Lighting
Long, minimalist sconces like designer Darci Hether used here are popular choices for a similar reason: the long stretch of light, either from multiple bulbs or LED strips, will cast a lot of light evenly up and down the face. Plus, they bring a modern appeal that helps give a bathroom a crisp and clean feeling. The American Lighting Association recommends mounting them 65 to 70 inches from the floor as a general rule. The association also recommends placing the fixtures 28 to 30 inches apart, but that depends on the size of the room, among other factors.
If you don’t use a space as often, it can be a great place to experiment with unique looks that you might not use anywhere else in the home. Asymmetrical or off-center arrangements, like in this bathroom by Alison Damonte Design, bold mini-chandeliers or lights that cast dramatic shadows can all give a space a sense of personality and drama.
30. Hands-free lighting. As we mentioned earlier with hands-free kitchen faucets, a focus on germ-free features is something we’ll continue to see in the coming years. The hands-free Wave Switch from Legrand can help reduce virus spread in any area of the home by allowing the user to simply wave a hand in front of a sensor to turn lights on and off.
Keep in mind that the rules here are similar to using sconces: Hanging the light around eye level, with a shade that lets the light diffuse outward in all directions, will light both the face and the room the most evenly. Falken Reynolds Interiors‘ bathroom shown here is a good example. In a tighter space you can hang the sconces in front of the mirror to allow for a wider mirror. But, if the fixtures are too close together they’ll be too in-your-face to see the mirror properly. Therefore, you should make sure you have at least a good 30 inches between them regardless.
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