighting tips we provided above were helpful. Of course, they’re no substitute for the expert advice of an experienced lighting professional.

At Butler Lighting, we employ some of the finest lighting design specialists in the region. If you’ve read every online tip regarding bathroom lighting and still feel overwhelmed, or you could simply need a second opinion, visit our Greensboro or High Point lighting store.

Our consultants will walk you through our massive inventory, helping you choose the bathroom fixtures that meet your needs, preferences, and budget.

To meet with one of our lighting experts, simply stop by one of our showrooms, or schedule an appointment online. We look forward to helping you create the bathroom you’ve always dreamed of.

Locations

4380 Regency Dr
High Point, NC 27265
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Business Hours
Monday - Friday : 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday/Sunday: Closed

109 Sunrise Center Drive Thomasville,
North Carolina
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Business Hours
Monday - Friday : 8:30am – 5:00pm
Saturday/Sunday: Closed

*this is a warehouse location only

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