Have you recently renovated your bathroom and are struggling to find the right size light fixture for your new 48-inch bathroom vanity? One of the most important things when changing or upgrading your vanity is to consider the size of the bathroom light fixtures, as the old lights will not be able to provide full illumination because your bathroom vanity size is bigger than before.
Vanity lights are an essential part of a bathroom. Nothing is more annoying than low lighting in the bathroom when getting ready for a meeting or any event because low lighting cannot show proper coloring in the mirror; it contains shadows and dark effects. To overcome this problem, you need good and proper lighting fixtures in your bathroom. The size of these light fixtures depends upon the size of your bathroom vanity, your bathroom, and the ceiling height.
Standard Size For Light Fixtures For Bathroom Vanities
Start your day with a properly lit bathroom; for proper lighting in the bathroom, some factors are very important to keep in mind before renovating your bathroom. The size of the lights depends on these factors; the main factor on which vanity lights depend is the size of your bathroom vanity. The size of vanity lights should be 75% of the total size of your bathroom vanity mirror; if you have a 48-inch vanity in your bathroom, then the size of the light fixtures for this vanity will be 75%. If you have 2 mirrors for each sink, you need 2 light bars for both mirrors, and the lights should be aligned to the center of the mirrors.
The lights should be placed 3 inches above the mirrors for proper illumination in your bathroom. The standard size of lighting fixtures not only depends on the mirror size of your bathroom vanity but if the height of your ceiling is higher or lower, the illuminations will be affected as it is reflected from the surface of the ceiling.
It is very important to consider all the factors before buying new lighting fixtures for your bathroom. If you plan to use sconces, then the sconces should be 18 inches long and placed 65 to 75 inches above the floor. If you require 2 sconces to cover the area of the vanity properly, then the gap between these should be 28 to 35 inches. But the gap and the size of these sconces can directly vary with the size of your bathroom and vanity.
Factors that affect the Lighting Bathroom
It would be best to consider the following factors when finding the right size light fixtures for your bathroom vanity for proper illumination. Let’s discuss these factors in detail.
Size Of The Vanity
Considering the size of the bathroom vanity is very important before buying new lighting fixtures for your bathroom. If the vanity size is bigger, you need bigger light fixtures for proper lighting, but this only works sometimes. The proper way is that the size of the light fixtures must be 75% of the overall size of the vanity or wider. This way, you can get the perfect lighting in your bathroom and proper illumination.
Ceiling Height In Bathroom
Another important factor to consider before choosing a light fixture for your bathroom is the height of your bathroom ceiling. If your bathroom ceiling is higher, you need taller light fixtures to get proper illumination in your bathroom; if you place the lights at a very low height, the illumination will cast shadows on every object.
On the other hand, if your bathroom ceiling is lower, then you need to place the lights at a proper low height to get perfect illumination on vanity mirrors and in the bathroom area; placing the light fixtures very close to the ceiling is going to provide such poor lighting in your bathroom containing shadows of every object placed in the bathroom.
Design of The Bathroom
Keeping in mind the design of the bathroom is also a very important factor; for smaller bathrooms, small light fixtures can also do a perfect job of providing the best illumination, but for bigger and larger bathrooms, you need big and proper lighting power to maintain the required illumination.
Bigger bathrooms mostly have a lot of objects and a big-sized bathroom vanity, so it’s a bit harder to maintain proper illumination. For this, you need a good size light bar over the mirror, and you can hang lights with a ceiling to eliminate shadows.
Personal Preference
Choosing the perfect light fixture also depends on your needs, so always consider your preference before buying new light fixtures for your bathroom. If you have a big bathroom and have to get ready every morning for a personal meeting or office, you must need very good illumination.
On the other side, few people don’t like super-lit bathrooms, as they prefer ambient and softer lighting in their bathroom, then even a small bulb can provide the required illumination. But if you like to have a properly lit bathroom every morning, you can add light bars over the vanity mirror and some hanging lights for more and proper illumination.
Types of Light Fixtures
Light fixtures have many types, and they also come in different styles. The main and most used lights are chandeliers, bar lights, and sconces. These fixtures provide proper illumination in your bathroom and change the look of your bathroom; their design is the main difference between them. Lights are available in different sizes and light temperatures so that you can choose from a huge selection of lights according to your preference. But you may need bulbs and a light bar for a 48-inch vanity with a double sink for proper illumination.
Sconces
Sconces is one of the best light fixtures used in every bathroom; this not only fixes the illumination problems but also enhances your bathroom’s overall grace and look.
These should be placed 65 to 75 inches higher than the flooring level. But the number of sconces changes with the type of bathroom vanity; if you have a single sink 48-inch vanity, you need at least one scone for your vanity to get proper illumination.
In the case of a 48-inch double sink vanity, you need two sconces placed on both sides of the mirror at a distance of 28 inches between them. The proper size of this light fixture you need is 18 inches for a 48-inch vanity. In the case of a double sink, you need two 18 inches of scones; with this, the size of the sconces increases and decreases with the size of the bathroom vanity.
Light Bars
The most commonly used light fixture is light bars. These contain light bulbs in them; the bulbs are attached to the base of these bars, and the number of bulbs in a light bar changes with the increase or decrease in the size of the bar.
For 48-inch single and double sink vanity, the size and number of bulbs in the light bar change with the size of the mirror. For a single sink, you only need one bar to attach over the mirror, but in a double sink vanity, you need two bars for both mirrors for proper lighting.
Chandelier
Another famous type of light fixture is chandeliers. This can also be used to fix illumination problems in your bathroom, but the size of the chandelier doesn’t depend on the size of the mirror or the size of the bathroom vanity. The size of this light fixture depends on the size of your bathroom. So it is important to keep the size of your bathroom in mind when choosing this type of light fixture.
If a 48-inch vanity plus the size of your bathroom is 8’x10′, this light fixture will be 18 inches. But you must remember that the chandelier’s finish is also very important when choosing this type of light fixture. If you choose the wrong finished chandelier, then the overall look of your bathroom will degrade.
Conclusion
Finding the proper size of light fixtures for your bathroom is very important. Consider all the factors above before choosing the size and type of light fixture for your bathroom. In the case of a 48-inch vanity, consider the size of the vanity and the size of your bathroom, but also keep in mind you must consider the type of vanity first, whether it is a single sink or double. With these considerations and factors, you will now be able to find the proper size and type of light fixture for any bathroom, regardless of the size of the bathroom vanity.
FAQs
Can you install bathroom vanity lights above the mirror?
Yes, installing a light above the mirror can be good for proper illumination, but it depends on the type of light fixture you choose. If you want to install lights above the mirror, then you need to choose light bars for this. You can not install a chandelier in this situation as it will affect the appearance of your bathroom and make the objects shadows.
How often should I clean my bathroom vanity lights?
Cleaning lights regularly is very important; you should clean your bathroom light daily to maintain proper lighting. If you don’t clean your lights, they will be covered with smoke and dust, affecting the illumination in your bathroom.