Bathroom vanity lighting is usually done in three stages - General lighting that illuminates everything; Task lighting that lights up a particular place brightly for specific tasks such as shaving, reading or grooming; and Accent lighting that highlights the bathroom decorative accessories such as an artistic piece, potted plants or a painting. The two main bathroom vanity light fixtures that are mainly used in bathroom light decor are incandescent lights and fluorescent bathroom light fixture. Incandescent lights are small, bright and generate height and can be used for surface mount lighting, recessed lighting and can be suspended from the wall or ceiling. Fluorescent lighting is cooler and generates very little heat but it is too sharp and needs to be balanced well for a better look.

One should make sure that bathroom vanity lighting, irrespective of its style, should cast no shadows and be almost uniformly distributed throughout the bathroom. In daytime, you can make good use of natural sunlight and save electricity and money. Bathroom vanity with at least one outside wall and a small window may have access to good amount of natural light. You may get more light by adding a skylight, enlarge the side windows or install a high cluster window to your bathroom. Direct sunlight is usually bluish white and reflective surfaces such as mirrors can be placed strategically to help it reach the entire bathroom while the bathroom design that gets indirect sunlight generally picks up the main color that dominates the bathroom such as the color of the bathroom tiles or vanity.

To avoid the glare caused by sunlight reflecting from the glossy and smooth-textured surfaces, it is advisable to use fixed or moveable diffuse panels such as window blinds or coverings on special window shutters to cut down on some of the direct sunlight or you may cut it out altogether, using sunshades or awnings. While drafting a plan for bathroom vanity lighting and bathroom light decor, there are a few things that you should always keep in mind. Soft lighting with light color schemes makes the bathroom look larger and more spacious. It is advisable to use bathroom lighting color that is similar to the colors used in the bathroom rather than complimentary colors that clash with them. Use flat light color or recessed lighting fixtures while decorating bathrooms with low ceilings.

Avoid glare by exposed light bulbs, especially at eye level, by covering the bulbs with shades and coverings. Bathroom vanity lighting for bathrooms with high ceilings can be done using larger suspended bathroom light fixture that seems to add depth to the room volume. Avoid shadows. You can use two or more light fixtures in conjunction to give the effect you want. Small light fixtures may cast sharp shadows, so accompany them with large light sources for diffused lighting and shadows. Soft bathroom lights have calming effect while bright lights in your bathroom vanity will invigorate and stimulate you. Dim lights and lights in somber colors tend to be depressing while cool light colors in the bathroom make one feel restless while warm light colors are more cheerful. Bathroom vanity lighting should ideally use both task lights and ambient lights and avoid shadow areas.

The popular trend of lighting decor drifts towards recessed lighting fixtures while you can install a dimmer switch so that you can control the brightness of the lights in the bathroom according to your preference and mood. To illuminate the mirror, it is better to use bathroom strip lights on either side of the mirror that mounting a light fixture on top of the mirror for better visibility. Frosted globe bulbs vanity strips minimize shadows and fluorescent lights make skin tones look better. Fluorescent lights are durable, come in beautiful colors and save energy. In the powder room, decorative wall sconces on either side of the mirror look charming. Good bathroom vanity lighting décor means that you can operate lights independently according to your mood and nature of the bath space. Vanity countertops and sinks should use high wattage task lights while background lighting can use under-cabinet strip lights and dimmer switch lights for ambient lighting to add a touch of elegance and functionality to your bathroom.