Our Guide to Over Mirror Bathroom Lights

In your bathroom, there are many ways to incorporate bathroom wall light fixtures. One of the ways is over mirror bathroom lights. Light over mirrors can not only improve the appearance of a bathroom but can also make it easier to perform tasks such as grooming. Read on to learn more about LED bathroom over mirror lights.

 

What Are Over Mirror Bathroom Lights?

Bathroom over mirror lights, often called over mirror vanity lights or just vanity lights, are lights that are installed over the mirror in the bathroom. These are technically the source of the task lighting in the room. They are positioned to help make it easier to see yourself as you perform grooming tasks and get ready for the day.

Vanity wall lights come in all different styles and sizes. Which bathroom wall light ideas will resonate with you comes down to personal preference and the style of bathroom that you have. The size of the mirror may also dictate the above mirror bathroom light that you choose.

 

How To Choose the Best Vanity Lighting

There are a few things you should take into consideration when choosing your light over mirror bathroom fixture:

 

• HOW MUCH LIGHT YOU NEED. When determining the light over mirrors in your bathroom, you’ll need to think about just how much illumination you’ll need. If there is no natural light in the bathroom, you may need brighter lights.

A light over bathroom mirror cabinet may also not be enough to illuminate the entire bathroom. Therefore, it is best to use vanity lighting as one of the layers of light in the room.

• CHOOSE THE BEST SIZE. Pay attention to the size of the mirror. If you are choosing a light bar, be sure that it is not wider than the vanity itself. Longer vanities may need multiple smaller lights to provide enough light. Double sink bathrooms tend to look best with a light over each of the sinks. If the mirror is small, you can place a smaller light on either side of it.

• CHOOSE THE BEST BULBS. One of the benefits of using LED lights for your LED mirror lights bathroom fixtures is that you can choose the colour of the light. You will want to pay attention not just to the brightness, or lumens, but also the colour temperature.

• PICK THE BEST FINISH. The colour scheme or style of the bathroom should determine what finish the light should have. Usually, black or metallic finishes will look best in bathrooms of all kinds.

• DECIDE ON THE STYLE. With spotlights, wall sconces, bar lights and others to choose from, you’ll need to decide which among them best suits the appearance of the bathroom.

 

Best LED Colour for Bathroom Over Mirror Lights

Mirror lights for bathrooms have colour temperatures that work best for them, just like lights in any other room of the house. Colour temperature refers to the warmth or coolness of a light in degrees Kelvin. The higher the rating, the cooler and bluer the light. The lower the rating, the warmer the colour.

It is recommended that you choose warm white light for your bathroom lighting. This will ensure that the bathroom light is flattering while also being relaxing to stand under for long periods. Specifically, it is recommended that you choose lights between 2700k and 3300k for this purpose.

 

Do Bathroom Mirror Lights Need to Be IP Rated?

IP ratings indicate the light’s ability to remain protected against moisture and debris. Bathrooms have various zones that require light fixtures to have certain IP ratings. Typically, traditional bathroom mirror lights will be located in Zone 3. This zone doesn’t necessarily require any IP ratings to protect it.

 

What Are Bathroom IP Ratings?

As mentioned, IP ratings are what tell you about the lights protection against particulates. “IP” stands for Ingress Protection. The first number in an IP rating lets you know how protected it is against solids like dust, and the second number shows its protection against moisture.

First Digit – Solids

 

0  –  No protection from solid objects

1  –  Protected against solid objects larger than 50 mm

2  –  Protected against solid objects larger than 12 mm

3  –  Protected against solid objects larger than 2.5 mm

4  –  Protected against solid objects larger than 1 mm

5  –  Protected against dust

6  –  Completely protected against dust

 

Second Digit – Moisture

 

0  –  No protection from liquids

1  –  Protection against condensation or vertically falling water droplets

2  –  Protection against sprays of vertical water up to 15 degrees

3  –  Protection against sprays of vertical water up to 60 degrees

4  –  Protection against sprays of water from any direction

5  –  Protected against jets with low pressure water from any direction

6  –  Protected against jets of high pressure water

7  –  Protected against immersion between 15 centimeters and one meter

8  –  Protected against long periods of immersion

 

What Are Bathroom Zones?

The zones of the bathroom are different areas that require different IP ratings. Below, you will find a breakdown of these zones to consider alongside bathroom lighting ideas over mirror planning:

• ZONE 0. This zone is within the shower or the bath itself. The lights used in this area have to be rated a minimum of IP67.

• ZONE 1. This area is above the bath as high as 2.25 meters from the floor. It is recommended that you use an IP65 rated light.

• ZONE 2. This area extends .6 meters outside of the bath’s perimeter up to 2.25 meters from the ground. Here, an IP44 minimum rating is recommended.

• ZONE 3. This area falls outside of any of the above zones and is where you will most often find LED vanity lights. There is no rating required, but it never hurts to be safe and choose a rated light just in case.

 

Why Are LED Mirror Lights the Best Choice?

As opposed to traditional bulbs, LED lights are the best choice for over mirror lighting. There are several reasons that this type of bulb is superior to other bulbs. They include:

 

• LONG LIFESPAN. LED lights can last for a minimum of 20,000 hours but often shine for much longer. This is several times longer than a traditional bulb, so you won’t have to constantly be changing them.

• SAVE MONEY. Since you won’t have to purchase new bulbs constantly, this will save on upfront costs. This is before you even consider the energy savings and therefore budget savings you can enjoy.
  

• ENERGY EFFICIENT. LED bulbs use far less energy than traditional bulbs. Not only is this better for the environment, but it is also better for your energy bills. Replacing all of the bulbs in your home with LEDs can save up to 60 percent in energy, and this also applies to mirror lights.

• NO HEAT OUTPUT. Traditional bulbs turn over 90 percent of the energy they consume into heat. LED bulbs, on the other hand, hardly output any heat at all. This can make the bathroom mirror area feel more comfortable while also lessening the strain on your air conditioning unit, saving you money. This can also improve the safety of the lights.

• PLENTY OF FLEXIBILITY. LED lights are unique in their colour temperature options. This will allow you to choose if you want warm or cool lights in the area. You can also pick from different lumens, or brightness, to suit your taste.

 

How To Position LED Over Mirror Bathroom Lights

If you want your lights to look their best, the position of the lights is important. There are two places you can place these lights: above the mirror and on either side of it. Below, you’ll find general rules of thumb for installing these lights:

• Mount lighting above the mirror at a height of 75 to 80 inches from the floor to the middle of the fixture.

• Mount lighting on either side of the mirror 64 inches from the floor to the bottom of the fixture.

• Mount two sconces by spacing them 36 to 40 inches apart.

 

How To Integrate LED Mirror Lighting with Other Bathroom Lighting

LED mirror lighting serves as the task lighting in your bathroom. You can layer it with other lights, such as ambient and accent lighting, to create a well-lit space.

 

• PENDANT LIGHTS. Choose large pendant lights to hang from the ceiling to cast general light over the space and prevent shadows.

• WALL SCONCES. Adding wall sconces can light up darker areas of the bathroom while also adding style.

• MOOD LIGHTING. You can install dimmer switches in various areas of the bathroom, even alongside mirrors, to create gentle mood lighting.

• SPREAD THE LIGHT. By installing lights across the wall from the bathroom mirror, you can light up smaller, darker bathrooms by bouncing the light around through the reflection.

• LIGHT UP MIRROR CABINETS. If you have a mirrored cabinet, you can line the shelves of the cabinet with a faint glow of a strip light to elevate the appearance and spread the light even further.

 

Why You Should Use High CRI LEDs for Over Mirror Lighting

CRI ratings are important for mirror lights for one main reason: you want to look the same indoors as you do outdoors. By choosing a light with a high CRI, you can be sure that the colours you see in the mirror will be what you see when you walk out into the sun, preventing mismatching.

 

What Is CRI?

CRI, or colour rendering index, indicates how accurately a light displays the colours that it shines on. It is a measurement that goes from 0 to 100. CRI ratings between 95 and 100 are considered excellent and showcase colours the most accurately. These are the ideal ranges you want to shoot for, but anything between 80 and 95 is also considered to be good CRI.

 

How Big Should Bathroom Over Mirror Lights Be?

There are two main styles of vanity lights that are available for use. Below are the recommended sizes for each of them.

Bar Lights

If you choose a bar light for your bathroom mirror, measure the width of the mirror. This will be the maximum size that your bar light should be. Most people tend to go for about 75 percent of the mirror’s length when choosing bar lights.

Wall Sconces

Generally, you want to stick to the following guidelines:

• Small bathrooms should have sconces no taller than 12 inches.

• Medium bathrooms should have sconces no taller than 18 inches.

• Large bathrooms can get away with sconces that are 19 inches or high.

 

What Height Should a Bathroom Mirror Be?

First and foremost, the mirror should be at a height that makes it functional and easy to use. This can be determined by the height of the people who will be using the room. Aim to place the lighting where each person who will be using the mirror can clearly see their entire face.

If you are installing a mirror over a vanity or sink, it is recommended that you mount the mirror only a few inches higher than the tallest point of the vanity’s faucet. This means positioning it about five to 10 inches above the sink.

 

How High Above a Bathroom Vanity Mirror Should the Lights Be?

The most common height for a light above a mirror is approximately 75 to 80 inches, as mentioned, from the floor to the middle of the light fixture. This is just a standard guideline, however; you may want or need to change it according to the height of your specific vanity and mirror arrangement. If you want to light up the mirror using sconces on the sides instead of above it, you want to hang them approximately 64 inches from the floor.

Can Above Mirror Bathroom Lights Be Too Bright?

It is possible to choose above mirror bathroom lights that are unflatteringly bright for the mirror. In order to prevent this, you should pay attention to the lumen count. Of course, this will depend on how naturally bright the bathroom is. The general rule of thumb for bathroom mirror lighting should be a total of not more than 1600 lumens. You may add more if you decide that you need more illumination to complete your tasks.

 

Bathroom Vanity Lighting Ideas

 

1. LWA338 9 Watt LED Stainless Steel Bathroom Wall Light

The LWA338 9 Watt LED Stainless Steel Bathroom Wall Light is a traditional vanity light that gives off the feel of old Hollywood. It consists of three bulbs positioned horizontally across a rounded stainless steel backplate. The light outputs a total of 720 lumens of 3000k warm white light, which is flattering but still effective. It has an IP44 rating.

 

2. LWA193 6 Watt Black LED Mirror Light

For modern bathrooms, the LWA193 6 Watt Black LED Mirror Light is a great choice. It features a high quality aluminium bar finished in a sleek black that plays host to two spotlight heads. The fixture outputs a total of 240 lumens of light and allows you to tilt and twist the heads to the best angle for your needs. It features an IP20 rating.

 

3. LWA195 6 Watt Black LED Mirror Light

The LWA195 6 Watt Black LED Mirror Light is a simple bar light that outputs ample illumination at 420 lumens. The bar features an acrylic diffuser that runs across most of the aluminium body, which is finished in anodized black. It measures 320 millimeters wide by 50 millimeters tall and emits 3000k warm white light from almost the entire length of the bar.

 

4. LWA190 9 Watt Black LED Mirror Light

The LWA190 9 Watt Black LED Mirror Light is a modern mirror light that features three light heads, making it ideal for larger mirrors. Each head can be turned and tilted to the perfect direction and angle for your needs. The black colour makes it well suited for placement in any bathroom regardless of colour scheme. Overall, it outputs 620 lumens of light and shines 3200 warm white illumination.

 

5. LWA339 12 Watt LED Stainless Steel Bathroom Wall Light

Larger mirrors can benefit from placing the LWA339 12 Watt LED Stainless Steel Bathroom Wall Light over top of them. This light features four globe shaped bowls lined horizontally along a rounded stainless steel bar. It is ultra bright at 960 lumens, well suited for large bathrooms and vanities. The 3000k warm white light shines from the IP44 rated fixture.