Your bathroom is one of the most commonly used rooms in your home. From starting your day to unwinding before bed, creating an environment that is both functional and aesthetically pleasing is important. When an area is on the smaller side, whether it be a downstairs bathroom or a compact en-suite, knowing how to make the most of what you’re working with is key to creating a room you’ll love.
We’re sharing 12 small bathroom lighting ideas that will help you to revamp your space.
1. Recessed spotlights
Recessed spotlights have always been a favoured choice for small bathroom lighting ideas for a long time because, simply put, they take up little to no space. Flush with your ceiling, recessed spotlights allow you to keep your small bathroom feeling clutter-free, while also having the benefit of providing plenty of lighting around your room.
2. Built-in mirror lights
When you’re short on space, it’s time to get creative and make your features work harder for you. For a modern small bathroom lighting idea, add an extra layer of light with a light-up mirror.
These are a great addition to any bathroom but work particularly well in rooms not blessed with a lot of square footage. They also provide the perfect place to do your makeup or to achieve a flawless clean shave.
3. Uplighting
For small bathroom lighting ideas that can really open up your space, consider uplighting. Working best on white ceilings, position your lights upwards and watch as they reflect on your bright ceiling.
4. Utilise tricky spaces
If you have recessed areas in your room or a slightly peculiar layout, add spotlights or decorative lighting to make the most of this otherwise wasted space. Some bathrooms might have a funkier layout thanks to boilers, sloped roofs or wall cutouts so incorporating lighting helps to maximise what you’re working with.
5. Place wall sconces around your mirror
Wall lights can help elevate any space but if your bathroom is particularly small, they might take up an invaluable room that you can’t afford to lose. Instead, position wall sconces around your bathroom mirror. This not only creates a well-put-together look but helps to increase the functionality of your mirror, providing ample lighting for day-to-day tasks.
6. Layer your lighting
Create the illusion of space by layering your lighting. As well as your central, main lighting, add accent and functional lighting to really open up your room. If you’re hoping to completely revamp your room with a bespoke bathroom design, look at how layered lighting could complement your dream space.
7. Spotlights
Spotlights don’t have to be recessed and there are plenty of different styles to suit your individual preference. Add another dimension to your small bathroom and highlight key areas of your room with decorative spotlights, adding a touch of elegance with gold or embrace sleek minimalism with matte black. Match these with your room’s other finishing touches to create the ultimate cohesive look.
8. LED strip lights
Becoming increasingly popular for bathroom lighting ideas, LED strip lights add a little colour to your space with next to no fuss. You can use LED strip lights to draw guests’ attention to key features, from outlining your shower to running along the parameters of your ceiling.
LED lights can come in an array of colours too, so you can have a bit of fun with them. To accentuate your LED lights, use them in bathrooms with a lighter colour scheme, allowing them to pop.
9. Over-mirror lighting
If you don’t fancy purchasing a mirror with built-in lighting but you want to up the ante with your makeup station, why not look at over-mirror lighting? This is one surefire way to add another dimension to your small bathroom and promote the feeling of more space.
10. Add some lighting to shelves
Small bathroom lighting ideas don’t have to be limited to just wall or ceiling lights. Similar to over-mirror lighting, adding a dash of light to different parts of your room can help to add depth to your small bathroom. If you have bathroom shelves, use decorative lighting such as battery-powered candles or fairy lights to bring some warmth to your room.
11. Work with your existing decor
When researching bathroom lighting ideas for small bathrooms, it’s important to factor in the existing design you’re working with. For the best results, pair your lighting with light-coloured walls, whether it be white paint or earth-toned tiles, for a sleek finish.
If your bathroom decor is on the darker side, opting for more layered lighting will help to add much-needed brightness. Alternatively, you can lean into a moodier ambience and use soft, warm lighting to turn your small bathroom into a cosy hideaway to wash away the day in.
12. Opt for a single flush light fixture
Although we love layering lights, you don’t have to fill your bathroom with lots of different light fixtures if you don’t want to or if your electrical points won’t allow it. There are plenty of great small bathroom lighting ideas that work for single light fixtures and will still help your room shine. If you’re sticking with a singular light source, make sure you pick bulbs that are up to the task to prevent your bathroom from looking overcast.
Make a statement with bold and fun decorative light fixtures or keep things simple and clean with a flush light that lets your other bathroom decor do all the talking.
Where should lighting be in a small bathroom?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer for where your lighting should go in a small bathroom. Each room has its own quirks, unique layout and different levels of natural light. When you’re looking at which small bathroom lighting ideas might suit your room the best, think about what you want to use your space for.
For downstairs cloakrooms primarily used by guests, you can get away with a single point of lighting or mood lighting that creates a warm ambience. A family-friendly bathroom that you get ready in each day would benefit from using more lighting in different parts of your room to provide a more practical environment.
You might also be limited by your electric points. If so, look at adding light with battery-powered accessories.
What is the best lighting for a small bathroom?
The best lighting for your small bathroom is whatever complements your decor and your room’s layout. For example, is your ceiling high but your floor space limited? Why not try a statement piece of lighting? Or, is your ceiling tiered? In this case, you might consider spotlights on each layer to prevent any parts of your ceiling from looking dark.
In this article, we’ve shared 12 small bathroom lighting ideas to revamp your space. No matter your style or budget, there are plenty of fun ways you can spice up your small bathroom, leaving you with a room that’s not only practical but beautiful too. If in doubt, remember your home is your own personal slice of paradise so don’t be afraid to buck the trends and focus on designing something that showcases your personality.