Illuminations

2020

6 Popular Interior Design Styles You Need to Know

6 Popular Interior Design Styles You Need to Know

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It’s easy to get overwhelmed by all of the styles and options when it’s time to make an update to your home. There are hundreds of design tips and style trends out there, and it’s hard to know where to start!  We’ve put together a list of some of the most popular design trends with simple explanations and some ideas to get you started! Get ready to transform your home into a space you’ll never want to leave!

Minimalism

The main concept of this interior design style is that “less is more.” The hallmarks of Minimalism are few furniture pieces, limited or monochromatic color schemes, clean lines, streamlined shapes, and no clutter.

Start creating your Minimalist space by removing all clutter and accessories then find furniture and fixtures that have simple shapes and clean lines. Minimalist designs need plenty of light to give a sense of openness, but the goal is for the light itself to blend into the design without the fixtures distracting the eye. Hidden perimeter lighting, recessed lights, and simple track lights are good options in main areas. In your kitchen and bathrooms, try LED light strips underneath cabinets and at the bottom of floating vanities. In every space, stick with a limited neutral color palette, or go monochromatic for a big visual impact.

For more Minimalist design inspo, check out Leibal for some truly awe-inspiring minimalist designs that’ll have you thinking hard about paring down!

Mid-Century Modern

Mid-Century Modern design is full of perfectly balanced juxtapositions. Soft, organic lines and natural wood are combined with harder, geometric shapes and man-made materials like plastic, vinyl, and Lucite. Form follows function in this design which has strong ties to minimalism, so furniture and accessories should serve a purpose and help to keep the room clutter free.

To get the look, find functional furniture pieces that will help keep your space organized and clutter to a minimum. Look for one or two showstopper pieces that you love and use them to anchor your room, then finish out your space with geometric and organic pieces that work together to give your room a polished feel. Keep the minimalist feel by only using accessories that serve a purpose, like a vase or a light fixture. Mid-Century light fixtures and lamps come in a huge variety of materials, colors, and price points, which makes them an ideal way to add your own personal touch to your Mid-Century design!

For more Mid-Century Modern inspiration, take a look at the incredible designs over at Destination Eichler to see great ways you can incorporate this design style into your home!

Scandinavian

Scandinavian design came to be in the 1930s, and is inspired by the nature, climate, and simple designs of the Nordic region. While similar to Mid-Century Modern design which often explores deeper colors and designs, Scandinavian design is all about maximizing light with lots of whites and neutrals. It has a minimalist feel with no clutter, simple yet beautiful and furniture that’s functional, and a light neutral color palette with pops of playful accent colors.

To get the look, avoid wall to wall carpeting and opt for light or white walls. Choose furniture that is both simple and functional that will help keep your space feeling organized and fresh. Maximizing natural light is very important in Scandinavian design. If your space isn’t blessed with big windows, fun and playful Scandinavian-inspired pendant lights and floor lamps are easy to find! Add them anywhere in your room that’s shadowy to bring the light in! Add warmth to your space with soft organic fabrics like a chunky wool blanket. Look for functional accessories with soft edges and clean lines, and don’t be afraid to mix in vintage and traditional elements to get that Scandinavian design vibe just right.

If you want to see more of this style, Niki Brantmark at My Scandinavian Home runs a delightful blog full of light and bright Scandinavian designs that’ll have you painting your walls white and installing a new pendant light by next weekend!

Eco Design

For the environmentally-conscious individual, this next design style is all about sustainability. Eco Design appears very similar to Minimalist and Scandinavian designs due to the simple, paired back feel and the use of natural materials, but it centers around sustainability.

To get this style right, pay attention to the materials you choose when you’re designing your space. Look for earth-friendly materials like cotton, bamboo, wood, and recycled materials. Upcycle when you can, and look to nature for your color palette. Accent your space with plants to help bring the outside in. Natural light is best, but if you live somewhere that doesn’t have a wall of windows, you can bring in extra light with eco-friendly lamps and fixtures like a bamboo pendant light. This is a great design style for those who love to repurpose and restore!

If you need some Eco-friendly design inspo, Moore House Family is a company that restores old homes using natural and sustainable elements, and they love to break the mold in their designs!

Industrial Loft

This style got its start when big cities started converting old industrial warehouses into housing. These spaces had large windows and open floor plans, and became home to a community of artists and creatives who added modern touches, but left the original character of the building. Today, Industrial Loft design is making its way into townhouses and suburban homes as homeowners everywhere are falling in love with this unique combination of raw textures and modern finishes.

To get this look, find ways to incorporate raw and rustic materials into your space like exposed brick, cement, and steel. To keep it from feeling too harsh and cold, warm up your space with reclaimed wood furniture and accessories, and overstuffed armchairs or leather sofas. Light your rooms with warehouse-inspired, powder-coated light fixtures with exposed bulbs. This design loves to tell a story, so  look for vintage lighting and accessories with a history to add some character to your space.

To see some breathtaking Industrial Loft designs, check out My Warehouse Home’s Instagram page to get your ideas flowing!

Maximal Minimalism

This design style is a bold and exciting compromise between Minimalism, which is all about simplifying, and Maximalism, a design style where bigger, bolder, and busier all mean better. If the calm, clean, relaxing vibe of Minimalism appeals to you but it feels too sterile, and the bubbly, bold, creative feel of Maximalism feels inspiring but chaotic, then this unlikely combination of minimalist ideals and maximalist colors, patterns, and textures might be for you!

You can keep your sleek and uncluttered aesthetic, but go ahead and throw that neutral color palette out the window! Go big with a bold mural on the wall or a brightly colored sofa. Light your minimal with simple fixtures or recessed lights, but use your lighting to add to your design. Consider adding LED bulbs or rope lights that change colors with the push of a button to add some drama to your space when the time feels right! This design style is still minimalism at heart, but it’s very art-centered. Give your space a personality! The goal is to give your clean lines and simple shapes a beautifully artistic backdrop.

It’s Time To Get Started!

You make the rules in your space! If Mid-Century Mod is your thing, dive in! If you like bits and pieces of a few different styles, don’t be afraid to mix and match! Making your space reflect your own style is the best way to make your house a home. Be bold, experiment, and love where you live!

Does your home need a style refresh? Don’t forget to update your light fixtures too! Call the experts at Illuminations and they’ll help you figure out how to get the perfect ambiance for your new space.

Clever Lighting Ideas for Your Too-Short Bathroom

Clever Lighting Ideas for Your Too-Short Bathroom

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Feeling cramped in your bathroom? Every home comes with its quirks, and bathroom size and layouts are often among them. However, a cramped bathroom doesn’t have to cramp your style! Less-than traditional bathroom spaces simply call for less-than traditional lighting and décor ideas. Below, you’ll find a list of 7 examples of lighting that can transform your vertically-challenged bathroom space. Enjoy!

1. LED Illuminated Mirror

We’ve got lots to say about these, but that’s a topic for another time. They defog, have varied lighting settings, add a dramatic flair, save tons of space, and attract a lot of attention (while drawing attention away from the size of the bathroom). They’re a great addition to any size bathroom space.

Pendants

2. Globe One-Light LED Pendant

Beautiful globe pendants like this add unique texture and variety to your space. Pendants provide a fresh alternative to sconces. Ideally pendants should hang on either side of a mirror and be spaced 30 to 36 inches apart. As with any other bathroom lighting, it’s important that pendants be damp or wet-location rated. This protects against damage to the fixture or electrical components.

3. Cylinder Pendant

The great thing about pendants in a bathroom is that they can hang lower than a vanity light could, making your ceilings look higher. The standard placement for a bathroom pendant is to have the bottom of the fixture at the center line of the mirror. While many pendants come with adjustable stem lengths, you can also opt for a pendant hung by chain, cord, or wire for optimal hanging flexibility. Pendants should be part of a layered lighting plan that includes general overhead lighting, accent lights, and even natural light.

4. Mango Wood 1 Light Pendant

Keep in mind that pendants function best as accent lighting, and may not provide adequate light for the whole space. In fact, it’s better if pendants are opaque or thickly shaded, since they’re at your eye level and a clear-glass fixture might mean you’re staring straight at a bright bulb. That said, pendants like this one add texture, light, and style while drawing your eye away from short ceilings.

Sconces

5. Winfield 2 Light Wall Sconce

Sconces have been around for many years, but their efficiency and style make them a fresh solution for any space. Sconces often flank the sides of the mirror, but you can mount them to fit your personal preference. They can even augment the existing lines of your bathroom, drawing your eye horizontally in a pleasing, stylish way.

6. Glenn 1 Light Wall Sconce

The recommended height to hang sconces between 64” to 68” from the finished floor. The idea is to illuminate the face, so the exact measurements will vary a little bit depending on whether the sconce is “top” or “bottom” heavy, and where it shines light. Leaving the top half of your bathroom with less light draws attention away from the overall height of the room, focusing instead on the central, lit portion of the space.

7. AXIS SCONCE

Don’t forget that sconces are similar to the pendants—they don’t usually provide enough light to serve as a primary light source. If you do favor your sconces, you may want to supplement with hidden recessed lighting overhead. Using them as accent or task lighting, in addition to a main fixture, will add style and round out your bathroom space without detracting from the brightness of the room.

We hope that you can use these tips, tricks, and products to create an aesthetically pleasing and functional space in your bathroom—no matter what the size! Best of luck from all of us at Illuminations.

Light Bulbs Explained: How to Choose the Right Bulb Every Time

Light Bulbs Explained: How to Choose the Right Bulb Every Time

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Though our homes may differ in paint schemes, furniture layouts, and decor, we have at least one thing in common: the lights in our homes influence all of that! The kind of bulbs we use can change the brightness, hue, and aesthetic of any room. Light bulbs affect energy efficiency at home and at work, not to mention interacting differently with our mood, health, and productivity. Here’s a breakdown of the most common types of light bulbs, with tips to help you make the best choice for your wallet, aesthetic and safety.

1. Incandescent: The Original Bulb

Incandescent lights are the most traditional form of light bulb and are based on technology developed by Thomas Eddison. The electricity passes through a filament, causing it to burn and give off light.

Incandescents are more expensive in the long run because they are not energy efficient compared to fluorescent or LED options. Why? The method of heating a filament in an incandescent bulb produces much more heat than light, wasting most of its energy consumption.The 2007 Energy Independence and Security Act reformed the incandescent market by creating a minimum standard for incandescent energy efficiency, but even still, fluorescent and LED lights are much more energy efficient.

Incandescent lights come in a variety of colors and work with dimmer switches. Their design allows for more variation in style, and they’re typically more aesthetically pleasing than other options. This makes them a popular choice for easy-to-see places, like in lamps and hanging from low ceilings.

Incandescent bulbs also do well in easily-accessible locations, since they have the shortest lifespan of all the bulb options and burn an average of 1,000 hours. Incandescents are also good for spaces that don’t use light often, like closets and garages.

As for pricing, incandescent bulbs are typically the cheapest of bulb options. Most incandescent bulbs range from $.70 to $1.50 per bulb.

2. LED: Best for Customization

LED stands for “light-emitting diode”. Simply put, they’re microchips that glow as electricity passes through them. Because there’s no exhaustible filament burning in LED lights, they don’t actually die or burn out. They simply dim over time, and are considered replaceable once they emit 70% of their original light.

This unique design makes LED’s up to 90% more efficient than incandescent bulbs, with the average LED lasting up to 25,000 hours. LED circuitry still gives off a good amount of heat, but it is processed through a type of heat sink common to microchips. If the heat sink does happen to malfunction, your LED may not last for its expected lifespan.

Additionally, the microchip design allows for customization in size and grouping. Lights can be easily lined up in a strip, or grouped in clusters for a bulb-like configuration. They also glow in every conceivable color, a feature that allows for further customization and creative flair.

Beyond adding flair and personality, LEDs add functionality and value. Simply adding LED strips under kitchen cabinets or along a dark stairway brightens an otherwise shadowed space. LED bulbs are commonly used as smart bulbs, in conjunction with smart home assistants like Google Home and Alexa. They’re a smart, energy-efficient choice for any home or workspace.

LED bulbs average around $8 per bulb, and strip lighting (depending on length and color of strip) ranges from $20-$50.

3. Fluorescent: Easy Choice for Large or Commercial Spaces

The original fluorescent light bulb, shaped like a long tube, often lights offices and commercial spaces. Fluorescent bulbs use a gas and a filament combination, like argon and tungsten, to emit a glow. They are much more energy efficient than incandescent bulbs, consuming 75% less energy. Fluorescents also have a longer lifetime than incandescent bulbs, estimated between 6,000 and 15,000 hours.

Fluorescent lights do contain small amounts of mercury, but as long as the bulbs remain intact, they’re perfectly safe. When it’s time to dispose of old bulbs, contact your local waste management for local guidelines and keep them away from the reach of children.

Expect each fluorescent tube to cost $2-3.

4. CFL: Energy-efficient Home Upgrade

CFL bulbs, or compact fluorescent lamps, are a condensed version of fluorescent lights. It’s similar technology, with the electricity activating a gas such as argon. The difference, however, is that these don’t have a filament— instead, the argon interacts with a fluorescent coating called phosphor to produce visible light. These bulbs are largely replacing incandescent bulbs in the shift for green homes.

CFL bulbs can last anywhere from 6,000 to 15,000 hours of use, making them 6-15 times more efficient than incandescent options. They come in a variety of shapes, and if the bulb is tinted, they can even come in a variety of colors.

Generally these bulbs will be about $5.50 to about $10 each. While they’re more expensive than incandescent options, the price is typically offset by their much longer life.

5. Halogen: Best for Headlamps and Flood Lights

Halogen bulbs produce light through a heated filament, similar to incandescent bulbs. However, the filament in halogen bulbs is surrounded by a tiny tube of pure glass (quartz). This tube is filled with a halogen gas, and when the filament emits wasted energy, the halogen gas returns it to the filament. This recycled energy causes the filament to live much longer than those used in incandescent lights.

Unfortunately, halogen bulbs still create a large amount of heat, resulting in wasted energy. Though their lifespan is significantly longer than incandescent, they still only last about 2,000 hours.

Halogen lights are commonly used in vehicle headlamps, outdoor floodlights or to light workspaces. If you choose to use these elsewhere, be aware that they generate significant heat and could affect the temperature of small areas.

Expect each bulb to cost between $6 and $12.

6. HID: Great for Street Lamps

HID stands for “high intensity discharge”. These bulbs function by passing electricity in an arc between two metal points, aided by a gas like xenon, which glows in reaction to the electricity. They produce strong, long lasting light, but are typically restricted to street lighting or warehouses because of their orange hue and intensity. HID bulbs are also used in headlights at times, and usually clock in at about 2,000 hours.

These are a great option for outdoor spaces, or in places where nighttime safety is a concern. HID bulbs range in price from about $14 to $21.

How Will You Light Your Space?

You know your space better than anyone, and now, you know a lot more about light bulb technology! When deciding which bulb is best for you, consider the details of your space. Is it residential or commercial? Indoor or outdoor? How much do you value aesthetic, energy efficiency, or purchase price? There are plenty of right choices, and at Illuminations we’re happy to discuss all possible options. Give us a call and let our lighting experts make your project easier.

Before and After: 10 Stunning Bathroom Remodels That Will Inspire You

Before and After: 10 Stunning Bathroom Remodels That Will Inspire You

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Whether you’re anticipating an upcoming bathroom remodel or simply brainstorming for a future day, this collection of bathroom remodels is sure to inspire! Below you’ll find bathrooms of all sizes, styles, and layouts. Some undergo a professional transformation while others are budget-friendly and DIY. Let the remodels begin!

1. Green to Pristine

This bathroom remodel cost under $100 dollars! This basement bathroom feels like new, thanks to some fresh paint, a plank wall, a quaint wire light fixture, and some homemade décor. Find more pictures of the project and how-to advice here.

2. Less Wall, More Light

These designers transformed a dingy bathroom by knocking down the wall between the toilet and vanity. The extra space lends itself to a well-lit, airy bathroom with a unique hanging globe, golden accents, and a clean wooden vanity.

3. Rethink the Pink

This too-pink tile was dated and dysfunctional– so a fresh remodel brings clean, white tile all the way up to the ceiling. Blue accents and a boxy bar light add some additional style to a totally new space! Check out how the homeowner’s daughter inserted some designs of her own in the process.

4. Wallpaper Power

Anything would have been an improvement in this unfinished space, but this homeowner went all out with a stylish vanity, bright patterned wallpaper, and two eye-catching sconces flanking the mirror. We love the bold look!

5. Chandelier and Atmosphere

In this professional makeover, an average bathroom becomes a something totally new. Raised double sinks and framed mirrors add functionality and flair, and the chandelier compliments the luxurious walk-in shower for an atmosphere of glamour.

6. Bland Whites to Bold Blues

This DIYer was bored with an all-white bathroom and found a solution in this navy, hexagon tile floor. The new black and white vanity basks in light from stainless-steel sconces, and the greenery balances and freshens the space.

7. Minimize to Maximize

With little available space and a little too much teal, this small bathroom felt cramped and outdated. Minimizing the vanity and eliminating the old cabinet storage created some much-needed space. A light coat of paint does wonders here with some modern sconces, adding much-needed light to the bathroom. 

8.  Eye-Popping Fixtures

This handy couple used a stunning black over-the-mirror fixture, along with a black curtain rod, to add a lovely sense of contrast in this bright, airy space. Décor and storage make all the difference here with wire baskets and floating shelves.

9. Wall Textures for the Win

These DIYers transformed their space by accenting their vanity and mirror with custom board and battens. The wall texture is incredibly refreshing, especially juxtaposed with bright towels and a dark, moody paint on the upper half of the wall. 

10. Clean and Crisp

This walk through bathroom began with blaring floral wallpaper and insufficient light. A few budget-friendly fixes like painted walls, a repainted vanity and some updated décor transformed it into a very comfortable space.

Feeling inspired? We are! With a little planning and a lot of work, the perfect bathroom is always within reach. For questions about a new fixture or even how to pick a paint color that makes a room feel bright, call us at Illuminations. We love to make your projects easier!

7 Secrets to Successful Home Decor

7 Secrets to Successful Home Decor

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It’s no secret—home décor is more than just a mode of self-expression. It’s also an influential part of your every-day environment that also affects your mood, productivity, ability to focus and so much more. Stay true to your taste while staying in style, using these tried-and-true design principles.

1. Unity

Aim for complimentary tones, colors, style, and décor. If something doesn’t quite feel right, it probably isn’t! Unifying a room may mean removing some items and/or replacing them with something more cohesive. Update that 80’s style fluorescent light-box or reupholster an old couch—whatever it takes to bring the room together!

2. Variety

Don’t confuse “unity” with “uniform”—every room should have a variety of textures and tones to spice up the décor. Consider pieces that tie to the overall atmosphere with their color, sizing, or texture, but still maintain a unique stand-alone quality.

3. Balance

Here, we’re talking primarily about sizing and spacing. Balance your furniture layout throughout the room, and consider accessories in their individual places. Whether you’re aiming for a symmetrical or asymmetrical feel, weighing the size, spacing, and impact of the pieces can help you nail that look! 

4. Emphasis

Every room needs an eye-catcher—the focal piece of furniture or art that represents the function and feel of the room. Imagine a grand piano in the sitting room, a gorgeous chandelier in the entryway, or the entertainment center in a family room. Review your plans for each room and find a way to express it through a feature piece of décor.

5. Texture

When selecting pillows, lamps, art, accent pieces, and all the rest, it’s easy to obsess about the perfect color and forget the power of texture. Don’t skip this, though! Texture can be visual or physical, so add depth of design by mixing rich, deep textures with sleek, light ones. 

6. Scale

Does your room seem overly crowded? Does that tiny lamp look tacky in a large, usable space? Walls, table tops, and the entire room should feel grounded and proportionate with sufficient art, furniture, and décor, but not cramped. Don’t be afraid to shuffle things around or move them between rooms!

7. Repetition

Emphasize your favorite aspects of any room by adding a little repetition. Try it with patterns, colors, shapes, themes, and textures to make your room look intentional and put-together.

Fine-tuning your home décor may take time, but it’s an effort that will be well rewarded. For other décor tips or advice on how to make your home lighting shine, contact us at Illuminations.

6 Crazy Ways Lighting Affects Your Health

6 Crazy Ways Lighting Affects Your Health

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Bright, natural lighting can contribute to alertness and increased energy in the mornings, or any time of day. Of course, it does the same at night, so it is best to avoid bright, overhead lights when it’s time to rest. Darkness and warm dim lights, especially at eye level, mimic the natural rhythm of the sun and notify your brain that it is time to slow down, so they’re a great tool to use in the evening hours. 

1. Excessive Blue Light Can Lead to Sleep Deprivation and Stress 

All lights have a color rating that ranks them on how much warmth (reddish, yellowish lights) or coolness (blue or white lights) they emit. Our bodies respond differently to each, but blue lights are especially worth mentioning. While exposure to blue light can provide a much-needed energy boost during the day, it also makes it much harder to sleep at night. Exposure to blue light from smartphones, laptops, and even low-quality bulbs in the hours before bedtime suppresses the bodies’ production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin, which can make it harder for us to drift off to sleep.

Though it’s difficult to achieve a consistent sleep schedule, sleep-deprivation has a whole host of emotional and physiological side effects, from impaired judgment and heightened stress to higher blood pressure. To avoid this and protect precious sleep, consider using indirect or accent lighting at night, or perhaps installing a dimmer to make your main light adjustable. Whenever possible, limit screen-time before bed to reduce your exposure to blue light for a better night of sleep.

2. Warm Lights Enhance Relaxation and Mood Regulation 

Just like blue light from screens can keep you awake; warm lighting can aid relaxation and emotional regulation. In one study, participants experiencing anxious feelings calmed down more quickly in rooms with warm, cozy lights, as opposed to rooms with bright, blueish lights.

The principle applies equally in your home, which is why residential spaces most often use bulbs between 2700k and 3000k. Lights in this Kelvin range (the ranking of light color) are warm and relaxing, well-suited for your everyday environment. Lighting your spaces with lamps, dimmable lights, and layers of lights can enhance this even more, allowing you to control the quantity of light as well as its calming color.

3. Poor Lighting Worsens Depression, Vitamin D Deficiencies, and Migraines  

We’ve all heard that poor lighting could cause eye damage, especially when reading, but what other effects can poor lighting have on us in our homes? Inadequate light can irritate existing conditions such as depression and vitamin D deficiencies, while proper lighting is known to improve mood and energy levels.

Surprisingly enough, insufficient light is not the only health-related lighting hazard. Overly bright, harsh light can be similarly detrimental to mood and productivity since it often triggers headaches and migraines. 

4. Glare Causes Poor Eyesight and More 

As stated above, many are already aware of the danger that dim lights have for our eyesight. What most underestimate, however, is the similar risks posed by reflected light and light glare. Blazing overhead lights, badly positioned spotlights, or reflected lights from screen can increase irritability, drowsiness, headaches, and double vision.

This obviously varies based on eye conditions, exact lighting configurations, and more. However, next time you flip that switch, it would not hurt to ask how that lighting makes you feel, and if different lighting might be more helpful for productivity and positivity. 

5. Natural Light Increases Work Productivity

Research on office lighting and employee productivity provides great insight into personal and professional productivity. Natural light, and lots of it, helps to create the happiest, most productive work environment, while dim lighting can decrease work productivity. Working in a room with dim lights can cause eye strain, headaches, and drowsiness, all of which interfere with typical tasks.

Life has plenty of complexities, and a house full of perfect light bulbs obviously cannot solve all of them. What proper lighting can do, however, is eliminate visual stresses from your environment and send the right signals to your brain, helping it do what is best for you.

Lighting done right increases energy and productivity, not to mention relaxation and mood regulation, while bad lighting can interfere with sleep and worsen depression and migraines. For any questions about how to light your home and maximize health through lighting, call our experts at Illuminations. We are committed to your well-being and we are confident we can help.

3 Bathroom Dilemmas We Don’t Talk About Enough

3 Bathroom Dilemmas We Don’t Talk About Enough

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Now that we’ve given plenty of attention to the age-old debate about how to place toilet paper, I think it’s time to move on to something else. A well-lit bathroom can make or break your morning routine, and vanity lighting is a huge part of that! How often do we really stop to consider vanity lighting, however?

We’ve compiled the 3 most vital elements of vanity lighting and a summary of each topic. After you read and feel informed, pick your side! If you haven’t had these debates with your spouse, parents, or roommates yet, NOW is the time. These details can really maximize your bathroom space and transform your morning routine.

1. How to Hang: Up or Down?

The first thing you should consider is how to hang your vanity lights—shining up or down? First, consider how you’ll use these lights. Are they direct task lighting? If so, angle down or at the face. An indirect light source for style and mood? Shine them up.

If you have a bathroom with a darker color palette, a downward hanging light may suit you best. Why? Darker colors soak up more light, and hanging it downward will focus the light on the area you really want to be illuminating.

If your bathroom has a lighter color, palette an upward hanging light will work best for the space. Why? The light reflects off of the ceiling and walls, amplifying the overall light for the entire room. Regardless of which direction you hang them, vanity lights should hang high off of the floor, approximately 78 inches.

2. Clear or Frosted Glass?

You may have already had this debate when choosing other fixtures, but it’s especially relevant to vanity lights. They’re closer to eye level and more frequently viewed than most home fixtures, so choose well here!

In my years at a lighting showroom, the more popular choice has always been frosted glass. Why? One favorite feature about frosted glass is that it shines a soft ambient light. It still provides plenty of lumens, but isn’t too harsh on the eye. They also require less cleaning, since you’re unlikely to see fingerprints or smudges. A weekly light dusting should do the trick.  

On the other hand, I’ve encountered many lovers of clear glass. For one thing, they distribute more lumens, since the glass doesn’t diffuse the light. They’re often better for task lighting, aiding in accurate shaving or makeup application. The exposed light bulbs also add an element of style with different shaped filament bulbs.

3. What Fixture Size Is Best?

There’s a lot of variety in vanity fixtures. Some are small and dainty, others dramatic and large. We’ll let you have those infinite debates of taste as you surf Pinterest or our online catalog, but for now we’ll do you a favor and insert a lesser-known detail about proportions.

If your vanity light fixture is going over a single sink bowl, the fixture should be at least ¾ the size of the length of the mirror. Center it above the sink, and never select vanity lights that exceed the length of the mirror. If your vanity has two or more sinks, the same rules apply and you would center each light over its respective sink.

So there it is—the bathroom dilemmas no one talks about. Lighting matters! And fitting your vanity lighting to your unique taste will ensure an even better morning routine and evening wind-down experience.