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Soffit lighting- should it stay or should it go?

9 years ago

I'm trying to decide what to do with the lighting in my upcoming bathroom remodel. Easiest thing is to keep the soffit and lighting. But I'm trying to make the best choice and not just the easiest choice.

A better choice may be to remove the soffit and get side sconces. I'm concerned that there may not be enough space for sconces, or that they'd make it look too crowded in the close space next to the wall. I'm also concerned that they may not provide adequate lighting.

Another option would be to get a rectangle mirror and put a light bar over the rectangle mirror. The mirror change would be mostly because I'm having a hard time imagining a light bar over the current mirror looking good.

I vacillate between these three opinions on an hourly basis, and having to choose new light fixtures and a new mirror always make me start thinking that keeping the soffit isn't such a bad idea.

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Comments (6)

Babka NorCal 9b
9 years ago
Is that overhead lighting working for you in the old bathroom? A light bar and 2 sconces for our remodel last year took 3 months to get (long story) so we had to only use the ceiling cans. One above each sink. The shadows on our faces were awful, both for applying makeup and shaving. I put a diffuser in the cans which softened the light and helped a bit, but I was SO grateful when the new lights were installed.

I don't care for the way they reflect off the wall in your photo, but it might only look that way in a pic, not in real light. They are very close to the wall. Taking out the soffit will open the room up more, but make sure there isn't other important stuff behind it (like pipes).

-Babka
sholt576
Original Author
9 years ago
The lighting is a bit annoying, shining brightly on the top of my head and leaving my face in shadows, but I've been dealing with it for 8 years so I've learned to live with it. I do not want to change it and end up with something I like less.

There is nothing in the soffit, so removal will be pretty painless, with the exception of figuring what to replace it with.
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sholt576
Original Author
9 years ago
Also, I should add that the bright circles of light showing up on the wall are more a result of photography.

I looked at diffusers over the weekend, and I think they would help a lot, but not sure that I wouldn't be better off in the end without the soffit.
jerzeegirl
9 years ago
I just redid mine and I left the over head soffit and recessed light. I really like the light it throws off so I decided not to make any changes.

That being said, I want to use LED lights with integrated trim and unfortunately the cans are a bit too small to cover the hole that the old light was in. I am currently trying to figure out a solution.

The other thing to consider if you keep the recessed light and using LED is the color of the light. I tried 5,000 lumens and it cast a positively eerie blue light which I thought I would love but I didn't! Now I have 3,000 which is good lighting for a bathroom since it's a whiter light.
Babka NorCal 9b
9 years ago
Sammi2- I cut out circles of fiberglass paper (from Tap Plastics) and put them behind in the glass to diffuse my can lights.

Jerzeegirl- For our kitchen/family room we were able to find LED upgrade/adapter kits to change out our halogen can lights. Found those at a specialty lighting shop. HD or Lowes carries some sizes.

-Babka
jerzeegirl
9 years ago
Babka - it took a bit of searching but today at HD I found a LED that is adaptable to just about every application and best of all it's the right size for my recessed lighting.

sammi: As long as the soffit doesn't hide anything of importance then getting rid of it is certainly an option. However sometimes the soffit helps make the room a little bit more "cozy" and even sculptural So sometimes it's a visual thing more than anything else. In my case, I do like that it brings the light a little closer to my workspace.

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