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shrinathk

master bathroom lighting - scone or 2-light fixture?

shrinathk
3 years ago

Hi,

I want to change my master bath lights. We have double vanity which is about 73' wide with 2 3-light above the sinks (long builder grade mirror spanning the length of vanity). I personally find 3 lights each under the sink very bright. Also we don't have any other source of light in the bath (ceiling or natural). I use 100 watt equivalent led one bulb each in the 3-light fixture, rest 2 are empty.

Now I want to change out the 3-light fixture and confused between scone style or 2-light fixture above each sink. I'm leaning towards scone style in the same spot as the 3-light fixture but not sure if it'll be bright enough. My preference is scone, because anyways I'm using just single bulb in my current fixture. Maybe 2-light would be a better compromise design wise and if yrs down we decide to sell the house. Attached pic for reference.

Comments (19)

  • PRO
    Woodhaven Renovations
    3 years ago

    Have you thought about a large 40"- 48" round mirror with 2 vertical style wall sconces?

  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    scones are a little biscuit treat you have w/your tea. ;)

    A sconce on the other hand, is meant to be placed on the side of the mirror. Unless you remove that large mirror and get two smaller mirrors, you can't really use a sconce.


    If your current lights are too bright, why not just use dimmer bulbs? like maybe 3-40Watt bulbs? this way you won't have to unscrew the other two??

    If you want to scale down to a two-light over head fixture, you can do that. If it's too bright, use 60W or 75w bulbs.




    this one is at Home Depot, has frosted glass to diffuse the light, and uses 60W bulbs. That's 240 for the entire bathroom lighting. Perfect.





    just do something like this and use a lower wattage bulb (but notice even in this bathroom they have a ceiling light. you don't want it too dark. try the frosted glass for less glare)



    if you want the sconce, one light fixture, to be used overhead, I believe that's not going to be enough light.


    You could install a recessed light in your ceiling for extra lighting.

    have you thought about framing out that mirror to give it more of a finished look?

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  • wdccruise
    3 years ago

    "I personally find 3 lights each under the sink very bright."

    "I use 100 watt equivalent led one bulb each in the 3-light fixture"

    Put in lower-wattage bulbs and add a dimmer to control the brightness. My bathroom fixture's light output is about the same as yours and I had to use a dimmer to keep the bathroom from looking like a movie set (even though I would have been the star).

  • acm
    3 years ago

    A lot of fixtures like that aren't supposed to have more than 40 or 60 Watt bulbs anyway...

    shrinathk thanked acm
  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    3 years ago

    This post is confusing to me, if you want a single sconce, the socket will be the same as what you are using now, and the same light bulb, so I am not sure how that would be less light?

    Or if you just drop down to like 3 10W LED in the current fixture you can illuminate all three sockets.

    Lastly if you go down to 2-2 light fixtures just adjust the wattage to what works for you...

    The fixtures you have are perfectly fine, changing the light fixtures will not do much for the space, I would consider putting a frame around that mirror! Its super cheap and can even be a DIY project.

  • wdccruise
    3 years ago

    @RL Relocation LLC "This post is confusing to me, if you want a single sconce, the socket will be the same as what you are using now, and the same light bulb, so I am not sure how that would be less light?"

    There wouldn't be. She just got tired of visitors leaving change on the bathroom counter assuming that she couldn't afford more light bulbs.

    shrinathk thanked wdccruise
  • shrinathk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    @Woodhaven Renovations Thanks for the suggestion. Thats the plan, to replace or frame out the existing mirror.


    @Beth H. : Thank you for the wonderful suggestions and the inspiration pics! You have given me some really good points to think about. I'm budgeting for a mini-makeover for the master bath, so I'm keeping all these in mind.


    @wdccruise Thanks! I'm currently using 9W or 11W (can't recall) LED which 60-100W equivalent for regular bulbs. Dimmer is a great idea!


    @RL Relocation LLC Sorry if the post confused you. I meant if I use all 3 sockets its too bright for me. Since I'm using only 1 socket I want to switch to either a scone or 2-light fixture. I'm planning for a mini master bath makeover and find this current fixture with one socket used not pleasing. I'm planning on framing or replacing the mirror based on what budget I end up with :).


    After reading through all the comments, I'm thinking of 2-light fixture, frame/replace mirror and use a dimmer. Thanks all!

  • shrinathk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Ah! Thanks. I’m going to keep them in mind :)

  • shrinathk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Hi all, I’m back with an update and asking for suggestions. I painted my bathroom this weekend and I think it’s little bit of a disaster (in my opinion). I wanted to paint before framing the mirror and used behr polar white since it was slightly off white. I also took advice from this thread and cleaned up the light fixture and replaced with dimmer switch, lower wattage bulbs. I’m quite happy with the lights, but I think with new paint the bathroom looks sterile :(. Can I salvage this situation or repainting is my option. I’m not planning on replacing the countertop soon, but will definitely frame the mirror. Any suggestions are welcome

    Thanks all again!

  • shrinathk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    Here is a pic of the painted bathroom with lights.

  • PRO
    RL Relocation LLC
    3 years ago

    I would paint the vanity white, and then move to getting some decore in there, it looks sterile bc, there is nothing in the room. Another option is to get light bulbs that are not so blue in tone, more toward 2700k right now you are probably at 4k which is hospital like.

    shrinathk thanked RL Relocation LLC
  • weedyacres
    3 years ago

    It doesn't ring "sterile" to me so much as a clash of cool walls and warm vanity and floor. If you're keeping the other finishes, then I would have picked a warmer (creamy) white.

  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    Shrina, the color is fine.(Although Polar White is a cool white w/more of a blue undertone. Since you have the brown tiles, I might have gone w/a warmer white. But you can work around it)

    once you get the mirror framed out, it will start to take shape. (maybe do a warm wood frame?)

    Add some cool hardware to your vanity. (maybe something w/decorative knobs) You don't want to paint the vanity?

    What you need is life on that large, blank wall!

    you could also do a shelf or two above the toilet to add a few accessories.

    here are some examples and all of them would perk up your space.

    do some inexpensive wood shelves. have some wood cut at Home depot, sand and stain them. get the brackets there too. (you can spray paint them silver, gold, white, whatever) then bring in some warm elements like the baskets, rolled towels, etc


    IF you paint your vanity white (or another color) it will revive the entire look


    ideas for the back wall,,,,


    this one you can cut a piece of peel and stick wallpaper, frame it, paint the frame, and voila! While on this one below, they did the entire wall. (you could do the peel and stick, regular wallpaper, or a mural). maybe some glass shelves over the toilet w/a picture or something.




    paint it a bold color (the one wall) and do some photography art

    or do a few picture shelves


    bold color, focal accessory (here they used a map, but any large picture or two would work) but look at the other items in the room. the rolled towels, a basket, nice rug, etc


    maybe a few pictures


    you can do something like this w/faux succulents.


    so a few shiplap boards, paint a darker color above it, add art or shelving


    and if you want to go full out, paint your vanity, add some wainscot around the bottom (you can DIY this) and whatever else you like


    get yourself a better vanity tray


    RL,4000K is hardly hospital-like. it's natural light. 2700 is really dim and really yellow. I think the lighting is fine. The glaring cool white walls are making it brighter.

    any reason why you picked white for the walls w/all of your brown/creamy tones?

  • shrinathk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    @weedyacres I wanted to pick creamy white. I can't believe I ended up picking up this.

  • shrinathk
    Original Author
    3 years ago

    @Beth H. : .. Thank you very much! All your suggestions are incredible. I wanted to go for creamy 'white'. I liked BM White Dove and wanted to pick equivalent in Behr since I had a gift card :(. Most of the internet suggestions pointed to Polar bear (in hindsight, not the best of ideas :)). Sorry I'm 'color blind' and not great at making color decisions.


    I loved all the ideas you mentioned. Also to add, I have already picked matt black towel hooks for the large wall and shelf or art work above the toilet. Thinking out loud, my options


    1. Paint just the blank wall with a different color and have the black towel hooks installed. Suggestions for color?


    2. I was also thinking of painting pattern with a stencil to keep it interesting. Is it a good idea to do it just on the large wall or both the large wall and mirror wall or just the mirror wall?


    3. I also loved the idea of framing wall paper(removable or not). That is really cool and hadn't thought about it.


    4. What is a warm wood color for framing. I was thinking light color stained wood. Is that cool or warm. As mentioned earlier, I'm not great with mixing and deciding colors!


    5. I'll try to pick better vanity tray :)


    I'm a little intimidated with wainscoting or chair rail as DIY :).


    Thanks for all for taking time to answer!

  • PRO
    Beth H. :
    3 years ago
    last modified: 3 years ago

    You could just do the one wall an accent color, if you like. since I really can't see the rest of the bathroom, I'm only going off of your tile. I'll give some darker, warmer options you could try. I think something like these, w/the polar white on the other walls, and a white frame or even a wood stained mirror frame, would really look nice



    I actually like either of these for that one wall w/your tile.

    as for the stain, any of the top row if you're trying to match your vanity. (or if doing it in white, just use the Polar White color)

    Want to try staining your vanity a darker tone?

    If, you want to try going darker, do a american walnut or darker walnut GEL stain over what you have now. you'll have to lightly sand to remove any clear top coat, but not enough to remove the current stain or you'll end up blotchy. The darker walnut color will go better w/yoru tile .

    you don't want a reddish stain. (and if you're color blind, you prob don't see the red/green colors, so take a friend w/you that can see them!)

    what you could also do is paint the vanity in one of the darker colors I posted (use SW Pro-Classic paint or BM Advance paint for the wood vanity) or use one of the creamier white colors , below.

    (btw, here are some warmer white colors) Behr can color match SW paints and get them pretty close. ) Black Fox or Peppercorn would be another color you could use.


    White Dove for the vanity cab would also work fine, and look great w/the darker wall color.

    don't forget some cabinet hardware. it's like jewelry

    Cosmas, Amazon. contractor pack. about $30


    or pick something similar that you like.

    then just get yourself some cool art, and a towel bar, and maybe a shelf or two over the toilet

  • PRO
    Dounia Home
    3 years ago

    We have an amazing selection of modern and handcrafted fixtures https://www.douniahome.com/collections/wall-sconces

  • Hannah
    2 years ago

    @shrinathk -- I would love to see how your bathroom turned out!