Should bathroom vanity lights face up or down?

Most vanity lights can be mounted with lights pointed up or down. Remember to mount the fixture with the lights pointed up for ambient lighting and pointed down for task lighting.

Should lights face up or down?

If you're looking to light a very large room, upwards-facing lights will be more effective for diffusing light further, whereas downwards-facing lights would be sufficient if you're only lighting a small space. This would, however, also be subject to the primary use of the room.

Should vanity lights hang down over mirror?

Vanity mirror lighting should never overhang the mirror. Make sure the fixture isn't extended past the mirror to avoid down lighting, which will cast shadows on the face. Take advantage of accent lighting to create a warm glow.

Should light fixtures point up or down?

Size of the room

If you want to light a larger room, upward-facing lights will be more successful at diffusing light, whereas downward-facing lights will suffice if you only want to light a smaller area.

Should bathroom sconce be up or down?

Ideally, in order to cast the most flattering light on your face when looking in the mirror, sconces should be mounted at eye level on either side of your mirror. The sconce should also emit ambient light outwards, not directional light up or down.

Top 5 Questions

How to position vanity lights?

Lighting the Vanity Right

To eliminate shadows under the chin, eyes, and cheeks, fixtures should be mounted on either side of the vanity mirror (or on the mirror's surface, if it's large), 36 to 40 inches apart. The center of each fixture should be roughly at eye level, or about 66 inches above the floor.

Should vanity lights be above or beside mirror?

Place the vanity light bar 3 inches above the mirror for the most even illumination across your reflection. For a child's bathroom, keep the light at the standard height, but choose a wall-hung mirror that can be adjusted.

What is the best light position for a mirror?

Hang Opposite or Next to Windows to Amplify Light

Generally, hanging a mirror opposite a window will allow it to reflect the most light but placing a mirror next to a window will also capture and reflect a considerable amount of light too.

What direction is light most flattering?

Flat lighting occurs when the subject's chin directly faces the light source. This light direction is typically considered flattering even though shadows are minimized and most of the face is exposed.

Should vanity light be centered over sink?

If your vanity light fixture is going over a single sink bowl, the fixture should be at least ¾ the size of the length of the mirror. Center it above the sink, and never select vanity lights that exceed the length of the mirror.

What is the best lighting for a vanity in a bathroom?

Chose bulbs or LED fixtures that emit bright white light with a high CRI (around 90-100) for the most accurate colors. Bulbs in the 'soft white' range of 2700K – 3000K are recommended for general bathroom use, and makeup application in particular.

Where do you put bathroom vanity sconces?

Generally, we recommend placing wall sconces near a mirror as task lighting. When installing sconces on either side of the vanity, it's best to install bathroom sconces between 60”-65” from the floor. The height of the sconce should land just around eye level, preventing unflattering shadows or harsh glares.

How high should bathroom vanity light be above mirror?

Either way, the standard is to place vanity lights above mirrors at 75 inches to 80 inches from the floor to the center of the light fixture. This is for ceiling-mounted lights and for lights mounted to the wall above the mirror.

How do you position downlights in a bathroom?

Above the bath or shower to a height of 2.25m from the floor. Lights must be rated to at least IP45 (typically, IP65 is used). An area extending 60cm beyond the bath, shower and wash basin, up to 2.25m above the floor. Lights must be rated at least IP44.

How many lights should be on a bathroom vanity?

For double-sink vanities or those with wider countertops, a multi-light vanity fixture above mirror can be a good solution—choose a configuration of 2, 3 or 4 lights—and ensure the light is about ¾ the width of the mirror or no wider than the cabinet, regardless of how the mirrors are installed.

What is upward lighting vs downward lighting?

Uplighting refers to lights that are mounted to shine their light upward and are installed at low or ground level. Downlighting refers to lights that shine their light downward; so they would be installed at a higher to point to create this downward light effect.

What happens if you hook up a light fixture backwards?

The fixture still works if you reverse the wires, but the socket sleeve will be hot, and anyone who touches it while changing a bulb can get a shock. When wired correctly, the socket sleeve is neutral and only the small metal tab at the base of the socket is hot.

Where do you hang a light over a vanity mirror?

If you're working with an average-size medicine cabinet or mirror, place two lights on either side of the mirror at eye level, about 65 inches from the floor and a couple inches from the edge of your mirror. For a single light above the mirror, place it around 80 inches from the floor for an ideal height.

How long should a vanity light be above a mirror?

Many people choose vanity lights that are about 75 percent the width of the mirror and center the light above the mirror. For example: If your mirror is 36 inches wide, 75 percent of that is 27 inches, so a bath bar light of about 26 to 28 inches would work.

Is Uplighting or Downlighting more flattering?

If you want to add security and accentuate your home's features, then you want an uplight fixture. However, if you want to accentuate the features around the home, so it looks inviting and taller, then you want to purchase downlight fixtures.

Which way should under cabinet lights face?

Mounting & installation

Strip lighting or puck lights should be mounted to the underside of the upper wall cabinets toward the front. Because the wall cabinets are generally half the depth of the countertop, mounting the lights in the middle, or worse, at the back of the wall cabinets will reduce the lit area below.

Which direction should a mirror not face?

According to Vastu, mirrors should not face north or east. This may reflect away positive energy entering from the north or east direction. For a good health and peaceful sleep, mirrors should be avoided in bedrooms. According to Vastu, if there is a mirror in the bedroom then it should not face the bed.

Where should you not face mirrors?