Have you dismissed the idea of installing the lighting behind the arch, such as pot lights?

If pot lights are the same as recessed lights, I don't want to do recessed. I was looking forward to the lighting being part of the decor...this must be pretty bad? :o

LOL...well, pendants wouldn't be my choice.

The frame is much to pretty to have it's limelight taken away by something hanging in front of it IMO.

Is there room for sconces on either side to quell your desire for lighting decor?

"The frame is much to pretty"...EXACTLY. I really really didn't want to do pendants for this very reason. And no, there isn't room outside of the columns for the fixtures to hang. I'm doomed :(
Monica

Well gosh Monica, if you had to quote me, you could have at least corrected my spelling of "to" :o

I like the idea of the lights hidden up under the frame. Are you concerned it won't provide ample lighting? My eyes have begun to age...and I can't see well enough regardless of what lighting I have, and I need to use a mega magnifying mirror for the face altering task in the morning ;-)

I am not crazy about the style of the lights - they look too cottage-y to me with the heart-shaped scrolled tops. I would look for something with cleaner, more squared lines that pick up on the fluted moulding, etc.

Maybe something like this?

polygon pendant

The other thing I would consider is where you have them placed. Is there any reason to hang them so far to the sides, and cover the moulding? It flatters neither the light or the wood, and makes the arch look mis-sized. How about hanging the one in the middle and the other two to the inside of the 'legs' of the arch, so that the downrod hangs on the inside of the end lines of the panels on each side? I think you want to make it look like the lights were hung in relation to the arch, not like the lights were hung first and then you added the arch and didn't quite find one to fit.

The arch goes on top of the vanity. Is there a mirror behind the arch? Wish I could see the arch on top of the vanity in the spot where it is going. I don't care for pendant lighting with the arch. Why can't you use some recessed lighting in the ceiling?

yeah, yours looks better les. I think I understand what you're saying about the placement. Ill redo the PS mockup. Thanks.
tryin2grow, the space isn't large enough for lights up under the arch.
premier, yes, there will be a mirror inside the arch (cut to fit). I cant fit the arch on top of the vanity till the granite is installed on the 30th. My electrician will be here on Nov 2nd so I was trying to get this ordered (and a matching wall sconce). I may end up having to delay the install of those two fixtures till I can figure out what to do. I had a feeling those 3 pendants didn't look terribly good but I'm in pickle!
Thanks everyone,
Monica

ps...premier, I could use recessed lighting. I was really counting on the lighting be part of the decor of the bathroom.

Can't you find some light fixture that could be mounted on the ceiling just in front of the arch? This is hard for me to visualize but can you put short pendents hung from the ceiling that wouldn't cover the arch but hang no lower than the very top of the arch.

If you don't like recessed lighting, what above track lighting? I know you want something to be part of the decor, but those pendants take away from the beautiful wood.

Thanks for all of the suggestions and I agree that the pendants are taking away from the arch structure. Do you think, possibly, the light metal (brushed nickel) is a problem? Would it look better if they were a warmer, darker color (as well as placed differently)? I've always been drawn to dark and rich colors. Rich bronze finishes would normally be my first choice. I'm accenting this bathroom with "sea tones" glass tiles. They will make a 4" border all around the bathroom as well as making the backsplash at the vanity. I thought I needed to "help" the blue tile by adding a lighter metal to the bathroom. Vanity hardware is ORB because I don't want silver "dots" on the dark wood. Everything else is/will be brushed nickel. However, I can change that. I CAN'T change the brushed nickel lav and tub faucets but I can make the light fixtures, closet door and entry door and accessories dark AND I'd probably be a happier camper doing so (g) I know it's acceptable to mix metals. If everything but the two faucets were dark, would that look like a "mistake"?
Monica

OK, is this plan better? Not necessarily these fixtures but this color and perhaps the placement is better?? Below that is a picture of the arch in the bathroom, with the floor tile and accent tiles and a picture of the vanity below that.

Why not use recessed lighting in the ceiling and sconces on either side of the wood frame? You could mount the sconces on the woodwork or flanking the woodwork. I think pendant lights, even the new mock-up, seem odd.

Since you're essentially framing out a mirror, I think sconces on either side would be appropriate.

Thanks for your suggestion melle sacto. I dont have room to outside of the fluted sides but I could place the sconces ON the fluted sides and have one recessed can over the center of the "knee space" area. DH might freak on the idea of mounting those lights on the arch tho :o
Monica

If you can get your hands on the October issue of Coastal Living magazine, on page 66 they have a beautiful master bath featured with three pendant lights hanging in front of the vanity mirror. They are all the same length, not staggered, and look very nice. You might even try the website to see if you can find it.

This picture is from Coastal Living, not sure if its the same one, but its a similar idea, if you want to go with the pendant lights.

{{!gwi}}

kathryn, not the same (the ones I saw are white with a platinum/silver rim), but very similar. It's a nice look, I like the reflection from the mirror....