[Latest] 18 Bathroom Lighting Ideas over Mirror

When illuminating space over a mirror, bathroom lighting is crucial in both the functionality and aesthetics stakes. Lighting above a bathroom mirror is effective two-fold; it enhances the room's overall ambience and provides sufficient illumination for using the mirror itself. Below, we have compiled a range of creative and practical ideas for lighting over a bathroom mirror.

High Hanging Lights

How high, or low, lights hang above a bathroom mirror is going to be key for the specific amount of illumination to the face they provide. But in either instance, they can be an effective bathroom feature too, and potentially the star of the show.

Crystal LED Vanity Light

Crystal lights can not only illuminate the area in front of your mirror but also work as excellent decorative lights for your bathroom. The crystal LED vanity light shown in the image below allows you to adjust the brightness to your preference. When the light refracts through the glass, it creates a stunning starry sky effect. It will be the most impressive part of your bathroom.

Simple Spotlights

Sometimes, simplicity is key when it comes to lighting, and nothing is more straightforward than spotlights. They’re easy to fit, low-cost, and you can make them dance to your tune. Two spotlights often suffice, but it can always be a case of the more, the merrier, depending on the space.

Adjustable Ceiling Spotlights

Not all bathroom mirrors have to be illuminated by lights directly above or connected to them. Bathrooms are a great opportunity to put adjustable spotlights to work, those that come as part of a strip, as their glow can be directed towards specific areas of the room, such as the mirror.

Industrial Vanity Lights

Industrial vanity lights fit different bathroom styles and are usually installed over the mirror in a bathroom. They typically have transparent glass shade with exposed bulbs which looks modern and minimalistic.

Round Ceiling Light

One of the most traditional lighting solutions concerning bathroom mirrors is the flush mount ceiling lights. They’re usually considered as the lights which provide most illumination around the mirror and even the whole bathroom.

Basic Lightbulb

Simplicity is often key in many walks of life, and in lighting, the humble lightbulb is as simple as it gets. The great thing about lightbulbs in their basic form is that you are free to reimagine them and fit them in as part of an overall look. Know more about the lights in the image.

Short Strip Light

Strip lights have been a common type of lighting around the home for a while, and short versions of strip lights can work above bathroom mirrors. They’ll light the area horizontally, which means anything beneath the strip will be illuminated sufficiently.

Up and Down Lighting

What you often find with lights above bathroom mirrors is that they illuminate the mirror area exclusively. But, there is the potential for lights positioned above a mirror that will illuminate the area beneath while adding light above to benefit the whole room.

Low Hanging Lights

We mentioned above how effective high-hanging lights can be and that they can potentially become the room's main feature. Low-hanging lights can have a similar effect, but they should be set to the side in most cases not to impede the mirror's use. If you like the light in the image below, check the cage pendant lights here.

Side Lighting

Side lighting is possible in many bathrooms because mirrors can be positioned within alcoves. While direct central lighting above can work, two lights illuminating the space, one on either side of the recess, can often create excellent ambience.

Ring Lighting

Ring lighting has become popular thanks to the era of the selfie, but there are a couple of ways to incorporate it into bathroom lighting and mirrors, which can also be the perfect selfie spot. A hanging ring light could be the way to go.

Adjustable Lighting On An Arm

Naturally, some people will use their bathroom mirror for tasks such as applying makeup and grooming, which means they ideally need to have full control of the lighting in specific moments. A light attached to an adjustable arm could be just the ticket, fixed from above or side.

Back lighting

One of the most sleek ways of providing light to illuminate a mirror is to backlight the mirror itself. It’s a technique used elsewhere in the home, such as with flat-screen televisions, and it’s a modern approach to use in the bathroom, with the backlighting adjustable before fitting.

Neon Strip Lights

Neon lighting is one of the most popular and modern forms of lighting around - period. And there’s no reason why it can’t be used in strip form in bathrooms, especially above a mirror, with multiple colours available to set the mood or to make the mirror the room’s feature.

Single Side Lighting

Sometimes, a single sidelight, rather than one on either side, will suffice, especially if the space where the mirror is located in the bathroom is smaller. A single side light could be central and to the side or positioned above, providing coverage of the whole area at forty-five degrees.

Flameless Candles

Many people will find having candles burning away in the bathroom when they’re having a soak in the tub incredibly relaxing. However, it’s not a practical solution for lighting up a mirror area. But flameless candles or candle-effect bulbs and fixtures are.

Movie Star Vanity Lights

You may be used to seeing this style of vanity light arrangement in the dressing rooms of movie stars, but who says you can’t bring this to life in a bathroom? The assortment of traditional lightbulbs on show will make you feel like an A-lister in your own home.

Lighting is a great opportunity to get creative, and in the bathroom, above mirrors and other fixtures, more so, because you’ll often find that the lighting can be one of the standout features of the room. The above are just some ideas of the types of lighting used in bathrooms and how they can create the right level of illumination while remaining aesthetically pleasing. Finding the right balance is key, and it’s made possible by so many lighting solutions, fixtures and fittings that are available to buy and install with relative ease.