The bathroom constitutes a multifunctional room in the home: different activities take place in this room that may require different types of lighting.

In general, bathrooms are small or medium-sized rooms, for which at least one central, diffuse light source is required. The bathroom can therefore be illuminated by a ceiling light which, depending on the size of the room, must have a diameter of between 40 and 50 cm. Alternatively, one can opt for a pendant lamp that can be placed in the centre of the room itself or in strategic points, such as above the bath tub, but always guaranteeing total illumination of the room.

Unlike other rooms in the home, lighting plays a more functional than decorative role in the bathroom. For this reason, we tend to prefer lamps and chandeliers characterised by a simple design, yet elegant at the same time, capable of illuminating the entire room in a practical and effective manner.

The perfect direct light for the bathroom

For a room like the bathroom, central lighting is not enough; peripheral light sources are also necessary, especially for the mirror and washbasin area. To best illuminate this area, the advice is to use wall lights or LED spotlights.

Depending on the different types of furniture, these light sources can be placed above the mirror or at its sides. If you use adjustable spotlights or wall lights, you should try to direct the light beam inwards to avoid being dazzled.

In some cases, the shower area may also require specific lighting, especially if the shower cubicle does not have any built-in lights or spotlights. You can therefore use recessed spotlights or traditional LED spotlights to be positioned right above the shower head. A small caveat: for this area of the bathroom, it is important to choose lamps with a certain degree of protection against moisture.

Warm light for a cosy ambience

It is often thought that the bathroom should be illuminated with cool-toned lights (i.e., lights with a temperature above 5300 K), as they convey a sense of hygiene and cleanliness. This reasoning may be valid for a guest bathroom, but not for a bathroom used daily. In this case, it is preferable to adopt warm lights (lights with a temperature below 3300 K) or neutral lights (between 3300 K and 5300 K), which are capable of creating a welcoming and relaxing atmosphere. Furthermore, this type of lighting is characterised by tones very close to natural light and therefore does not alter colours, a factor certainly not to be overlooked when applying makeup.