WORDS Debbie Loots PHOTO Dook
It’s no fun waking up only to be greeted in the glaring bathroom light by a stranger squinting in the mirror. While there’s nothing to do about the stranger, there’s much ado about the light, according to three local experts.
Francesco Abbate
Spazio
- It is better to install light fittings on each side of the mirror, approximately 80cm apart.
- Avoid putting downlighters above the mirror as they will create vertical shadows over your face.
- When choosing a light fitting to install in your bathroom, make sure that the light source (bulb) is quite powerful, in order to give good illumination, and that the colour temperature of the light source is warm white (3 000 Kelvin).
- Ensure that the light fitting is outside of your peripheral vision to avoid glare.
READ MORE: 5 Bathroom Design Trends to Look Out for in 2022
Paul Pamboukian
Paul Pamboukian Light Design
- General lighting tends to wash over everything, so put the light where needed.
- Position the bathroom vanity mirror light roughly at head height to shine directly on the face. Front light irons out the folds and topographical contours of the face.
- Use a variety of individually controlled lights in different positions. Dimming in a bathroom is essential for creating mood.
- Candlelight creates the most comforting and relaxing ambience and is also handy during load-shedding. Why not go for decorative, permanently mounted candle fixtures?
READ MORE: How to Design a Guest Bathroom
Gibbie Fajardo
LEDS-C4
- The bathroom is one of the most difficult areas in the home to light and it is therefore very important to achieve the correct lighting balance between task – or functional – and ambient light.
- For functionality, wall-mounted fluorescent-type fittings that emit light forward are the best way to lighten vanity mirrors for make-up and shaving purposes.
- To create a comfortable ambient effect, the use of indirect light is most suitable. Using LED strip lighting behind the mirror and under the vanities creates a soft and floating effect.
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