For years, light sources were only considered for their functional qualities. Now, its decorative functions are increasingly taken into account. The lighting in your bathroom is as important as any other room in your home. Despite its size, which may be small and without windows, this room does not necessarily have access to natural daylight, but needs a lot of it. It remains complex to illuminate due to safety standards and the locations of the luminaires.
The water feature must combine relaxation and functionality, so its lighting must be flexible and efficient. A rule of three minimum lights has been put in place to help place your lighting at home. Added to all this are security issues between water and electricity. The choice of bulbs, the location of the fixtures, the amount of light… all spotlights turn to bathroom lighting.
General lighting, the most important
The general lighting of your room is the most important, it is the basis of your luminous flux. Several types of luminaires are possible for global lighting.
- Wall lights for indirect or direct lighting.
- A ceiling light (very often, they are classified at rank 1 and therefore cannot be used in water features; despite everything, some are developed in class 2 or 3).
- Recessed spotlights.
- LED ribbons to be placed where you want for general or ambient lighting.
Functional lighting for everyday tasks
General lighting is essential for the luminosity of your room, but functionality is paramount in a water feature, so light should be. It illuminates at strategic points and more precisely the area around your washbasin cabinet since it is important to see yourself correctly in a mirror to put on makeup or shave. To place it, take the average height of the occupants of your home. It must be powerful enough to illuminate you without dazzling you as soon as you wake up, 500 lux will be sufficient. For this, 3 different alternatives are proposed:
- Directive wall lights to control your light points as you wish
- Directing spotlights also above your mirror to contemplate you. But beware ! Be sure to adjust them to the right height to obtain good lighting (neither too low nor too high), otherwise the light will not highlight you and the risk of glare will be greater. Point them towards the wall, not the floor.
- Third and last solution, mirrors with integrated lighting. It will allow you to diffuse an even light on your face without blinding you.
And ambient lighting to transform your bathroom!
In addition to general and functional brightness, ambient lighting is the last category of lighting type since it is less important than the others. However, it is necessary to have it to feel good in your bathroom lighting. It makes your room welcoming and very comfortable with its low power and decorative light. To take advantage of these effects, you have several options:
- A LED strip with small touches in white or colored.
- Connected bulbs that change color as you wish for a multitude of moods.
- Small spotlights to change the light atmosphere or to highlight an aspect of your furniture (the niche of a piece of furniture for example).
- A luminous shower head: very trendy at the moment, it allows you to send plays of light and convey the atmosphere you want. The color of the light emitted from it and its light output greatly influence our behavior and mood.
What about the link between electricity and water?
The light fixture in your bathroom must be adapted to the humidity of the room, or even waterproof. They are often specific to meet the criteria for adequate protection. Two protection indexes will allow you to select the right luminaire: IP protection and the NFC standard. The first is a degree of protection by the enclosure of an electrical device against solids and water intrusion.
As for the second, it defines the conditions of electrical installations in the house and is defined in 3 volumes ranging from 0 to 2 according to their proximity to water (the most dangerous being 0). The IP standard is different for each volume. Safety is very important, because water and electricity can cause serious accidents, which is why electrical installations must comply with these very specific safety standards.
| Volume of the room | Definition of space – Regulations |
| volume 0 | Bath or shower tray Lights strictly prohibited except those with at least an IPX7 rating (Example: IP67) |
| Volume 1 | Above the bath or shower up to 2.25 m Only lighting labeled at least IPX5 is authorized (Example: IP65) |
| Volume 2 | Distance of more than 60 cm around the shower tray or bathtub (always with a height of 2.25 m) Only lighting stamped at least IPX4 can be installed there (Example: IP44) |
| Volume 3 | Rest of the room that can benefit from lighting at least IPX1 (example: IP23) Class I and II lighting which is protected from sprays and splashes of water |
What types of bulbs for how many lumens?
On the bulb side, we recommend either LED lamps (or light-emitting diodes) or energy-saving bulbs. Go for models on homary.com! Energy-saving lights reduce your electricity bill and last longer than most light bulbs. However, they have a fairly long ignition time. Between the moment you press the switch and the moment when your room will completely light up, it can take a few tens of seconds.
As for LED projectors, they have a lifespan of 50,000 hours unlike an incandescent bulb which lasts 1,000 hours and halogens between 2,000 and 4,000 hours. They are therefore very ecological. The lighting is maximum and diffuses as soon as you turn it on for a very low consumption of 9 to 12 watts for an LED bulb of 800 lumens against 60 watts for an incandescent lamp and between 40 and 50 watts for a halogen bulb.
| Bulb type | Lifetime | Consumption |
|---|---|---|
| Incandescent bulb | 1000 hours | 60 watts |
| halogen bulb | Between 2,000 and 4,000 hours | 40 to 50 watts |
| LED bulb | 50,000 hours | 9 to 12 watts |
You will find them in all shapes and sizes. It also works at low voltage, so it does not heat up, which prevents you from getting burned. Last alternative: connected bulbs! Very trendy and really practical, these bulbs are controlled by a remote control or your smartphone or tablet. They revolutionize the world of lighting since you can change the mood whenever you want. Do you want a warm or cold atmosphere? Colored by the shades of your choice at the desired light intensity, this type of lamp will enhance your room and put you at ease for moments of relaxation.
Let’s move on to light output. We recommend that you count on 400 to 650 lumens per m². It is necessary that the amount of light is sufficient to illuminate you properly. For color rendering, opt for neutral white lighting. Two other color temperatures are possible: a warm white or a cold white. Cold lighting is suitable for bathrooms and warm lighting brings relaxation.
