Lighting is always at the forefront of any plans made by a bathroom designer because bathroom lighting needs to be both practical as well as beautiful. The atmosphere that a bathroom designer is able to create by using different lighting effects can greatly enhance the rest of the design. Whatever your goal, using both natural light (if available) and different sources of artificial light, there is no boundary to the different moods that can be created.
When designing a bathroom lighting scheme, care needs to be taken that all the fixtures are IP rated in accordance to the installation location in the room. UK building regulations dictate the areas where one must use higher IP rated fittings. This is most commonly demonstrated by entirely enclosed fittings above a shower. Of course, currently in the UK it is not permissible to have use regular light switches inside bathroom or have any sockets. Many bathroom designers would specify low voltage IP rated LED installations in certain areas of the bathroom not only to explore the aesthetically pleasing effect that can be achieved with LED mood lighting, but also due to the enhanced safety provided by the low voltage system. There are many mandatory rules governing electrical installations in residential bathrooms and a bathroom designer would be well placed to advise you.
As well as producing a practical lighting scheme, a good bathroom designer will be able to design a lighting scheme that is also flattering. Task lighting in the vicinity of the mirror should be diffused and multi-direction in such a way that it provided adequate visibility but doesn't cast a shadow over the face. Bathroom designers use methods such as installing wall lamps at head height on either side of the mirror to work in conjunction with general overhead lighting in order to provide enough illumination for clients to be able to easily apply makeup or shave. Another great method for enhancing the amount of light around the washbasin area is to install a mirror with built-in lighting. These are available in many styles today and can even be sourced with additional features such as a heated demister pad or a shaver socket. The great advantage of having a shaver socket as part of the mirror is that it reduces the amount of time spent planning and cutting a socket into the tile!
Depending on the client's tastes, the colour of the tile and furniture, and the configurations of the space, a bathroom designer will come up with a colour of light that best suits the scenario. Light bulbs and LEDs come in a wide variety of colours of white, and while a cool white might be more suited to a room with darker tiles and modern furniture, a warmer white could be perfect for a bathroom with a lot of white and beige.
The use of natural lighting in a bathroom can be a challenge as a bathroom designer has to weigh the benefits of clear glass against the need for privacy. For this reason, skylights are incorporated into top-floor bathrooms whenever possible to provide a natural and very useable light source during the day. At night, after a long day in the office, dimmable lighting could be a great asset to help wind down. Speak to a London bathroom designer for help in creating a combined lighting scheme that strikes the perfect balance between functionality and beauty.
London based Bathroom Designer Company - Global Interior Design
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