15 bathroom wall lighting ideas that renovators love

Bathroom wall lighting plays an important stylistic and functional role in bathrooms in Australia. While you could be forgiven for thinking ceiling lights alone will suffice, the reality is that wall lights are incredibly helpful, especially as a source of light for cleaning and grooming. These bathroom wall lighting ideas are ones that renovators all over Australia absolutely love and can make a real difference to the look and day-to-day use of your bathroom space.

In most rooms, a single source of light just isn't enough. This is especially true for the bathroom. Natural light layering, which is a technique you can use that brings multiple sources of light into a space, is an easy way to meet your needs. And, it's easy to accomplish with vanity lights.

These are lights you can put up behind a large bathroom mirror to illuminate the space. This not only brightens the mirror and your face but makes it more flattering and shadow-free, which is ideal for applying makeup or shaving.

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Do you adore the trend of combining indoor and outdoor spaces? Sometimes it’s not about bringing nature into your home, but the world of industry and mechanics. If you want to add a touch of industrial appeal to your bathroom, consider installing industrial-style wall lights.

You'll want to look at heavier metals like steel and iron for this, but you can also have a lot of fun with bulb shapes and glass. Try hanging wall sconce lights that cast light upwards for an extra bit of drama.

Multiple light sources will always enhance the appearance of your bathroom, regardless of its size. Accent spotlights, recessed lighting, task lights, and down lights can all meet the demands of practical, day-to-day use, whether you need low-level ambience, bright task lighting, or general nighttime illumination.

For a well-balanced area, use task lighting around your mirror, the primary ceiling light for the entire room, and wall up lights to accent a highlight or feature of the room.

Using bathroom wall lights strategically to accent a certain area in the bathroom is a clever design trick that will make your space feel more finished. For example, you could highlight a vanity mirror with overhanging sconce lights, or have bathroom strip lights around a bathtub or shower.

They're a practical solution for extra light, and when done right, make for some stunning and intriguing designs. You could try for a monochromatic style across the whole bathroom using box wall lights, all paired with crisp black and white finishes.

A fun colour scheme in a bathroom can truly bring an area to life, and it's especially useful for small spaces, where you don't have as much room to play with. Bright colours like coral and turquoise, or richer tones like emerald and aubergine can be quite invigorating when splashed across a wall.

You can use these kinds of colour combinations to tie wall art in or to highlight a specific architectural feature.

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If you're looking for something simple and uncomplicated, then minimalism is the way to go. Not only is it pleasing to live in a clean, minimalist space, but it's also an ageless and elegant design style that suits many homes. You'll need fittings that are sleek, graceful, and not overbearing.

For a delicate, modest aesthetic, try frosted glass, a brass pendant light, or ceramic designs.

Think antique sinks, a wicker chair, and pictures of vintage cruise liners. Now, picture these with reclaimed vintage ship lights. If you combined these features with reclaimed wood and Venetian-style plaster, you'd have a bathroom fit for an admiral.

While nautical styles can swiftly turn kitsch, there are ways to do them tastefully. If you are considering a nautical themed room, opt for industrial finishes and sleek, glass wall lights. Pair it with tasteful fabrics and you have a winner.

Consider how the different materials in your bathroom will interact when you install them. For example, marble looks amazing with a brass or gold finish, whereas tile looks fantastic with cool-toned chrome and other silvery metals. If you want some truly refined, sophisticated bathroom designs, then match your lighting fixtures to the finish of your bathroom fittings.

You can look at things like the feet of a bath, the taps and handles in your bathroom, and even features like towel rails and mirrors as potential options to match.

You can use wall mounted lamps or lanterns to create a sense of balance and symmetry in a room. These work particularly well in a larger bathroom since they occupy more visual space, but you can still achieve the same effect in a small bathroom with fewer surrounding accessories.

Place these right beside your mirror or above your toilet for a bold and memorable design. Try materials like rusted steel, iron, wood, and even copper and glass.

Bathroom lighting options should always be attractive, so we're not saying you should fish out your gran's old sconces and put them on your wall. But we're also not saying you shouldn't.

If you're installing antique fittings, make sure they suit the style of bathroom you’re planning and take the time to clean and polish them. If possible, fit them with a new LED light if you can. Often, the colour of the bulb can play a big role in how the fitting is received by guests. Remember, white light is functional but can make a bathroom feel too icy.

Lighter, warmer tones are definitely more inviting and work well with antique fittings. Don’t be afraid to try out interesting metals and combinations like brass and stained glass.

Tubular sconces are great because they can fit into tight spaces. They also emit a bright, open glow that draws you in like a moth to a flame. When topped with interesting fittings and shaped with unusual glass, they can even be an interesting talking point for your visitors.

A very trendy type of piece, you can tuck these beside your cabinets, or near the shower to give typical dark spots a little bit brighter.

Related article: What are the latest trends for bathroom in 2022

Pendant lights are well-suited to almost every room in a home, and the bathroom is no different. You can place hanging pendant lights on a bathroom wall to produce a relaxing atmosphere and to compliment the presence of natural light. For lighting placement, consider placing pendant lights above a vanity unit or a bathtub. Due to the humid conditions in a bathroom, its worth choosing weather-resistant materials for your lights, such as glass or forms of metal such as stainless steel or aluminium.

Kill two birds with one stone by selecting wall mirrors that have lighting built into them. These mirrors provide a soft illumination to the surrounding area, alongside making everyday bathroom tasks such as shaving or applying makeup all the more convenient. Providing the bulbs in your mirror shine bright enough, you most likely won't need to worry about purchasing other types of wall lights for your bathroom, so your bathroom remains well lit, while avoiding any unnecessary features.

The right bathroom wall lighting can create a special atmosphere. Bulbs that radiate a warm white light avoid creating harsh bright spots and provide a consistent, relaxing light to the surrounding area. To create a consistent level of light throughout your bathroom, consider placing multiple lights on different walls; doing so will ensure the light is distributed evenly, reduce glare and maintain a tranquil, serene environment.

Placing recessed lights or downlights on your bathroom walls or ceiling is a great way to create an even, subtle lighting scheme that avoids overpowering the space. It can accentuate the design features, provide functional task lighting, and contribute to a calm and relaxing atmosphere. Tactically placing a downlight above your bathroom mirror for example can help with practical tasks. Or if you want to help a particular bathroom feature standout such as a piece of wall art, an exotic plant or a sculptural sink, strategic downlight placement can cast the perfect glow, drawing the eye and adding depth to the room.

Though the bathroom may be one of the smaller rooms in the house, it deserves its own love and attention. And what better way to shine a spotlight on that than by adopting one of these inspiring bathroom lighting ideas. With solutions to suit almost every style, space, and budget you’ll have no problems finding something that works for you.