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Lighting Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Small windowless bathroom lighting, low concrete ceilings, stuck!

3 years ago

Redoing our small bathroom (5x7). it has super low concrete ceiling (7.5 ft) AND 12" soffit in the shower/tub area as well. Going for ultra modern/minimalist in white/light grey colors (3x12 matte white wall tile, vertical stack and 24x24 very light concrete floor porcelain tile). I just can't figure out the lighting in the bathroom. Looking for something to brighten up the space and that does not look tacky or accentuate the already ridiculously low ceiling. Something contemporary.

Considering many different options:

- creating a mini soffit/ partial drop in ceiling to accomodate mini recessed lights above the vanity/toilet at the junction between wall and ceiling.(maybe 6"x48"x minimal depth)

- adding a corner LED strip at the ceiling/wall junction (but worried it will accentuate the low ceiling)

- sticking to simple vanity lighting (3 lamps) like existing (but most nice ones are downward facing)

- adding a 4ft mirror extending vanity to shower (above toilet) instead of a simple 24" for the vanity

- adding channel lighting integrated the edge of the tub soffit and edge of shower wall tile

- backlighting the mirror

Will do:

- led lights under the 48" shelf that will go above the sink & toilet

Can't do:

- ceiling pendants because concrete ceiling and small space

- dual sconces on each side of the vanity because it seems too small to accomodate

- recessed lights because concrete ceiling.

- remove the soffit (we already looked into it)

Suggestions? I am lost!

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Comments (5)

PRO
BeverlyFLADeziner
3 years ago
Your bathroom is pretty typical, and I would confine the dropped ceiling to over the tub/shower area and not extend it over the vanity. IMO successful rooms tend to simplify and create a 'zen' style.

You can mount the mirror away from the wall and hide lighting above and below behind the mirror to visually raise the ceiling.

If you want sconces, think about attaching them through the mirror to keep the visual space a wall-to-wall mirror provides.
PRO
HALLETT & Co.
3 years ago
Great ideas above. The only thing I would add is that you could use the wafer style can lights in the soffit and in the main room- run the wiring in conduit and mount the drywall on strapping attached to the concrete- you would lose 2" or so of ceiling height but the cleaner look would lift the ceiling. My last house had one bath with 7' ceilings (mass of HVAC ducts above)
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Just go shopping and look at things you might like. My towels are from Target and the tassel lamp is from a flea market, artwork from Stein Mart, candles from TJMaxx. Just take your time in finding things you like. I think the white tiles will look great with that color. You have far more light with white tiles than I had with the blue pearl granite. Go for it. Do almost everything in white and it will have a cozy spa look. Do you have a shower curtain? If not, look for one similar to a flame stitch or an ikat which would have several colors, including a cool color like your paint and maybe some fiery reds and do all the rest in white. Maybe add some red candles here and there.
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Can we keep going on this thread? I really enjoy seeing the layouts and surprise creativity. My bath had already been redone when moving in. The size/shape is so identical to the ones shown. There is a pedestal sink, beadboard and wood floors....all of which I just don't care for. I have a habit of putting my washcloth over the sink edge and can't do this due to the wood floor. Actually, wet towels on a towel bar are up for grabs with wood. Put a 3 drawer dresser beside the sink (cut the back off to shorten the depth) and tiled the bath surround. It is getting there, but I agree that "funky" would make these baths more fun rather than trying to create the best we can get. And I would put an actual cabinet in, but the electrical outlets are a foot from the floor rather than counter height. They closed off the ones on the wall. Being an old house this could be a problem or electrician money trying to reuse them. Years from now someone is going to redo this bath. I can hear it now....why would someone cover up that historic plastic surrounding the entire room? I found the stuff when thinking I'd get rid of the beadboard and go back to the original wall. This plastic whatever is 1/2" thick and will never go away unless the room is gutted. It wasn't until I tiled the bath that I realized it was also there and had been painted. I tiled over it....may not last, but neither do trends so it can be changed some day in the long future. Yes, do start a thread on posting pics. Why is this so difficult to do? Lots of people post easily, but I haven't figured it out.
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Hiela
Original Author
3 years ago
Thanks to both of you. I will definitely look at the mirror back light below and above , as I was planning the below one anyway. That makes sense.

Outside of that, most of the beautiful pictures you shared were including recessed lights, which I cant really do because of the concrete ceiling. We thought about doing a drop ceiling to add can lights (ultra flats ones) but that would force us to redo the doors for the whole floor which are custom floor to ceiling height.

That is why I was considering doing that same thing but just partially (just 6 ") from the vanity through the shower/tub so be able to have the recessed light look. I am just struggling getting a clean look, without those options.

If I can't do that, and I cant do the sconces because there is just not much room to add a sconce between the sink and the wall next to the vanity (it is only 30" wide and our sink is a large rectangular vessel sink), what other options would you recommend?
PRO
RL Relocation LLC
3 years ago
Its a small space and with today's LED you don't need a lot of light bulbs to light up this space.

I assume the only electricity is from the wall above the mirror at this point.

I would not put lights under the shelf.

I would do an entire wall mirror, and mirror mount the light fixtures. Or by a mirror that has integrated lighting in it.
wdccruise
3 years ago
How about a mirror that does not go to the ceiling with a vanity light such as this Sonneman Vanity Slim Bath Bar just above it. Sonneman lights are expensive but you may be able to find a cheaper substitute.

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