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help proportions for light fixtures/walls/vanities?

14 years ago

I have seen posts about the proportion of a chandelier to table/room size- but I am struggling with the size (width) of vanity lighting.

I am replacing (for about 2 years now... can we say inertia and indecision?) the fixtures in my bathrooms.

For one, there is a 48 inch vanity/which has the builder light which is about 16 inches. I know it is too small, but maybe I am used to it because it doesnt seem ridiculously small. Is there a rule of thumb?

To summarize, I have

48 inch vanity

60 inch vanity (with double sinks - presently one light fixture)

powder room- pedestal sink on a 3 foot wall

in our master, angled walls with 2 40 inch units/

Any wisdom out there?

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Comments (4)

kpaquette
14 years ago
just guessing here - but if the same principles apply to vanities that apply to tables - the width of the light should be roughly half the vanity width? Perhaps a triple sconce for the 48. For a long vanity, I'd probably do two double sconces - so say, 60 divided by 2, so 30, so each sconce roughly 15". Centered over each sink.

Of course I'm guessing, and this is without seeing pics. And I don't think it should be much smaller than half, but larger would be OK IMO. (we have a double sconce over a small pedestal sink and it's fine.) But maybe that could give you a starting point...
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User
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you kpaquette- your logic sounds pretty reasonable to me. I had shown someone a vanity light that was I think 21 -23 ish inches wide for the 48 inch vanity,they said it seemed like it would be skimpy. This is why I am asking- that works according to your guessing, and to what I would think, but then others have suggested that it should be larger.
Hoping to hear more opinions.
thankyou
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Appreciate your reply tartanmeup! I agree about overhead lighting and shadow. - If I were to mount sconces on both side of a mirror and the mounting plate is 4", on top of 4", how much more space away from the wall would this mirror need to be? - I want to have one long mirror, would 2 sconces, 1 on each side be enough for this span? don't really want to go through the mirror for the 3rd sconce in the middle. I don't think mounting through the mirror is in keeping with a modern/minimalism that I'm going for. - If I go with pendants I would try to get them down to my height to avoid shadows. My vanity is 24" deep and maybe mounting this 8-9" away from the mirror down to my height wouldn't get in the way. Would pendants be considered modern/minimalism? I think if I go for pendants, I would use these. I think I have ruled out all the pendants above. At lease this one won't direct the light downward.
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Like Jan and Beth said, you putting the cart before the horse. New home - live there for 6 months to a year before doing any major renovations. During that time prioritize your needs, wants and like to have renovations and figure out the budget for renovations. Every renovation you commit to will take twice as long as you think it will and cost twice as much as you think it will. Budget should be dependent at least in part to the amount of time you believe you will live in the home. You should also be exploring your style and color selections. Once you have a solid budget you will know what things must stay and what you can afford to change and what elements you don't want to change. Once you know what has to stay you can design around those elements. Do they work with your preferred style and colors? What compromises will you need to make to create a cohesive home? I am not a contractor, but if you are planning on expanding the shower I am pretty sure the old shower has to be re-tiled. The whole shower has to be water sealed and that seal is under the tile. I don't think you can save the tile in the niche.
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User
Original Author
14 years ago
hmmmm. any one else's thoughts?
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desertsteph
14 years ago
I think maybe the fixture itself weighs in on it. earlier today i was looking at some online - one 2 globe bathroom fixture had very delicate metal work that the globes hung from - another one had more hefty metal work. They were both the same width, 2 globe ORB fixtures but they would look very different even if put in the same space.
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