For functional and visually pleasing lighting in a bathroom, work these strategies into your lighting plan:

Prevent vanity shadows:

Remember when you were a kid and you could make a spooky face by shining a flashlight under your shin? That’s exactly the effect you do not want when applying makeup, shaving or fixing your hair at the bathroom vanity. Unfortunately, many people light the vanity space with a single light mounted above the mirror that shines down over the sink. The result: a scary face with dark shadows under your eyes, nose and chin. It lights up your forehead and the rest of your face falls into shadow. And, the first thing in the morning, you do not want to look 10 years older!

The best way to illuminate the vanity is to place two wall-mounted fixtures on either side of the mirror at eye level. This creates cross illumination. Custom Baths recommends 100 watts of light per fixture in a master bath, and 40 watts per fixture in a powder room.

Fancy up the tub:

Accent lighting, such as a mini chandelier hung over the tub, will dress up the space and offer a warm glow. It adds a lot of elegance.

Light a footpath:

Toekick lighting installed underneath base cabinets provides soft illumination at night. This low-level light is hidden under countertops and cabinets and allows you to navigate the bathroom in the middle of the night without making your eyes tear.

Jazz up a mirror:

Backlight a mirror by wrapping lighting around the back side. The result is a halo effect around the mirror. It’s an easy way to light the bathroom without turning on general lighting. Keep in mind, this backlight is not a replacement for functional task lighting at the vanity.