Lighting a bathroom can be uniquely challenging. They can be narrow or wide, huge or small, or feature high ceilings, and that’s not to mention the individual likes of everyone who uses the bathroom.

Lighting Formula

There is, however, an easy-to-use lighting formula that can help get your bathroom lighting right, and that can be found here.

So, what does this lighting formula (which determines the minimum amount of wattage your bathroom should have) look like? Very simple:

• Multiply your bathroom’s length by its width in feet, and you get its square footage
• Multiply that number by 1.5
• This is the minimum amount of wattage your bathroom should have to be properly illuminated

For example, let’s say your bathroom is 10 feet long by 9 feet wide. Multiplying those numbers gets you a square footage of 90 feet. Then multiply that by 1.5 and you get 135—the minimum amount of wattage you should have in your bathroom.

When you have this wattage, start looking for the right fixture. Remember to keep in mind the total wattage of the bathroom light. For example, a 3-light vanity fixture with 60-watt bulbs has a total wattage of 180 watts—which is enough wattage for our imaginary bathroom.

Then you just find a vanity fixture, beauty wrap, wall sconce, or ceiling fixture (or any combination) that fits your bathroom lighting needs—all thanks to our lighting formula.

If you need help finding the right bulb for your bathroom lighting needs, check out our helpful blog post on different bulb types here.

Bathroom Lighting With Fans & Skylights

There are, of course, other bathroom lighting alternatives. You’re going to need a bathroom fan to vent out the room’s excess moisture, and many fans come equipped with a light bright enough to be the primary light source.

Determining your bathroom lighting is one thing. But what if you let Mother Nature do most of the work? If you’re ready to think outside the box for brightening your bathroom, consider a skylight.

We’ve rolled out the highlights of skylights in a blog, but here are a few benefits:

• Easy installation
• Versatility
• Eco-friendly
• Burglar proof

Placed in a space where light can be scarce (many bathrooms have just one small window), the indirect, diffused sunlight totally eliminates the need to turn on a light. And natural sunlight helps boost energy levels, lifts the mood, eases eyestrain, and saves money on your energy bill.

And go ahead, just try to feel glum getting ready for your day while standing beneath a glorious ray of natural sunlight.

If you’re interested in these fantastic fixtures, visit our skylight page.