People always seem to struggle with light in the bathroom; there never seems to be enough of it to see ourselves clearly. Luckily, recessed lighting can help a lot here, which is one reason for its popularity.
Recessed lighting is perfect for a bathroom because its fittings are hidden in the ceiling, away from moisture and steam. The lights can look stylish and match any decor you put in, and you can add ambient and accent light in all the places you need it most without cluttering up the room.
Recessed lighting has gained popularity over the last few decades, primarily due to the stylish and modern look they add to a room. But there are more important reasons than looks, and with a few tips and tricks, you can use recessed lighting in your bathroom to maximum effect. Let’s dive in to light up your bathroom.
Is Recessed Lighting Useful In A Bathroom?
As the name suggests, recessed lighting involves lights that are recessed into the room somehow. The most common use is in ceilings, where most of the light fitting is hidden above the ceiling and entirely out of sight, with only a tiny part of the light sticking out into the room.
Recessed lighting is trendy in living areas, like the living room or the kitchen, where it can add a stylish and modern look. But it is equally helpful in a bathroom, perhaps even more so.
Recessed Lighting Is Safe From A Bathroom’s Moisture
Bathrooms have water and moisture in various forms since the presence of water is what the room is best known for. And as we know, moisture and electricity don’t go well together.
Any builder, interior decorator, or electrician who knows what they’re doing will use lights that are safe for bathrooms. They must be adequately insulated against the steam that fills the room and condenses against the cooler surface of the light fitting.
But recessed lighting is ideal in many ways. Since the light has its fitting hidden within the ceiling, little to no steam will get to the wiring and main electrical bits, making recessed lights a much better option for bathrooms than conventional lights. Note that it’s still essential to use recessed lights that are safe to use in bathrooms, though.
Recessed Lighting Makes A Bathroom Look More Modern
People tend to think about the decor in their bathroom last. They will have an idea about themes for living areas and bedrooms, but often not for the bathroom. And yet, a well-decorated and modern bathroom can make you feel much more relaxed when you’re in there.
An essential part of modernizing your bathroom is using recessed lights. Traditional light fittings won’t look modern or “clean,” and the more classic look of a chandelier is better suited to the dining room. But lights that are stylishly fitted in the ceiling can add a beautiful style and modern look to the room.
A famous example of this is adding some recessed lights above your shower. Not only will this help you see more clearly as you’re washing, but stylistically there’s nothing like an elegant shower with light shining down from the ceiling.
Recessed Lights Can Add Ambiance To A Bathroom
Ambient light plays no small part in the atmosphere of a room. Bathrooms should be more than practical; they should also be able to set a mood of relaxation, calm, or even romance through the clever use of ambient light (one reason why candlelit baths are so popular).
Recessed lights aren’t limited to the ceiling. Clever designers can add lights to walls, the floor, or underneath furniture and decor to create an ambiance.
Many of us don’t even realize it, but we associate particular types of light with certain moods or atmospheres, like how a sunset can sometimes make us feel nostalgic and sad or calm and relaxed. Campfires, candles, and a cozy fireplace all conjure up different emotions in us.
Recessed lighting can create the atmosphere you want in your bathroom, where you can sometimes just relax and forget about the world in perfect privacy.
An added benefit to mention here is that recessed lighting takes up far less space in a room than traditional lighting. No fittings or light bulbs are getting in the way, which is particularly important in places like bathrooms that are often quite cramped in the first place.
Recessed Lighting Can Have Practical Uses In A Bathroom
Have you ever looked into your mirror, pampering or shaving, to find that the light hanging above your head isn’t cutting it anymore? You just can’t see enough to be sure that you got that last piece of stubble or adequately patched that dark spot with your foundation.
That’s where recessed lighting comes in. Since it isn’t limited to only being fitted into ceilings, you can place recessed lights inside the walls around or behind your mirror to give proper light where you need it most.
Recessed Lighting Can Be Difficult To Install In A Bathroom
So far, we’ve seen plenty of benefits to using recessed lighting in a bathroom. But what about potential disadvantages?
Unfortunately, due to the nature of a bathroom, it can be extremely difficult or close to impossible to install recessed lights. The walls (and often the ceiling) are often already full of pipes, so finding space for light fittings can be pretty hard. It’s also potentially dangerous to run electric wiring in these areas due to the risk of a water leak or burst pipe.
Considering that recessed lighting may also require quite a lot of drilling or cutting of holes in the ceilings or walls, it might be impractical to do so unless you completely remodel your bathroom. After fitting the lights, you may have to repaint the room, at the very least.
If this challenge seems impossible, it might be best to go for the more accessible alternative: LED disk lights. They can look like recessed lights, but instead of cutting into the walls or ceiling, you can simply stick or screw them in place. Some even run with batteries, avoiding the need to run electrical wiring through the innards of your bathroom.
At least, LED disk lights will give you some ways to create your ideal atmosphere until you can make a more permanent change to recessed lights.
