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Lighting Design Dilemma Bathrooms

Hall bath vanity lighting placement

11 months ago

For the hall bathroom, I'd like to place two wall sconces next to the recessed medicine cabinet. However, I think it might look a bit tight. Should I go with a wall light above the medicine cabinet instead? The sconces I'd like are 7" W. That leaves about 1" b/w the sconce and cabinet/shower/wall. I could choose a smaller cabinet - 20" wide cabinet

instead of 24" - but would that be wide enough for a 42" vanity? Picture of the globe scones I like below - but the style of vanity and medicine cabinet will be different. The picture shows the spacing I could have with a 20" cabinet.

The room has 10' ceilings. There will be can lights as well. I could go with a lighted medicine cabinet - but would prefer wall lights instead.

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Comments (2)

artemis78
11 months ago
last modified: 11 months ago
We have a 19" (24" with trim) recessed medicine cabinet/mirror over a 42" vanity in a master bath used by two adults and find it works well--it isn't full, nor are the drawers in the vanity. We do have a full-length mirror just outside the bathroom. Whether it's enough mirror and/or storage space for you will depend on who uses the bathroom. Our hall bath has the same size cabinet and it's only half full, but that bath is used by two kids who really only keep toothpaste, etc. in there. I would not have wanted anything wider with sconces, and we wanted sconces vs. an overhead light. Ours are not that wide, though--around 5". Only an inch of space does feel very close to the wall.

Another option is to see if you can find a similar fixture at a slightly smaller scale. Rejuvenation sells one (Knowles) that is very similar that is only 5" (6" with shade), for instance. Other companies might also make similar slightly smaller fixtures. Those extra inches might be valuable for you.
uws2012 thanked artemis78
uws2012
Original Author
11 months ago
last modified: 11 months ago
Thanks artemis78! Yes, we decided to go with a 20" wide cabinet. I love the Robern Murray Arch - but the mirror front is bisected at top. We'll give up on the integrated electrical and go with the Kohler Verdera capsule. Our GC recommended something longer than the single globe sconce - like a two globe sconce from RH. However, I think two globes is too much - one too many round item (times two since there are two of these on the wall!). Visually, we need a little length - but I'm not finding anything linear that doesn't remind me of a saber. The RH double globe sconce comes in a single design that's as long as the two-globe design.
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Ok, trying to understand this. I am standing in front of the sink and the counter is 6 ft. long the cabinet will be 22" deep give or take, so if I understand this correctly I am to #1. Not put one directly over the sink, just one to each side and #2. Place them from the back wall at like 28" plus? Is that right? How about the 3rd one centered with the sink but at the 28" plus dept from the wall? Keep in mind they are 3" lights and they are directional so I could point them towards the wall and bounce the light. I like this idea because I was planning on some dramatic pricy tile for the back wall, whatever that maybe. I will also put a wall sconce to each side of the mirror. Some wattage help in that direction would be helpful. I have one 3" 50 watt recessed shower trim in the shower hooked up right now (non-directional) and I am so happy I planed on putting two lights cause one doesn't cut it. So I moved the 2nd one closer to the back corner so I won't have a scary dark corner. It did look great though when I tested it last night. So exciting to get something done! Thanks you all for your help I have been to a handful of lighting stores and they just have no clue what is the proper thing to do, they just sell lights period. So thank you all very much for your personal experiences.
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If you are still receptive to comments--I suggest 1--take out the one sink behind the door--add vertical shelving w/mirror behind and maybe a counter space w/room for bench/stool under it for your daughter to use as makeup table...There is probably an electrical feed there to use for a lighted makeup mirror. Space would only be in use when the door was closed and she was there so access should be OK. You can go all the way to ceiling with shelving and even use bench with storage feature. 2--lengthen counter on opposite wall and add trough sink w/two faucets if you think two people might be using snk at same time. If not, then lengthen counter and move sink toward toilet to gain some room away from the door. You probably could add set of drawers at the end of counter or a cabinet tall enough to screen the toilet and make a pseudo-wall. I find drawers more helpful than open shelving most of the time because they control and conceal better. 3--if you want to increase the "open" look of the room, instead of having counter space along wall w/toilet--consider tearing existing out and using two free standing cabinets w/glass doors on top and drawers on bottom to bracket a free standing sink...you can get them with a towel bar around the basin area...Cabinets are often more shallow than built in vanities so that would free up floor space...
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It might be and it might be not. Main question is-can you have electrical box so close to the wall? I'd ask a certified electrician..Even though the center of the sconce then at 4,5 I guess (1,5 from the wall plus 6 divided by two, right?)..might be okay but I'd still ask. They also need to be able to have 2 by 4 there to attach this box..if it's not a lot of inches to play with, it might be problematic, because what if they have to shift it an inch? If you already went through all this talk and electricians can do it, then it turns to be purely aesthetic question. How heavy is the mirror frame? low profile, high profile? 6' sconces-do they look tall and slim, or not? what is their projection? 1,5 inch will be hard to pull off.. what you can do maybe if you prefer lights from the side (which I agree, are more flattering..what about pendants coming from the ceiling?...Come with their own set of problems, but it's another possibility. not exactly overhead since they hang lower..
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I assume your sink cabinets are 30" wide based on the other info you provided. If you have 6" of counter to the left of your sink and a 22" mirror, that leaves you 4" of wall space, which isn't enough for a sconce. So you'd have to do the bath light over the sink. If you mirrored the entire wall, you might be able to mount side sconces through the mirror. You'd have 6" between the edge of the sink and the wall. There are vertical bath bar style sconces that are 4" wide. But it'll be tight. Talk to the contractor. You should draw the whole wall out on graph paper to make sure everything is placed correctly.
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