Lighting in a bathroom

[Catalpa]

We need to provide a light in a bathroom to illuminate the face of anyone staring into the bathroom mirror. For various reasons this lighting needs to be located in the ceiling, not on the wall. It will be separately switched so it won't come on with the mail ceiling lights. The ceiling is about 2.5 metres high.

To get a good light onto the face (for shaving, applying makeup, etc) is it best to have the light directed into the mirror which is then reflected back into the face or is it best to direct light from above in the direction of the face... ie, not via the mirror.

[tj]

Hi

The light needs to be positioned so it illuminates the face, and does not reflect in the mirror, or shine directly into the eyes, in other words you should not be able to see it without actually looking at it.

hope that helps

[jc]

It works if you aim at the wall above the mirror;light then illuminates the face without glare.

[Simon]

Would something like this not work best?

Simon

[Catalpa]

Thanks for your thoughts so far. The idea of lighting the wall above the mirror could work - but it's stone so not an ideal surface to reflect light.

Simon, that mirror is exactly what we've got (and looks great) in a modern, streamlined shower room we've built. The bathroom I've mentioned is more "rustic" with half of one wall being exposed stone and granite above the basin. In order to retain that softer look, I know I'm going to have to find a compromise. The modern mirror with integrated lighting doesn't look right. A simple, very large, painted frame mirror does. It looks lovely, in fact. So I have to find the best compromise which gives the style of mirror I want, leaves the wall intact and sufficiently illuminates the face. But I'm not sure how best to do it. [:D]

[WJT]

Just did a quick search so not that these would be to your taste but just to demonstrate. Perhaps you could do something similar with lights on the wall either side of the mirror. I would imagine it would look lovely against a stone wall with a beautiful French mirror.

Just wish we had exposed stone walls in our bathrooms. Lucky you. [:)]

 

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[Catalpa]

Another good suggestion... but the stone wall is why I can't easily use wall lights. We'd have to channel through the stone for the wiring hence my comment about the lights needing to be in the ceiling. A nice bit of conduit down the wall is an option I've been rejecting so far. [:P]

[WJT]

Duh, pretty stupid of me, I should have realised. [:$] I know how messy channelling is, we are going through it at the moment out of necessity and it is a nightmare. Hopefully the bouncing off the wall theory will work. Good luck. [:)]

[George]

[quote user="Catalpa"]............ A nice bit of conduit down the wall is an option I've been rejecting so far. [:P]
[/quote]

Just a thought, what about UP the wall and then behind a splashback or something else.