Below is a guest post on the important subject of getting your bathroom properly lit.  Like any other room, the bathroom should have layers of lighting to use that is separately switched depending on the functional needs of the space at any given time.

3 Ideas for Bathroom Lighting
By Jane Blanchard

Your day starts in your bathroom. Why settle for anything less than the best? Unfortunately, most bathroom lighting is completely neglected, leaving the room feeling sterile or depressing — and not allowing yourself to see you in good light. Instead of simply accepting it as it is, use these ideas to light your bathroom to give you a bright start to your mornings.

Mirror Lighting

Via Modernize

How many bathrooms have lights directly on top of the mirror? While ceiling lights are perfect for providing good visibility, they’re hardly romantic or helpful when you have to groom up close. Because of the stark shadows they create, applying your make-up or shaving your face can be extremely hard to see. Instead, turn to lights that fit on the sides of the mirror. These include sconces, bath bars and vanity lights. They are far better for lighting the face in a way that lets you successfully groom. If there happens to be no room for side lighting, opt for a horizontal vanity light to fit across the top of the mirror. The best are those with bulbs of different shades to maximize clarity.

Daylight Model

Another way to spruce up the bathroom is to mimic natural light. Even if you have a window, the sun may or may not ever stream into the bathroom. Aside from this, daylight is what will reflect off of your clothes and hair so trying to capture its essence is important to making sure you are ready to take on the day. For this choice, you’ll want to invest in white shades that are clear, frosted and any other option. This, however, will depend on the type of bulb you use. The varying kinds render colors differently so not all “white” categorizations can be trusted. For LEDs, go for temperature ranging from 2700K to 3000K. Compact fluorescent bulbs should always have a color rendering index at or above 90 and should have the same temperature range as the LED. Finally, incandescent bulbs must be labeled “white” or have the previously indicated temperature range.

Mood Lighting

Finally, it’s important to remember that the bathroom is not always a room used for getting ready for the day. In fact, it is often used for bubble baths and other relaxing activities. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure there are at least two settings for the lights. This, however, can be achieved through more than just extra lighting fixtures strewn about. For those who like what they have, install a dimmer. With this, you can control the intensity of the lights. For those that like a lot of decorative additions, bring in flush ceiling lights or small chandeliers to act as relaxed mood lighting. Even more than this, lamps can be brought in, assuming there is enough counter top space.

To learn about more creative ways to light up your home, visit Modernize.com.