During your remodeling project, you should consider how many watts are suitable for bathroom vanity lights when buying new ones. It is the traditional method of purchasing bathroom vanity lights. In modern days, people consider lumens instead of watts. However, if you need help understanding the lumens, you can view these power units to buy vanity lights. Bathroom vanity lights must be bright enough to perform the different grooming tasks.
All the lights are designed to function at different levels of watts. According to that number of watts, your area is brighter or dimmer. But which one you should buy all depends on your size and needs. If you install the light bulbs with more watts than you need, you might end up with a brighter area that is uncomfortable for performing any task. Likewise, installing bulbs with fewer watts means dimmer lights in your rooms.
This article will discuss the watts you need for your bathroom vanity and other factors to consider to make your vanities functional.Â
Standard wattages for bathroom vanity lights
The vanity lights come with a different number of watts. But each part of a room requires its standard brightness. The light watts generally determine the light output and brightness of the apace. More wattage means you will get more brightness in your areas.
The number of watts may change based on the size and space of the bathrooms. The 75-100 Watts light bulb is recommended for a large area. The recommended lights for small bathrooms or makeup rooms are 45-60 Watts. The light bulb’s wattage can vary according to its need.
Types of lights for bathroom Vanity
The lights for the bathroom not only mount to make it functional but also provide a stylish appearance, comfort, and a relaxed atmosphere. For this, you can install different types of light in your bathrooms. Each of them will require different wattages. Let’s take a look at different types of lights.
1. Task lighting
These types of lights usually mount near the vanity areas. This kind of light’s main objective is to make your vanity functional. It needs to be light enough to wash your face or apply makeup. Therefore, proper task lighting on the vanity mirror is necessary. It is recommended to mount the two scones on both sides of the mirror to make it perfect for makeup. If you mount it above the mirror, you will get illumination interrupted by a shadow.
The recommended light fixture in the broad areas for task lighting is a given brightness of 75-100 watts. You can get a similar brightness level for the CFLs and LED lights from 24-26 watts and 20 to 25 Watts, respectively.
In contrast, a small powder room light fixture must have a minimum of 45 watts bulbs. The less brightness promotes a relaxing environment for you.
2. Ambient lighting
This type of lighting plays a role in illuminating the whole area or bathroom. To achieve suitable illumination in the larger areas, you can install recessed lighting or light fixtures with upwards light bulbs. Such kind of light fixtures provide even brightness to the entire bathroom. The number of watts for light bulbs can vary according to the size of the bathrooms.
3. Accent lighting
Art lovers who love decorating their bathrooms with art pieces or any other artwork need specific lighting to draw attention toward these masterpieces. Hanging different light fixtures such as chandeliers, table lights, and sometimes sconces can make prominent artwork or ornaments. According to the standard lighting rule, accent lighting must be three times brighter than ambient lighting. So you can add some extra watts for such lighting.
4. Decorative lighting
The decorative lighting is itself an element of decoration. You can install different types of light fixtures, chandeliers, and scones as decorative lighting in bathrooms. Such types of light not only provide a certain level of brightness but also enhance the unique style of your bathroom.
What are other essential factors to consider for bathroom vanity lights?
Bulb shape
These four types of bulbs, LED, incandescent, CFLs, and halogen, are available in different shapes and sizes. Just like the wattage of a light bulb, the bulb shape also defines how much it will illuminate the area. All you need to do is inspect your site, understand the necessary wattages, and what shape will be perfect for you. You can get the following shapes of bulbs from the market.
Dimmers
New switches have been introduced in the market, which is beneficial in many ways. It is recommended to install those switches to enhance the lighting experience in your areas. These switches have the capability of controlling the output of light bulbs as well as the light fixtures.
You can get the dimmer light for late night or early morning usage as the dimmer consumes only 35 watts at that time. You will get a better bathroom experience besides saving costs and energy.
CRI score & color temperature
Besides the watts, these are both important in defining the color of the output lights from the light bulbs. The recommended CRI score is between 90 and 100 for bathroom vanity lights. Similarly, the temperature of the lights should be equal to natural sunlight. If the temperature is low, you will experience warmer light and vice versa. The recommended temperature for mimicking white daylight is 3000K.
FAQs
Is a 40-watt light bulb good for bathroom vanity?
As for traditional bulbs, a 40-watt bulb can provide up to 500 lumens, but the recommended brightness is 800 lumens for bathroom vanity. That means you need a 60-watts bulb to achieve the ideal brightness. However, if you select the LED bulbs, you can achieve the recommended brightness by half of 40 watts.
Which light bulb is best for vanity?
Today, LED lights are more famous than all types of lights and are considered the best. These are less power-consuming lights that save you energy and money.
Summing up
Similar to other aspects, the correct number of watts is necessary to make your area functional. It is the place out of the entire house where you spend more time. Therefore it requires more research to make it a luxurious space. After reading this article, you might know the correct number of watts for your vanity lights. Still, if you have doubts, contact us for expert guidance.