Ambient Lighting in the Bathroom

Few people know what 'ambient' lighting is, whether it's a general light or another added layer of light in an entire lighting scheme. This makes it difficult to create ambient lighting in a bathroom setting, especially if one does not know what ambient lighting is to begin with.

What is Ambient Lighting?

This term typically refers to a group of lighting fixtures that work together to create a general illumination in a space. Depending on the room, this could include table and ceiling lamps in a bedroom or pendants, under cabinet lights and an overhead ceiling pendant in a kitchen.

Tips and Tricks for the Bathroom

Since ambient lighting refers to all of the light in a room working together, start at the vanity in your bathroom space. Your vanity should have what is called "cross illumination." Cross illumination is a trick in which two lamps such as wall sconces or pendant lights, are installed on either side of the mirror. A third one is installed over the top of the mirror, thus creating cross illumination. Cross illumination is ideal because it does not create any shadows on the face, which is ideal for makeup application and other self grooming, self primping tasks.

Next, it's important to remember that even if your bathroom is a small space, you'll still need to mix and match different lights together to create adequate illumination in the space. In a powder room, a single one may be suffice, but only if the bathroom is not regularly used for primping, such as makeup application or styling hair. Otherwise, multiple lamps are key for ambient lighting.

Decorative lighting is also a must in the bathroom space. Bathrooms are notorious for being difficult to decorate, which often leads to tacky shower curtains, cheesy bath rugs and perhaps a little glass statue or figurine on the countertop to "pull the look together." Instead, why not focus on the icing on the cake? Unique ways to do this include chandeliers, elegant wall sconces or even recessed lights to highlight specific architectural elements of the bathroom space.

Finally, don't forget to layer your lighting to create a unique atmosphere in your kitchen, dining room, living room, hallway and bathroom. It can make all the difference to your space and doesn't have to be expensive. This means incorporating multiple light fixtures into a single bathroom space to create said ambient lighting.

Emily Chadwick welcomes you to explore more light fixture and wall sconces possibilities at Arcadian Lighting!

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