Great lighting options for the bathroom interior

An increasing number of people are glamming it up in bathroom renovations, incorporating stylish lighting options that would have been unheard of even 10 years ago.

Lighting is no exception, with decorative fittings such as bathroom chandeliers and pendants beginning to make regular appearances with interior design plans.

According to interior designer Michael Manzi, of Sydney's Fluid Design by M Manzi, you don't need to have an ornate or elegant bathroom design to have decorative lighting. "I do think they lend themselves to a softer, more feminine room, but there's no reason why they couldn't work with a minimal design," says Michael. "I don't think there are any hard and fast rules."

Decorative lighting options

From a practical standpoint, he acknowledges that using a bathroom pendant or chandelier as a sole light source is probably not a good idea. "They do need to be supplemented with some down lighting or some kind of side lighting so your face is not in shadow when you're at the mirror," says Michael.

Rather than relying only on decorative lighting in the bathroom, Michael suggests incorporating a range of lighting options within the space. They should be independent of each other, so you can isolate just the chandelier for those occasions when you require some mood lighting, such as when you're enjoying a relaxing soak in the bath.

Following safe procedures during installation

There are also some safety issues to consider that may limit where you can place your decorative lights. "There are regulations with how high they need to be, because you don't want anyone to be able to reach them while they're standing in the bath," he says. Low-hanging lights can be dangerous, not to mention make the bathroom appear cluttered.

Ceiling-mounted lighting combinations

So what can you do if you really love the look of a hanging light in the bathroom but don't have a ceiling high enough to incorporate one? According to Michael, there are options.

"What you want to do is use a low-hanging lighting system, such as pendants, so you don't have to worry about the electricity, and you don't have to have it out of arm's reach," he says.

Contact a bathroom designer in your area to discuss ways to maximise your lighting options: