Bathroom lighting ideas – bright ideas to transform every bathroom

Lara Sargent

Lara loves writing about every aspect of the home – from the latest colour trends to emerging designs. She has a lot of experience writing about home trends and interior advice for leading titles such as The Telegraph, Metro, and Homes & Gardens.

Bathroom lighting is key to every successful bathroom design. You might take an age choosing the right basin or a specific colour of tile – but have you given much thought to your bathroom lighting?

Today’s bathroom is now a multifunctional space for relaxing and getting ready. An effective lighting scheme that provides both bright, task lighting and ambient mood lighting is crucial.

Be aware that there are strict regulations on what lights you can use in the bathroom with water and electricity in the same space, so we’ll cover this too.

Read on for our guide to the best bathroom lighting ideas.

Bathroom light design

Bathrooms need to function on different levels: for relaxing, bathing the family or an invigorating shower before you leave for work in the morning.

Consider bright targeted lighting for shaving and soft, diffused lights for a relaxing soak in the tub.

Your bathroom lighting ideas should include different types of lighting for different tasks. Stock up too on energy-saving LED bulbs which use around 80% less energy than traditional alternatives.

Here’s our bathroom light design top tips:

Plan it early

Planning is the key to effective bathroom lighting design. Plan your lighting at the very beginning of any new bathroom or bathroom remodelling project and get advice from a qualified electrician as to what you can and can’t do.

Avoid retrofitting bathroom lights at all costs. Ripping out tiles or chasing wires into walls is messy and costly.

Read our handy guide to new bathroom installation for information on average prices, timescales and inspiration.

Go for layered lighting

Elevate your design with a layered lighting scheme – this works whether you prefer a contemporary or vintage style bathroom.

You should aim for targeted task lighting around the vanity basin area to provide good, even illumination for shaving, getting ready or putting on make-up.

General ceiling lights create everyday bright lighting, and ceiling spotlights are ideal for this.

Install ambient lighting around a bath or in tiled wall niches to create a spa-like mood for relaxing in the tub.

Know your lighting regulations

Water and electricity don’t mix. That’s why there are strict regulations around what lights are safe to use in bathrooms.

Where in the bathroom you wish to install lighting is another key consideration. Check up on electrical safety regulations which divide bathrooms into zones.

Every bathroom light has an IP (ingress protection) rating suitable for a specific bathroom zone.

This starts at Zone 0 which is any area submerged in water such as inside a bath or shower tray. Lights installed here must have a minimum rating of IP67.

Zone 1 are lights installed right above the bath or shower, up to a height of 2.25m. A minimum of IP45 is required but IP65 is more generally used.

Zone 2 is the most common zone – an area up to 0.6m outside the bath or shower’s perimeter. Lights here should be IP44 rated.

Zone 3 is anywhere outside the zones above, with no splashes. There are no special IP requirements but it’s a good idea to use an IP20 light to be on the safe side.

Smart lighting

LED bathroom lighting is the most energy-efficient way to light your bathroom.

Look out for smart lighting controls with pre-programmed settings that can save energy and time.

Take the tech up a notch with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth compatible lights which will help you create a really bespoke lighting scheme via an app or voice-controlled settings.

Smart lightbulbs can be adjusted for operation time, brightness, intensity and colour temperature.

Ask your electrician about wireless lighting that turns on via motion-sensor controls – these are super easy to use and safe for nighttime use.

Bathroom ceiling lighting ideas

From barely-there, built-in spotlights to a statement chandelier, bathroom ceiling lighting is usually the main source of light.

Make sure the lights aren’t too white as this will create a harsh, clinical light in your bathroom. Experts recommend using between 2700k and 3000k (warm white) for the best colour temperature in the bathroom.

Remember that a layered lighting scheme will offer a really sophisticated edge in your bathroom design.

Here are some of the best bathroom ceiling lighting ideas:

Spotlights

Flush-fitting ceiling downlights are a popular choice. A simple grid pattern isn’t the only layout. Try highlighting certain features by positioning downlights accordingly. In larger bathrooms, fit spotlights on the perimeter of the room

Pendant lights

Inject a luxurious touch to a bathroom. Go for an oversized statement light as a focal point. Just make sure it has the correct IP rating.

Directional lights

Can help spotlight particular features of your bathroom design ideas. This is a great way to add an ambient lighting scheme with a gentle, diffused illumination.

Make a bold statement

Fabric pendant lights are not the best idea in the moist damp conditions of a bathroom. But you can make a statement with metal and glass overhead fittings.

Shower lighting ideas

Whether you have an over-bath shower or a separate, walk-in wet room, lighting up your shower area will create a luxe, spa-at-home atmosphere.

Shower lighting ideas are likely to come in Zone 0 or Zone 1, so you’ll need waterproof IP67 rated lights. Check with a bathroom designer or electrician before you purchase.

• Downlighters can be used over your shower or wet room – directional lights will give you more flexibility
• You can even embed spotlights in a shower tray or wet room floor for the seriously cool wow factor
• Hands-free lighting with touchless controls will inject a smart and luxurious accent
• Some high-end showers are fitted with built-in shower lights which can be adjusted between daylight and warm white
• As well as overhead shower lights, try hiding extra lights within bathroom shelves and niches within the shower

Bathroom lighting ideas over mirror

Every bathroom needs a bathroom mirror – and these tend to be hung over a basin or vanity unit.

To create a flattering, shadow-free light for getting ready in the bathroom, it is a good idea to install lights on the left and right sides of the mirror rather than from above.

Here are some style rules for bathroom lighting ideas over mirror:

• Decorative wall lights hung on either side of a mirror will create a more even illumination. These should be hung at eye level to prevent shadows
• For a vintage look, try wall lights in warmer metals with ribbed glass shades
• Avoid positioning downlighters directly above your head – it will cast shadows over your face
• Try lights on different circuits or on dimmer switches around a mirror. These can be switched on separately from the main light source for an ambient glow
• A bathroom mirror with built-in LED lighting is a good idea if you don’t have masses of wall space

Small bathroom lighting ideas

There are lots of ways to make the most of your space in a small bathroom. These include:

• Light up mirrored bathroom cabinets are a perfect space-saving piece of kit combining storage, mirror and lighting. Some even come with built-in Bluetooth speakers and a demister pad
• LED flexible strip lighting can transform a small bathroom and create a mesmerising glow around baths, vanity units and bathroom shelving
• You can’t go wrong with flush-fit ceiling lights for a barely-there glow. Just consider the positioning of the spotlights to get the most out of your design features
• Illuminate dark corners in your small bathroom to enhance the feeling of space
• Ceiling lights that have built-in extractor fans are key for shower rooms and mini bathrooms (especially those with no windows) to stop steam and moisture building up
• Lights on a dimmer switch are flexible and perfect for switching moods – an ideal choice if have a smaller bathroom and don’t have the space for an elaborate, layered lighting scheme

Which tradespeople should you use for the job?

This will depend on what exactly you wish to change about your bathroom.

If it’s just the lighting you want to upgrade, you’ll need the services of a qualified electrician.

For a new bathroom suite, you’ll need the expertise of a bathroom fitter.

A bathroom designer can expertly plan your new bathroom, including any tricky layouts.