While it may seem like the bedroom is the getaway closest retreat when coming home from the long workday or it’s the go-to room when stressed, it isn’t necessarily the room people spend the most time in. Yes, you spend (hopefully) eight hours a night there sleeping, but when morning comes, and you begin to get ready for the day, where do you spend that time? For many, that room happens to be the bathroom. But if your bathroom’s design is a few decades behind on lighting, fixtures, it can make getting ready for the day or night into not-so-pleasant tasks.

One of the first rooms you enter when you wake up, and one of the last rooms you’re in before you say goodnight, having a bathroom that’s a calming retreat no matter what size or shape your bathroom is, is a necessity for every homeowner. (Well, at least to the Kelly Bros. design team it is.)

For starters, the right bathroom lighting in the right location can help relax you before going to bed at night, and make a morning routine seem less stressful. But the design for the lighting is what truly helps this task. Place lighting fixtures at eye level on either side of the bathroom mirror. To make the most of this bathroom lighting setup, place the lighting fixtures 36 inches to 40 inches apart from each other. However, before rushing out and purchasing the first sconces you lay your eyes on, make sure the amount of light is sufficient for your own bathroom. Plus, when choosing this design for bathroom lighting, you won’t have any spooky shadows cast over your face when looking in the mirror.

However, if you’re unsure of where to even start before changing the lighting fixtures in your bathroom, it’s best to consult a designer. (The team at Kelly Bros. is always happy to help!) The bathroom is the room where shaving is done, makeup is applied, and hair is brushed. You don’t want solely a wimpy nightlight in your bathroom — or any room for that matter.

To prevent your bathroom from having that washed-out, tired look overhead fluorescent lighting yields, there are four types of lighting to include.

• Task lighting illuminates the bathroom with ample lighting so you can complete routine tasks like shaving. The best option for this is a pair of lighting fixtures flanking the mirror or sink.
• Ambient lighting, given the context clues of its name, may not be the brightest, but it softens shadows by bouncing the light off the ceiling.
• Accent lighting is another design option that isn’t the best choice for bright light, but it provides a bathroom with depth and dimension no matter its size, and you don’t need elaborate lighting fixtures to achieve making a small bathroom look larger.
• Decorative lighting may seem superfluous, but who wants stark, utilitarian bathroom lighting? Feel free to talk to a designer about the atmosphere you desire for your bathroom, and this form of lighting can take a bathroom any room from dull to luxurious.

There’s no need to feel rushed in the morning or shield your eyes at night when entering the bathroom; creating a new design with the aid of the friendly and conversant team at Kelly Bros. will create a bathroom sanctuary. Contact us today to start your new design process.