Bathroom Lighting

Many of us do not consider the importance of good bathroom lighting. The bath is usually one of the smallest rooms in a home yet it is used by every family member numerous times a day. This area needs proper lighting for applying makeup, shaving, styling hair and daily hygiene tasks.

There are three types of light sources that should be considered when looking for bathroom lighting: task, ambient and accent lighting. Task lighting is basically a light source that helps illuminate the area during tasks such as shaving and makeup application and removal. These lights are best used in conjunction with the mirror and the shower area.

You will want your task lighting to be even and not shadow-producing. Light fixtures on each side of the mirror offers the best light source without casting shadows. If you can not utilize side lights, overhead lighting can be used as long as the bulbs are around 150 watts and there are at least three lights to distribute shadow-free lighting.

Recessed bathroom lighting for mirrors is not a good idea because they will cast shadows. If your shower area does not have a glass stall, recessed lighting works well. You will want a glass lens over the recessed light. These are also useful for over the toilet.

Ambient light is the filler light. These lights fill in the shadowed areas. You could think of ambient light as the substitute for natural daylight. The center ceiling mount light is the usual choice. The bulb can be 80 to 100 watt. Ambient light is softer than task bathroom lighting.

One interesting idea for ambient bathroom lighting is to use the rope lights or “cove” lights. These are lights that are hidden behind molding and fixtures. This light source radiates a soft glow throughout the room without the use of a ceiling light.

Accent bathroom lighting is the use of a single light to draw attention to a particular object. Often times Accent lighting is used for paintings or statues. Accent lighting is not a very practical light option for small bathrooms.

A great way to conserve energy is to use dimmers. Setting a dimmer light at a lower setting than 100 percent will save on your energy bill. Safety is also very important. Water and electricity are often dangerous companions and consulting a professional before relighting your bathroom is always a good idea.

Using task, ambient and accent light sources in layers is the key to effective bathroom lighting that allows function and comfortable space as your bathroom.

Bathroom Floors

Even though I understand that bathroom floors are meant to take the abuse of the bathroom, there is something about large puddles of water on the floor in my bathroom that drives me crazy. I’m not talking about what happens after someone steps out of the shower, or perhaps the result of someone spilling something, I am talking about my daughter’s refusal to stop splashing while she is in the bathtub. I don’t know if I would be more angry if this were my house, but I understand that my landlord may not appreciate the water damage that is happening.

It seems that my daughter has a mental block when it comes to following directions. I know many parents would say the same thing, and I know it is not just my daughter. I have told her repeatedly that she cannot splash water onto the bathroom floors while she’s taking a bath. I do realize that some splashing can occur, but she goes out of her way to make a huge mess. Every time she takes a bath the bathroom floors end up being soaked. She is five years old, and there is absolutely no reason why I should have to sit in the bathroom with her to monitor her every move. Apparently though, this might be something that I have to do.

I realize that she is not old enough to understand what water can do to bathroom floors. Yes, we have linoleum on our bathroom floors, and this protects the wood underneath from the water. However, the flooring was not installed as well as it should have been, and some of the water that she is throwing on the floor is seeping down underneath the linoleum. No matter how many times I explained to her why she cannot splash so much, she still continues to do it as if it were something new and exciting. I often wonder if she is rebelling at the age of five.

My husband suggests that if I act as if the water on the bathroom floors meant nothing, that she would soon stop doing it. After he finished speaking, I allowed myself at least ten minutes to laugh before I corrected him. Though this may work with some children, this does not work with my daughter. I have tried to be calm, and have tried to ignore certain situations hoping that they would correct themselves, but this is never worked for her. She simply does what she wants, and this includes flooding the bathroom floors whenever she takes a bath.