Bathroom Lighting
Choosing the Right Components for Your Bathroom
Today’s bath is evolving. No longer a room to be hidden away, the design concept of the super bathroom has changed people’s perceptions of bathrooms. Keeping pace with the fresh, clean new look lighting has also changed. Bathroom lighting is no longer a lighted ceiling exhaust fan; lighting frames the setting, giving it context.
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The old concept of a bathroom with a commode, sink, and shower or tub in a dimly-lit tiled room is quickly going the way of the pantry and root cellar. High-end over-sized superbathrooms can occupy several hundred square feet – or more. Varied design elements, such as: furniture actually designed to be comfortable, fireplaces and exterior walls with wide-open vistas visible through floor-to-ceiling glass; have created significant challenges for properly engineered, compatible lighting and other fixtures designed for high-humidity applications.
Corner commodes, bidets, wall mounts and intriguing tank treatments have enabled reallocation of space, without sacrificing privacy by creative use of partitions and room dividers. Concurrently, the redesign of the space has provided the re-introduction as the bath tub as a social setting.
This is not to suggest intimacy or privacy has been totally sacrificed, it is simply being redefined. Much as kitchen remodeling has altered form without impairing function, the superbath is a logical evolution of a room to its optimal state. For example, modern kitchen cabinets have been redesigned to improve access, increase storage and facilitate functionality. The same is valid with the new concepts in bathroom layout and design.
Creative use of bathroom wall space does not alter the necessity of installing proper tile in areas that are likely to become wet in normal use. Just as the modern kitchen incorporated formed composite counter tops, traditional kitchen tile is still used as a practical and decorative splash panel mounted to the wall over the sink.
Bathroom lighting can be problematic for a number of reasons. High-humidity, proper and safe installation and placement, and easy access for cleaning are all requirements that need to be considered. Additionally, lighting is used to set the tone and mood of the modern bath. For example, in areas where make-up is applied, high-intensity lamps, filters and fixtures are essential. Dimmers and Ground Fault Interrupt (GFI) technology is strongly advised in any bathroom setting.
Consultation with qualified and experienced architectural, interior, and electrical designers will ensure the proper mood and tone are set without sacrificing safety and convenience.
