Dark Bathrooms Benefit From Artificial Light
To keep the bathroom well lit at night, and for light that is strong enough yet flattering for grooming purposes, there are 3 kinds of artificial light. You will need general, or ambient (for overall illumination), task (for specific areas where precise light is required), and accent (for creating a mood). "If the space is small and the mirror large," says Jhung, "good task lighting can brighten the whole room. A strip of glare-free lights around the top and sides of the mirror, or two lights around the top and sides of the mirror, or two lights placed on each of its sides will cast faces in good grooming light." But don't stop here. Carefully select the types of bulbs you will use. Keep in mind the effect you wish to achieve, and what it is you need from various light sources. Fluorescent bulbs cast a diffuse, shadowless light, which is great for general illumination. They also are energy efficient. But, unfortunately fluorescent bulbs are not the most flattering source of illumination as they tend to make things (like your face) look bluish and bland. A newer kind of fluorescent bulb called deluxe warm white or "incandescent fluorescent," appears warmer and more natural and flattering in color, but is still not quite as pleasing as a true incandescent bulb. Why? Incandescent bulbs, like sunlight, emit what is called "full-spectrum light," or light that contains all the colors. Only a portion of a conventional fluorescent bulb has this quality. However, the light from an incandescent bulb is even warmer than sunlight. That is what makes it so appealing in a room, to our skin coloring, and to our psychological level of comfort. The drawbacks: this type of bulb uses a lot of electricity and produces a lot of heat. It also can be hard on the eyes if mounted unshaped at eye-level. The halogen bulb, a more recently developed type of incandescent bulb, produces brighter light at a lower wattage. These bulbs are not interchangeable with conventional because their heat output requires special shielding, but they are gaining popularity. Boico recommends the new deluxe warm-white fluorescents for general illumination, as well as for task lighting. Consider installing the bulbs on either side of a mirror for applying makeup and for general grooming tasks. Soffit lighting, where the bulbs are mounted inside a diffusing cover, such as an acrylic panel, provides a pleasing, comfortable, even spread of illumination.
Accent Lighting Employ them to highlight artwork or to create romantic shadows on a wall from beneath a tall plant. Install a string of low-voltage mini lights around the perimeter of a mirror to produce pretty little points of reflection. Emphasize the dramatic curve of a countertop or the fluid lines of a shapely bath surround. Don't forget one or two approved vapor lights installed above the bathtub (incandescent lamps with waterproof lens covers) for reading during a leisurely soak. They make great task lights inside a shower, too. At night, floodlights mounted into skylight shaft can mimic the effect of daylight streaming down into a bathroom; mini lights can affect starlight. Do not dismiss the attractive affect of outdoor lighting on a bathroom that opens to a garden, leads to a spa, or overlooks a pretty landscape. Several outdoor lighting effects are particularly pleasing from indoors: "moonlighting" (light aimed down through trees), "silhouetting" (light aimed from behind or below trees), is especially romantic. Even standard landscape lighting devices can enhance the view from indoors.
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Written by Kathie Robitz
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