Bathroom fixtures

When setting up a bathroom and living space in general, few people pay due attention to lighting fixtures and lighting concepts. But this has a strong impact on the interior of the space and its functionality. Lighting can ennoble the interior, add a zest to it, work with the visual perception of the dimensions of the furniture or the area of ​​the room.

The time when the bathroom was used only for its intended purpose is a thing of the past. Today it is filled with a large number of additional elements necessary for its owner: a shower, a bath, a sink, a washing machine, a tumble dryer, all kinds of storage areas for personal belongings and household chemicals, mirrors and much more.

However, in addition to the main purpose, the owner still has a need for comfort and organization of a relaxation zone, which will allow him to relax as much as possible after a hard day at work.

The main feature of this room is the lack of daylight, since, to a greater extent, the layout of this zone does not provide for window openings, or the owner prefers to curtain them. However, regardless of the presence or absence of a window, the lighting, according to the recommendations of experts, should be as bright as possible and not irritating to the eyes, close in tone to daylight.

In addition to the light spectrum, it is important to take into account the fact of the technical and operational safety of electrical appliances, as well as the correct location of the lamps. In order for the lighting concept to comply with safety standards, it will be quite enough to install the luminaires in several zones, as well as to choose the right device itself and the lamp suitable for it.

Specialists and designers have developed a three-level lighting system in the bathroom. The principle of its organization is quite simple - visually, a bathroom can be distinguished for any bathroom interior item by embedding lamps in furniture, and even the floor structure Any bathroom interior item can be distinguished by embedding lamps in furniture, and even the structure is divided into three levels:

• upper - a chandelier in the center of the curtain, a combination of spotlights, or lighting items built into the stretch ceiling;
• average (the second name is "worker") - represents wall-mounted overhead lamps for mirrors with cabinets, as well as lighting for a toilet, shower or bath;
• lower - decorative lighting.

Where, how and how many fixtures to place in order to achieve the desired color concept depends entirely on the layout of the bathroom. In general, luminaires can be divided into several groups according to various criteria.

By the type and shape of the structure:

• built-in;
• outdoor.

By installation area:

• ceiling;
• wall-mounted;
• floor.

By functionality:

• decorative;
• workers;
• scattering;
• combined.

By the type of location, lighting fixtures are classified into:

• Overhead lighting - ceiling and wall lighting fixtures that can be built into the wall, ceiling or suspended from them.In small bathrooms, one or two sources will suffice, while larger rooms will require more. In a room with a stretch ceiling, the owner can not be limited to only pendant lamps, but diversify the lighting concept with point light.

• Bottom lighting - floor lighting, which is considered to be decorative. Such devices do not give a lot of light, but they are able to create a unique atmosphere of comfort in the bathroom. For this area, it is better to use durable and sealed structures embedded in the floor.
• Decorative lighting - bathroom decoration of any level, used in small bathrooms or large rooms, especially if they are equipped with stretch ceilings and architectural elements (for example, podiums, niches). Any item of the bathroom interior can be distinguished by embedding lamps in furniture, and even in the floor structure.

The geometry, dimensions of the lighting fixtures and the type of their construction make a significant contribution to the concept of lighting a space. Luminaires in their model range are distinguished by a variety of performances in terms of design, decoration and type of installation.

They can be divided into four main groups:

• wall - the structure is attached to the wall on a bracket, or built into it (the ceiling of such a lamp can be of any shape, size and design);
• suspended - the most common varieties that can be mounted in the wall, or suspended (the plafond is round, square, made in the form of a flower, a bowl);
• tabletop - a rare design technique, due to the narrow variation in location, it can only be placed on a cabinet, cabinet or shelf, which does not carry any special functional loads to the interior;
• floor - the luminaire is built into the floor, most often it has the shape of a circle or square with a diameter of no more than 5-8 cm.

By the type of construction, lamps for bathtubs are classified into:

• chandeliers - tablet models with a shade fitting tightly to the ceiling or varieties on brackets, chains;
• sconce - Wall lights;
• floor lamp - floor lighting devices;
• Spotlights - lighting fixtures built into the structure of the suspended ceiling, including a swivel mechanism for adjusting the direction of light;
• spots - suspension systems with several luminaires on a rod, equipped with a swivel mechanism.

The design of the luminaire construction is selected taking into account several rules:

Firstly, what will be the size, shape, design of the plafond and the suspended structure (if any) depends on the height of the ceilings and the dimensions of the room. Everything is simple here - for low ceilings, suspended structures are completely unsuitable, while spot lighting will be a great addition.

The design and type of model depends on the design of the room. Simpler and laconic forms are good for modern styles, such as techno or loft, for classics or retro, intricate, curly shades and brackets, sconces are suitable.

There is a wide variety of bathroom lighting fixtures on the furniture market. Their color palette makes up the full spectrum of the color wheel, so before buying it is enough just to decide on the range and shade. To do this, you should follow the recommendations of the designers - to choose the color of the chandelier, you must first analyze the color scheme of the interior.

Interior designs have a large number of different directions, each of which has its own characteristics, but at the same time they can be classified into modern and classic styles.

Classic - these are elegant forms, elite bronze items, sconces and chandeliers, luxurious porcelain or crystal shades and brackets, forged items. It is difficult to choose a classic style for a small bathroom: we must not forget that the classics are too general a group. It includes such areas as:

• empire style;
• baroque;
• rococo;
• vintage;
• provence.

Modern styles are the complete opposite of the classics:

• Bathroom art nouveau Perfectly complement the fashionable wall lamps of flowing shapes with several shades in the form of balls, cylinders or bowls.
• High tech means metal or chrome-plated products with glass shades in the form of a long cylinder or other cylindrical shape. Spotlights and floor lighting are also ideal for this style.

• Something in between classic and modern - country style... It is difficult to decorate a bathroom in this style, because its main canons are the use of natural materials such as wood and textiles. But the way out of this is as follows: it is allowed to decorate the metal for natural materials or to observe the colors in green, beige and other colors of nature.

For each room, the parameters for choosing lighting fixtures will be different: the choice is influenced by the design of the bathroom and the selected type of arrangement of the fixture. Therefore, it is so easy to determine which of the lamps is the best - it is impossible. However, you can determine what characteristics this device should have.

The main indicators of a good luminaire include:

• ergonomics;
• rational power consumption;
• the ability to provide static voltage in the network;
• the ability to provide quality lighting;
• ease of care and operation;
• made from environmentally friendly and reliable material;
• harmony of combination with the design of the room.

It is not at all surprising that lighting fixtures for different bathrooms have their own characteristics. Ordinary floor lamps, ceiling lamps and other types of traditional lamps, which so often can be found in a bedroom or living room, are completely unsuitable for placement in the bathroom. And the point here is not only in the design or type of shade: the point is that a large number of these luminaires are equipped with incandescent lamps (LON), which in turn, for safety reasons, are not acceptable for this zone.

This does not mean at all that only these two types of lamps can be placed in the bathroom. In addition to them, there is a large number of devices, each of which has its pluses and minuses:

• decorative lamps - by the principle of action, they are similar to LON, they have an unusual shape, reminiscent of a candle, they are used in classic interiors in the form of sconces and wall lamps;
• painted lamps - one of the types of LON decoration, the lamp is painted in a certain color and thereby provides uniform illumination through the spectrum of the selected color;
• mirror lamps - the lamp is partially covered with a reflective compound that directs the light to the desired area;
• fluorescent lamps - bulbs, the principle of operation of which is significantly different from LON, they have a low heating temperature, and are also capable of providing diffused illumination of the daytime spectrum.

When choosing lighting elements for a bathroom, it is important to follow the advice of experts and take into account such aspects as:

• the selected type of lighting;
• operational safety;
• lamp power;
• product quality;
• functionality;
• execution design;
• layout of the premises.

Only a properly planned arrangement of all lighting fixtures creates a high-quality lighting concept for the entire space.

It is important to consider that the lighting is uniform and does not create glare on the surfaces of mirrors and tiles. Functionally, the bathroom is divided into several zones, each of which should be equipped with a lighting fixture, as well as provided with its own switch (for example, on the body). This will allow you to control the lighting and use only the necessary devices, without wasting energy for everything at once.

Another important aspect is the calculation of power consumption. There is nothing complicated here - the more lamps there are, the less their power should be. These indicators are measured in lumens, which, according to the standard, should be at least 150 per 1 square meter. It is necessary to take into account: the darker the interior, the more light is required, and therefore there should be more lumens.

Each level of the lighting concept has its own standards for the power rating of lamps in luminaires. So in the plumbing area, the permissible value is 12 watts. Under the ceiling in the area where water will get on the luminaire - 24 watts. In the remaining zones, the value is determined by the owner himself individually at will.

There are several areas that need to be provided with light. This question is purely individual for each owner. But in general, experts distinguish several main areas:

• area with sink and mirror;
• bathroom or shower area;
• extra space for storage or washing.

In addition, you can equip furniture and plumbing with LED strips, thereby creating decorative lighting.

It is quite difficult to place lamps in an area with mirrored surfaces without creating glare and shadows, but it is quite possible if:

• select lamps with the most natural light spectrum;
• do not place lighting devices under the mirror;
• use solid neutral shades with a matte or white finish.

The task of this light zone is to create the most comfortable and relaxing atmosphere, therefore, unlike the zone with a sink, such lighting is more decorative than functional.

In the bathroom, like in no other room, there is a risk of life-threatening situations associated with short circuits and fires.

To create a safe lighting concept, it is important to follow the recommendations of experts, taking them more even as rules than as advice:

• it is necessary to develop a lighting plan only with electricians who are professionals in their field;
• only moisture-resistant lighting devices can be installed in the bathroom;
• metal elements of the luminaire structure must be covered with an anti-corrosion compound;

• the power of lamps in contact with water (for example, located in a bath or shower) should be no more than 12 watts;
• it is not recommended to install appliances with open shades in the bathroom, allowing easy access to the lamp;
• it is necessary to take care of the minimum direct hit of water droplets on wall and ceiling lamps;
• it is undesirable to use devices with a housing made of plastic panels;
• extension cords and tees should not be placed in the bathroom: if it is a sconce with an outlet, then the lamp should be out of the reach of direct water.

Only a small number of buyers are guided by reviews and pay attention to the country of manufacture of the lighting fixture, and even more so read the reviews. Of course, when buying a lamp, there are more important factors that influence the choice, but, nevertheless, there is a certain rating of manufacturers who produce quality products. These include:

Imported products are mainly famous for their high level of workmanship, a variety of the model range, but at the same time, their cost is quite high, especially when it comes to designer lamps:

• Markslojd Massive (Belgium);
• Taobao (China);
• Arte Lamp (Italy);
• Helios (Spain);
• Citilux (Denmark);
• Eglo (Australia).

The production of lighting devices in Russia has not yet reached the heights and standards for which foreign manufacturers are so famous, however, every day Russian trademarks are rapidly entering the world level, modernizing and improving production technologies. Some of the best include:

• Led Star;
• "Lighting Technologies";
• Atom Light;
• "Ledel2;
• Feron;
• "Quant-electro".

• The spacious bathroom is designed in soothing coffee colors and is equipped with Italian Scavolini lamps.
• The original multi-level bathroom lighting concept in beige tones creates a distinct bathing area.

• The original design of the metal cascade pendant chandelier creates a magical atmosphere in the bathroom.
• One of the most popular solutions for decorating the ceiling with spotlights is the "starry sky", which is created thanks to special light-scattering lamps.
• Internal lighting for a shower cabin.

• An example of classic bathroom lighting.
• A country-style bathroom at the cost of this style direction cannot be equipped with full-fledged three-level lighting.

• One of the most optimal arrangement of lamps in the mirror area of ​​the bathroom.
• Decorative lighting for bathroom cabinet.
• Original bathroom design.

For even more information on the right choice of fixtures for the bathroom, see the next video.