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Bathroom Vanity Lighting Ideas and Buying Guide

Your bathroom vanity is one of the areas of your home most dedicated to function. It’s where you get ready for the day, whether that means going to work or going out. When you brush your teeth, comb your hair, put on makeup, or trim your beard, you probably do it at your bathroom vanity.

There’s more to a bathroom vanity than function, though. Your choice in bathroom vanity lighting can tie the space together and give it a personal touch that will start your day off with a positive vibe. In this article, we’ve put together everything you need to know to make your bathroom vanity lighting ideas a reality!

one led bath vanity light hung over mirror and bath vanity

What You NEED to Know About Bathroom Vanity Lighting

Sizing

Vanity lights are oftentimes available in a variety of sizes within the same model. Two, three, and four light models are very common; some lines include one light fixtures, or fixtures with five or more bulbs! Which size vanity light you use will depend on a few different factors, including:

How much space do you have?
Do you have one sink, or a double-sink vanity? Are you placing the light between sinks or placing one bathroom vanity light over each sink?
Are there other lights in your space (chandeliers, recessed lights, flush mounted lights, etc.) that illuminate the general bathroom area?
What about natural lighting?

The main thing to keep in mind with your bathroom vanity lighting ideas is that the vanity area is comprised of your sink, your mirror, and your light fixture. You will need to understand how sizing and special requirements for each of these elements impacts the others. We recommend measuring the wall space where you want to install the vanity lighting to get an understanding of how much space have between your sink, mirror, and desired vanity lighting.

Placement

two bath vanity lights hung vertically over a bath vanity

one bath vanity light hung horizontal over bath vanity

Now that you’ve got your space mapped out, it’s time to think about placement.

Placement will depend on your personal bathroom vanity lighting ideas and your space. For example, if you have a tall mirror with room on the sides, you will most likely place your vanity lighting on the sides of the mirrors. If your mirror is oriented horizontally, you will place the vanity light above it. And if your mirror has ample space both above and, on the sides, your personal taste will dictate where the vanity lighting is hung!

Of course, there are some rules of thumb for vanity lighting placement:

Overhead vanity lights should be hung 75 to 80 inches above the floor; this works best for ambient lighting
Side-mounted vanity lights should be hung at eye level, roughly 65-70 inches above the floor; this works best for task lighting
Vanity light fixtures should be placed 24-36 inches apart from each other, so they will illuminate the area evenly
You can combine overhead and side-mounted bathroom vanity lighting ideas for maximum control of lighting in your space!

Your Vanity Lighting Style

Once you have your sizing and placement needs figured out, it’s time to delve into the style of lighting you picture for your bathroom vanity lighting ideas. Modern bathroom vanity lighting is highly versatile and offers many options to suit your personal tastes and needs when it comes to illuminating your space!

Upward Lighting or Downward Lighting?

two bath vanity lights hung installed facing the floor

two bath vanity lights hung installed facing the ceiling

Most bathroom vanity fixtures can be hung with the bulbs facing up or down. If you aren’t sure whether a fixture can be hung in different directions, please give us a call and we’ll confirm it for you! Whether you should hang your vanity light facing up or down depends on the kind of lighting effect you want to create in your bathroom.

Downward facing light focuses over the vanity area and is great for task lighting, such as putting on makeup or shaving with the aid of your bathroom mirror. You want to have plenty of lighting in the area where you get ready for your day!

Upward facing lighting spreads light throughout the room and creates more ambient lighting, which can create a more comfortable and homier vibe. If you already have a lot of light in the bathroom vanity area—from recessed lighting, LED mirrors, or other task lighting fixtures—you may prefer to use your vanity lighting for aesthetic purposes.

Lighting Temperature

Lighting temperature refers to the color of lighting emitted by a light fixture. Color temperature at 2000-3000 Kelvin produces a warm, cozy glow and is commonly associated with incandescent bulbs. 3100-4500K light is a cool white that is bright and vibrant, great for task lighting. This cooler light is commonly associated with LED lights; however, LED lights are now available in a variety of color temperatures! Lastly, 4600-6500K light mimics natural daylight and is great for display areas and task lighting as well.

When deciding what color temperature, you should choose for your vanity area, you should keep both form and function in mind. If you are using your vanity lighting primarily for stylistic purposes, you may want the warm, comforting light associated with lower color temperatures; if your bathroom vanity lighting ideas are meant for task lighting, higher color temperatures may be better for your space. You should also consider the style of the fixtures themselves. Lower color temperatures pair well with traditional fixtures, while higher color temperature is often seen as synonymous with modern designs.

Styles to Choose From

Modern BathroomVanity Lighting

Create a clean, chic style for your bathroom vanity with these modern bathroom vanity lighting ideas!﻿

one transitional 3-light bath vanity light hung over mirror

Transitional BathroomVanity Lighting

Get the best of both worlds with these transitional bathroom vanity lighting ideas!﻿

three bath vanity lights hung above a mirror

Traditional BathroomVanity Lighting

Embrace classic comfort with these traditional bathroom vanity lighting ideas!﻿

Bathroom Vanity Lighting Ideas and Buying Guide

What You NEED to Know About Bathroom Vanity Lighting

Sizing

Placement

Your Vanity Lighting Style

Upward Lighting or Downward Lighting?

Lighting Temperature

Styles to Choose From

Modern Bathroom

Vanity Lighting

Transitional Bathroom

Vanity Lighting

Traditional Bathroom

Vanity Lighting

Ideas & Guides

Product Ideas

Room Ideas

Seasonal Ideas

Product Spotlights

Ideas & Guides

Product Ideas

Room Ideas

Seasonal Ideas

Product Spotlights