The Perfect Lighting design: A Professional's Guide to Bathroom and Bedroom Lighting
Welcome! As a professional lighting designer with 15 years of experience in high-end residential projects, I’ve seen firsthand the transformative power of a well-planned lighting scheme. It’s more than just flicking a switch—it’s about creating a mood, enhancing a space, and improving your daily life.
To help you understand the principles I apply to every project, I've created two detailed guides for two of the most important rooms in your home: the bathroom and the bedroom.
Lighting for a Sanctuary: Your Bedroom
Your bedroom is your personal sanctuary, a place for rest and relaxation. The lighting here should be soft, layered, and flexible. It’s not about a single, harsh overhead light, but about creating different zones for different tasks.
Take a look at my ideal bedroom lighting plan:
Ceiling Pendant: A central pendant, positioned over the bottom third of your bed, serves as a beautiful focal point. I recommend a pendant that is 400-600mm wide, made from a material like fabric or wood to diffuse the light and create a warm glow. The key is to suspend it at a height of 1200mm to avoid glare and keep it proportional to the bed.
Baffled Downlights: These are the workhorses of a good lighting scheme. By placing baffled downlights 200mm from the wall, you wash the walls in light, making the room feel larger and more inviting. For a standard double room, I suggest a 4x6 grid. The magic is in the details: use "dim to warm" LED's. These lights change from a crisp, brighter colour temperature to a warm, cozy one as you dim them, perfectly mimicking the feel of an incandescent bulb.
Bedside Lighting: This is crucial for comfort and functionality. Instead of just a single lamp, I recommend a combination of task lighting and ambient light. An LED "bendy" reading light attached to a frosted glass or lampshade provides focused light for reading without disturbing a partner. Positioning this alongside a switch with a built-in USB socket on your bedside drawers (at a height of 650mm) puts everything you need right at your fingertips.
Lighting for Function and Form: Your Bathroom
The bathroom requires a different approach—it needs to be bright and functional for tasks like shaving or applying makeup, but also capable of a softer, more relaxing atmosphere for unwinding in the bath. My design balances both needs perfectly.
Task Lighting at the Vanity: The most important light in a bathroom is over the mirror. A backlit LED mirror with a demister pad is a game-changer. I recommend a round mirror of 600/900mm to provide excellent illumination for your face without casting harsh shadows. For an extra touch of warmth, a hidden 2700K dimmable LED tape under the vanity unit adds a luxurious feel.
General Illumination: A set of 4000K LED downlights provides the clean, bright light you need for daily tasks. The quantity (6-8) depends on the size of your bathroom. These should have a high lumen output, around 600-800 lumens, to ensure the space is well-lit.
Two low level inset LED guide lights next to the wc controlled by a flush mounted PIR sensor over the door. Set the timer for 2 mins and when you use the toilet at night a gentle wash of light will come on for you to use the bathroom. Then they will turn off by themselves. Use 2700k LEDs and no more than 100lm each. At night you do not need a lot of extra light for a short bathroom break. This will also not wake you up and if the lighting is connected to a timer fan this will also mean you don't have the added noise of a fan running for 5 mins.
Creating Ambiance: Don't forget the details! An alcove with a 600/1000mm wide LED tape (2700K) placed at a height of 1200mm provides a beautiful feature and a softer light for unwinding. Its a great place to keep your shampoo and Molten Brown. Convenient and useful.
Ready to Transform Your Home?
These two examples are just a glimpse into the art and science of professional lighting design. The right scheme can add value to your property and, more importantly, a new level of comfort and enjoyment to your home.
I am Fraser Besant, and my passion is helping people discover the perfect light for their lives. If you are building, renovating, or just looking to improve your home, don't leave your lighting to chance.
Take the next step and book a personal consultation with me at my showroom.
Together, we can create a bespoke lighting design that is tailored to your unique style and needs.
Fraser’s House of Lighting
33 Zetland Road
Bristol, BS6 7AH
Contact me today to book your appointment:
Phone: 01179425355
Email: sales@ablectrics.com
I look forward to helping you light up your home.
