> Lighting Ideas > Bathroom Lighting Ideas > Farmhouse Bathroom Lighting Ideas
Farmhouse bathrooms are known for being welcoming spaces for you or guests. However, since its original conception, farmhouse style has gone through many transitions and is now frequently blended with other interior design styles. To help you navigate those branches and create your ideal bathroom, here are 25 of our best farmhouse bathroom lighting ideas.
Functional Farmhouse
Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, farmhouse bathrooms must also be highly practical with their furnishings and fixtures. The lights that you use over your vanity and mirrors have a great impact on the room stylistically as well as practically. With that in mind, choose lights that work with your mirrors, cast light in the proper directions, and use the ideal lighting temperature for any tasks done at the vanity.
Perfect Symmetry
Traditional farmhouse bathrooms frequently utilize symmetry to create very classic, neat bathrooms. While your built ins and vanities all impact that layout, you can use your lights to further that scheme. This bathroom uses three wall sconces to balance the large vanity, but pendant lights could also be used between in the same areas to create a balanced design.
Subdued Presence
Lights do not have to be primary focal points of your vanity's wall. With a highly patterned wall like this, it's perfectly acceptable to use simple vanity lights that blend into the background and don't compete with the wallpaper. Even so, the lights should fit into the room's overarching style through similar materials, tone, and shapes to create a cohesive and consistent style.
Coordinating Creams
Farmhouse bathrooms that lean into cottage or country aesthetics often use light browns and creams to create a welcoming, soothing bathroom. With that in mind, you can mix and match various beige tones and textures to create a cozy bathroom. The cream pendant lights, vase, flooring, and brown accents all work together in this bathroom to make a stunning statement, and similar methods can be used in your own bathroom.
Subtlety
This rustic modern bathroom has glorious wood walls everywhere the eye can see. Because of that, the accents used in the bathroom are minimal and highly intentional. For bathrooms like these, you can use subtle lights in recessed lighting or small, subdued lighting fixtures. That way, the details of the walls, flooring, and tub can all shine as the main accents.
Classic Design
Wallpapers, wall sconces, and roman shades are a perfect match for classic farmhouse bathrooms. Each of these facets come in many different designs, finishes, and aesthetics, so you can lean into an elegant country style or a modern farmhouse with a limited color palette. In any case, the sconces you use and the elements they're paired with should all work towards the same style goals.
Grand Farmhouse
The lights you use in your farmhouse style bathroom dramatically impact the overarching tone and style. When combining farmhouse style with more elegant aesthetics, look for lighting fixtures that convey the warm tones of farmhouse style and show off elegant structures. The Astoria Chandelier shown here fits into a grand farmhouse style through its use of round shapes and warm metals, but it is elevated with its dynamic structure and size.
Soft Design
As a more traditional style, farmhouse style often uses softer shapes and edges to create an approachable style. This means that with your farmhouse bathroom, you can intentionally include vanity lights that convey that tone. Lights that use rounded shapes and circles are well suited for traditional farmhouse bathrooms and can create a very welcoming space.
Countryside Spa
Nothing says "elegance" quite like a chandelier or pendant placed above a soaking tub. A country style chandelier like Crystorama's Broche Round Pendant fits into farmhouse style through its color and rounded shape, but even more than that, the motifs of natural leaves and candles perfectly convey a countryside aesthetic.
New Trends
In this bathroom, there are several recurring numbers. There are two lighting fixtures, two mirrors, two sinks, two soap dispensers, and so on. However, the lighting fixtures partly break the mold by featuring three lights each. This subtle difference is a great way to fit into the room's overarching design while also setting a new trend for the entire vanity space.
Light and Bright
Farmhouse style bathrooms tend to feel very light and airy with natural light and lighting fixtures. The placement of the lights can also help further that lighting scheme and define the room's tone. In this example, the lights are mounted onto a mirrored wall. The rays of light will extend outward into the rest of the room, but they will also reflect off the mirror to create an even brighter space. While you do not have to mimic this layout, it is definitely worth noting how light is cast over the immediate area and room as a whole.
Masterful Pairings
In your farmhouse bathroom, you can use lights that you wouldn't necessarily consider farmhouse style. The linear, rigid lighted mirrors here definitely convey a more contemporary aesthetic, but they still work within this farmhouse bathroom. One of the main reasons they work is because of how they match other farmhouse elements in similar shapes. The rustic countertop boldly suits a rustic farmhouse style, and since it mimics the shape of the mirror and lights, the pieces tie together perfectly.
Matching Metals
If you have a more traditional farmhouse bathroom, you'll likely match elements to create a very cohesive design. The warm brass of the wall sconces tie in very well to the warm metals of the mirror and faucet, even if they are not exact matches. Matching metals is handy not only in traditional spaces, but in small bathrooms that you want to feel cohesive and classic.
Elevated Style
Bathroom mirrors with lights are becoming increasingly popular for their sleek style and practical lighting. These mirrors can even be used in farmhouse style. When using mirrors with lights in farmhouse bathrooms, consider what farmhouse elements you pair with the mirror. Natural materials on the walls, farmhouse ceiling lights, farmhouse sinks, and other elements can all be tailored to match your mirror and create an elevated farmhouse style.
Warmth
Another element that helps your farmhouse style bathroom feel welcoming is what metallic tones you use in the room. This room features warm metals as the primary accents through the vanity light, faucet, and hangers. Although these accent pieces pale in comparison to some of the other elements of the room, they are an essential part of creating a warm tone.
Traditional Tastes
Wall sconces are commonly found in more traditional farmhouse bathrooms. Sconces with cream/white lampshades like this fit into that traditional farmhouse aesthetic, but the clear accents and cool metals elsewhere in the lights break the bold. Blending traditional farmhouse fixtures with unconventional finishes can help you create a one of a kind farmhouse bathroom.
Texture
Farmhouse style frequently highlights different materials and textures to create dynamic spaces. This bathroom shows off that principle with the shiplap walls, tasselled towel, wood vanity, surfaces, and the wall sconces. Even though the wall sconces may not blatantly convey a farmhouse style, they do fit into the scheme thanks to their use of texture and soft shapes.
Best of Both Worlds
Like we said before, black and white is a classic color combination for modern farmhouse bathrooms. If you want to break that mold and add in warmth, look no further than your lighting fixtures. Designer lights that use black, white, and warm metals can further the room's color scheme and convey the natural warmth of farmhouse style.
Vintage Detailing
The type of metal and finish used in your bathroom light has a big impact on its tone, but there is another element to consider: glass. If your bathroom pendant lights or vanity lights feature glass, consider a clear seedy glass that features bubbles floating throughout each shade. These details show beautiful imperfections and texture in the lights, which makes them ideal for homey farmhouse and vintage country bathrooms.
Beautiful Barn Style
Barn style bathrooms will often use imagery of wildlife, natural fields, and plants to convey their style. This bathroom uses those pictures prominently throughout the bathroom's vanity wall. With that sort of setup, you must carefully choose a lighting fixture that complements those surrounding accents. In this case, the soft shapes of the lights complement the soft details of the photos and the vintage finish further connects to the antiqued photos. Details like these go a long way in creating a cohesive style.
Intentional Design
In this warm farmhouse bathroom, a single pendant light serves to illuminate the vanity. Even though this room brings in a lot of natural light as well, it needs more lights to provide essential task lighting. That's why recessed lights are subtly incorporated into the room's vaulted ceiling. Recessed lights are often used in living rooms and kitchens, but they can work well in bathrooms to create task lighting without detracting from any other focal points or accent lights.
Variation
Although many bathrooms have all the fixtures, faucets, and handles match, this isn't necessary for all bathrooms. Having differences in finishes, metals, and materials can help you create a more modern or eclectic bathroom. In this scenario, the light matches the draw pulls and handles, but the faucet's color ties back into the wallpaper. Don't be afraid to vary your finishes and details to create a unique farmhouse bathroom.
Modern Rustic
If your version of farmhouse style uses more rusticated or distressed accents, you may want to use more modern lighting fixtures to contrast those finishes. For example, this bathroom features a distressed set of cabinets on the other side of the mirror and a weathered wood vanity. The use of a sleek, modern mirror helps balance those aesthetics and draw the room into the modern day, but it does so without detracting from those classic farmhouse details.
Marvelous Motifs
Lantern lights are frequently used in farmhouse style thanks to their intrinsic charm and class. However, even lantern wall sconces come in many different variations to help you customize your bathroom. The lights displayed here lean into contemporary aesthetics by straying away from traditional square/rectangular lanterns, but you can easily choose a lantern wall sconce that fits your specific brand of farmhouse style.
Classic Colors
Modern farmhouse style is often defined by its use of black and white. Whether you have white shiplap walls like this bathroom or painted white walls, you can use black throughout the room's mirrors, lights, and hardware to create that classic color palette. Matte black is the most popular finish for farmhouse style lighting fixtures in this color scheme, since glossy finishes tend to be more prominent in contemporary styles.
When you're creating a farmhouse bathroom, the lights you incorporate into the room have a great impact on the room's overarching style and tone. Modern farmhouse, country farmhouse, and traditional farmhouse are only three of the most popular branches of farmhouse style you can display in your bathroom. As you create your ideal bathroom, consider the ideas listed above for your farmhouse bathroom vanity lights and other lights for your home.
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FAQs
What is the most flattering lighting for a bathroom? ›
For the most flattering light, choose coated or frosted bulbs and select fixtures with frosted-glass covers rather than bare bulbs.
What is the best color light for a bathroom vanity? ›Chose bulbs or LED fixtures that emit bright white light with a high CRI (around 90-100) for the most accurate colors. Bulbs in the 'soft white' range of 2700K – 3000K are recommended for general bathroom use, and makeup application in particular.
What is the best lighting for a bathroom warm or cool light? ›Bathroom lighting experts often recommend sticking to the warm white light, as shown in the color/temperature breakdown below. (Hint: Try warm white 2700-3000 kelvins (K) for the most flattering bathroom lighting).
Is warm or daylight better for bathrooms? ›Warm white is great for bigger living spaces where you would like to give the room the ambiance of warmth, and an inviting sense. However, for bathrooms where you want the space to look and feel clean, there has been lengthy research conducted that says 'daylight' LED lighting is more preferable.
Should bathroom vanity lights face up or down? ›Installation. Most vanity lights can be mounted with lights pointed up or down. Remember to mount the fixture with the lights pointed up for ambient lighting and pointed down for task lighting.
What is the least flattering lighting? ›Overhead lighting is the least flattering angle for people.
What is a timeless color for bathroom vanity? ›Moodier but still classic, black is as timeless as white is when it comes to your cabinet color. If your bathroom also includes shelves, don't be shy in painting them black to match.
Should bathroom lights be white or yellow? ›The perfect light color temperature for a bathroom lies somewhere in the middle of soft white and daylight. Soft white can be too yellow and daylight can be too blueish. You want a bathroom to be a place that makes you alert, yes, but not annoyingly sterile.
What color looks best in a bathroom with low light? ›The best bathroom paint colors for rooms without natural light are those that reflect as much light and stay bright. White, pale yellow or even gray will do the trick.
How bright should bathroom vanity lights be? ›The ALA recommends a minimum value of approximately 1600 lumens for vanity lighting (for reference, one 60-watt incandescent bulb yields about 800 lumens on its own), although there is one important consideration that can alter this number: If the fixture you choose has an integrated LED light source, the added ...
What is the ideal lighting style to simulate natural light in a bathroom? ›
In order to emulate the feeling of natural light, the best bathroom lighting designs choose the color temperature of fixtures with intentionality and always incorporate dimmability. We recommend warmer color temperatures for bathroom lighting—between 2700K and 3000K—which tend to be more flattering than cooler ones.
What type of light is best for bathroom mirror? ›Incandescent and halogen light sources always have the best CRI – 100 – meaning they most accurately render colors. If you wish to use an energy-efficient LED or fluorescent light source, ensure your selection has a CRI or at least 90. This provides excellent color rendering in bathroom settings.
What color is best for bathroom? ›What works best in bathrooms are neutral colors like light grays, warmer off-whites, and calming, soft blue-greens. Your current bathroom decor, furniture, and fixtures should inspire paint color ideas.
Is 3000K or 4000K better for bathrooms? ›Regarding the color temperature, we generally recommend the 4000K option for spaces such as powder rooms and bathrooms.
What is the best bathroom color temperature? ›For a welcoming feel, try using warm color temperatures between 2700K and 3000K. This way, you'll give your bathroom a soft, yellowish glow that evokes comfort. On the other hand, if you're looking for a more modern, sleek look, go for a color temperature between 3500K and 4000K.
Should bathroom lights hang over mirrors? ›Vanity mirror lighting should never overhang the mirror. Make sure the fixture isn't extended past the mirror to avoid down lighting, which will cast shadows on the face. Take advantage of accent lighting to create a warm glow.
Does bathroom lighting go above or next to mirror? ›Should bathroom lights hang over a mirror? The short answer is yes, you should fix bathroom lights over – or, on either side – of a mirror if you are planning efficient task lighting in a bathroom, powder room or shower room.
How many lights should be on a vanity mirror? ›To the side of the mirror: Placing two sconces, one on each side, is a great way to eliminate shadows. For double vanities with two mirrors, use three lights total with one in between. You can even use hanging pendant lights in place of the sconces if wall mounting presents a problem.
What lighting makes people look best? ›People tend to look the best when illuminated by light bulbs that measure around 2700 kelvins. Most bulbs, whether incandescent, LED, compact fluorescent or halogen, are labeled “soft white/warm white” (2,700-3,000 kelvins), “bright white/cool white” (3,500-4,100 kelvins) or “daylight” (5,000-6,500 kelvins).
What is the most complimentary lighting? ›Most all lighting designers and interior designers agree that the most flattering light comes from lighting sources with a color temperature of 2700 Kelvins. That's a warm, soft yellow light.
What bathroom colors never go out of style? ›
The only other bathroom colors that rank as timeless, after whites, are cool blues and greens. “Watery hues are very popular in spa baths, as they ease the nerves—and in fact, sea blues have been scientifically proven by environmental psychologists to calm people,” says Cummings.
What color vanity never goes out of style? ›Whether you prefer a classic-looking bathroom or a spalike retreat, Winn says, “white doesn't go out of style.” Think white paint, tile, countertops, vanities and textiles.
What is the latest color trend for bathrooms? ›Many designers recommend white or light colors to create the illusion of a larger space, but coziness can be nice, too. In fact, current trends involve going a bit bolder with small bathrooms—especially powder rooms—and using vibrant jewel tones or moody colors like charcoal, eggplant, pewter green, or even black.
Is daylight or soft white better for bathrooms? ›Soft White or Daylight for Bathrooms
In most bathroom or vanity applications, you want a brighter light. A preferable color temperature for a bathroom is 3000K (soft-white) to 5000K (cool white). Daylight can be too blue and sterile, so I like to err on the side of soft white to cool white.
General Lighting Rules
As a standard, you want at least one watt of incandescent light for every square foot of space that you have in the bathroom. However, if you are using indirect lighting, recessed lighting, or your bathroom is on the dark side, you will want to increase this by at least half, maybe even 100%.
LED lights are the best choice for a bathroom vanity as they are damp-rated and work well in a high-humidity environment. The bulbs are highly energy efficient and produce a warm light ideal for makeup application.
What bathroom colors increase home value? ›New paint colors can transform a room's atmosphere and increase your home's value—if you choose the right paint color. "Generally, going with neutral colors like shades of white, beige, taupe, and grays lead to a faster sale," she shares.
What color makes a small bathroom look bigger? ›What is the best paint color for a small bathroom? According to basic design principles, light colors such as white, crème, pastel blue, gray or yellow will visually expand a room, while dark colors such as a deep red, green or brown, will make a room feel smaller.
How do you layout bathroom lights? ›The guideline for spacing recessed lights in a bathroom: divide the ceiling height by two. For example, in a bathroom with a 9-foot ceiling, place the lights 4.5 feet apart. The layout should provide enough light, without overwhelming the space.
How do you imitate natural light in a bathroom? ›Mirrors are the ideal choice for bathrooms without windows. They reflect your artificial light, which mimics the effect of a natural light source. They're also ideal for smaller spaces, as they can also create the illusion of a more spacious room.
Where do you put lights over a bathroom mirror? ›
For a single light above the mirror, place it around 80 inches from the floor for an ideal height. The bottom of the fixture or shade should be at least two inches above the top edge of your mirror. Look for fixtures that are slightly smaller than the width or height of your mirror for an ideal visual ratio.
How bright should bathroom mirror lights be? ›300-400 lux in front of the mirror luminaire is ideal. the mirror luminaire should be splash-proof (IP44) when changing lamps for mirror luminaires in the bathroom, make sure they have an identical base and suitable IP and lumen ratings.
What color sells bathrooms? ›Best Colors for Resale Value
A light blue hue invites a calm, serene, and relaxing environment that compliments almost any decor or design style. Light yellow, cream, beige, and gray are also favorites of prospective home buyers.
White and light colors are the paint colors most people choose because the bathroom is small, but dark colors work well in small bathrooms too, even if there is no natural light coming into the space. It really comes down to the look you are going for and how you want the space to feel.
What is the best color for 2023? ›The Pantone Color Institute named Viva Magenta as its official color of the year for 2023 for its joyous yet powerful nature. A red with subtle notes of purple, magenta flawlessly complements many different color palettes from those on the richer, jewel-tone side of the spectrum to even a lighter, earthy palette.
Is LED light better in bathroom? ›LED Bulbs. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, LED light bulbs can last up to 25,000 hours, which significantly outlast traditional light bulbs. Therefore, LED light bulbs are some of the best bathroom fixture bulbs because they are energy-efficient and less prone to overheating.
How many lumens do I need for a bathroom light? ›Lumens Quick Guide
Kitchen work areas: 7,000 to 8,000 lumens. Bathroom: 7,000 to 8,000 lumens. Home office: 6,000 to 8,000 lumens. Dining room: 3,000 to 4,000 lumens.
3000K is still well within the range of "warm white" color temperatures and there should be no concerns about it being too blue, intense or clinical.
What is the most flattering LED light color? ›Purple or violet LED light colors are one of the most popular. It's less visually harsh than a red, green, blue or pink light and when used as an accent light, can be great for many applications. Another reason violet LED colors are so commonly used is the wide range of moods they can create.
What lighting is best for flattering photos? ›Natural daylight is generally considered the best light source because it has a broad spectrum. Rooms with large windows can be a great asset, but on the other hand, if a beam of direct sunlight falls directly on your subject then you may need to try to find another spot in the room to shoot.
What is the most flattering lighting setup? ›
#1.
Butterfly lighting (sometimes called “paramount lighting” which is a way less fun thing to call it) is one of the most flattering lighting setups for most faces, so don't even think about lighting me any other way. Your goal is to create a butterfly shape in the shadow under the nose.
It is also flattering to the skin, so if you're looking to create a “sexy” LED lighting environment, red is a good choice.
What LED colour makes you look better? ›White light is by far the most versatile color of light because of it can be reflected by any color. This means colored makeup looks truest under this light.
What LED light color makes your skin look good? ›“And that's why red light is an ideal wavelength for changing the way the skin functions.” Red light penetrates the skin deeper than other visible light and stimulates the mitochondria, which has an anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating effect.
What is the most flattering lighting for face? ›Keep Lights at Eye-Level
According to Sloboda, you want the light source to be coming from eye-level, because it's the most flattering for faces. "Lighting from even slightly above can create circles under the eyes, and from below makes you look like you're in a horror movie," Sloboda said.
45 degrees is among the most common placements, and it means that the light is placed at a 45-degree angle from your subject. At 45 degrees, you're most closely emulating what is referred to as Rembrandt Lighting, which produces a natural and generally flattering light on your subject.
What is flattering lighting? ›The reason soft light is considered flattering is because it does not reveal fine texture and contrasts as much as hard light, meaning blemishes in skin are not as prominent and shadows have finer, more gradual transitions. Soft light comes from sources that are large relative to the subject.
What is the best lighting for a dressing room? ›Avoid low CRI, fluorescent or halogen lighting. In conclusion, make sure lighting has a high CRI and that the color temperature is neither too blue nor too yellow. It should have a 90+ CRI and be warm with a pinkish hue.
What is the ideal lighting position? ›Put the brightest light source in front of you—or at a 45-degree angle. Experts recommend positioning yourself so your main light source is directly in front of you or at a 45-degree angle to you.
What is the best light placement? ›A good general rule for placement is to divide the height of the ceiling by two. The result is the amount of space to leave between each light. For example, recessed lighting spacing for a room with an 8-foot-high ceiling would be 4 feet between each light. This will provide good spacing for general room lighting.