A windowless bathroom can be problematic for a number of reasons from poor lighting to inadequate ventilation. Unfortunately, it’s not always possible to install a window which means alternative solutions need to be considered. Brighten up your bathroom from dull and uninviting into a room you will look forward to relaxing in. Along with the right decor, your choice of lighting for a bathroom without windows can make all the difference.
Before you decide to give your entire bathroom an overhaul just to improve visibility, take a look at some ideas for the best lighting for a bathroom without windows.
- What Is The Best Lighting For A Bathroom Without Windows?
- Light Fixtures For Bathrooms Without Windows
- Tips For Planning Bathroom Lighting
What Is The Best Lighting For A Bathroom Without Windows?
Before you rush out and completely overhaul your entire bathroom, look at the easiest and most cost-effective solution. The first place to start is to see what you have to work with. Perhaps the only thing you need is to change the type of light bulb you use in the middle of the ceiling. You may be able to achieve a vast improvement by simply changing that single light bulb.
Here are some easy solutions for you to consider:
Light bulb – When it comes to the humble light bulb, there are dozens of different types you can choose from with the main ones being standard incandescent, halogen, CFL (compact fluorescent lightbulb) or LED (light emitting diode). Most households have found standard incandescent light bulbs or LED light bulbs useful and efficient. Both of these will work perfectly fine in a windowless bathroom but an LED light is usually more energy efficient and they last longer.
LED light bulbs are available in a variety of sizes, shapes, lumens, and other factors. Most lighting experts will recommend LED light bulbs as you can choose the perfect brightness and color temperature for your bathroom.
Color temperature – What ambiance do you want to achieve in your bathroom? If you want your bathroom to be a place you can relax while you soak in the tub, the color temperature you may want to aim for is warm lighting with a lower glow. Cooler lighting imitating daylight will make your bathroom brighter and look larger.
Brightness – The brightness of a light source is the most important aspect to consider with a windowless bathroom. Lumens are how we measure brightness, so the more lumens, the brighter the room. Depending on the size of the bathroom will determine how many lumens are needed to effectively illuminate a bathroom without windows. For reference, a 60-watt incandescent lightbulb has about 800 lumens. In a windowless bathroom, you may need to look at a light bulb with 2,000 lumens or more.
CRI (color rendering index) – Have you ever wondered why we see colors differently depending on different lighting? This is due to the CRI or color rendering index. The CRI in light bulbs will determine whether the colors in the room look vibrant and natural or dull and lifeless. In a bathroom without windows, it is always best to choose a light bulb with a higher CRI. Below 80 CRI, and most colors in the room will look drab so bring out the best of the colors in your bathroom and aim for a CRI of 100+ when choosing a light bulb.
Dimmable – While having a bright light in the bathroom, especially one without windows, is essential, there will be times when you don’t want all that brightness. Perhaps you love soaking in a bubble bath every so often and lighting several candles for a relaxing spa experience. Installing dimmable lights allows you to control the amount of light you need in the bathroom, depending on what you’re doing and the mood you’re in.
Light Fixtures For Bathrooms Without Windows
There are several great ideas you can utilize in a bathroom, even if there are no windows from a simple light bulb to some stunning decorative light fixtures. Take a look at some of these ideas:
Ceiling light – The ceiling light really needs to be more than just a dull light bulb in the middle of the ceiling. You can get a little creative with choosing the right fixture for the ceiling light. If all you have is a central ceiling light, install a fixture that emits light upward as well as downward. This gives the illusion of more light and will definitely brighten a dull bathroom.
If you have higher ceilings, semi-flush mount ceiling lights are also a great idea as these reflect light in all directions.
One of the biggest issues with bathrooms that don’t have windows is adequate ventilation. Bathrooms are wet areas and mold can form very quickly without ventilation. A great idea for a ceiling light in a windowless bathroom is the multi-function bathroom light. This is a light, fan, and heater in one convenient unit. If your bathroom lighting options are limited, this is a great choice to make.
Vanity light – There are two main reasons you need a vanity light in any bathroom, but even more so in a windowless bathroom. Firstly, the targeted light around the vanity is perfect for grooming – as in doing your makeup, or shaving for men – and secondly, vanity lights tend to be brighter and this can add extra light in the bathroom when it’s needed.
Crystal Vanity Lights
Industrial Vanity Lights
Recessed lights – Instead of choosing one excessively bright light in the middle of the bathroom, consider installing recessed lights. There are a number of ways you can position these but the main focus should be to have a recessed light above each key area of the bathroom or perhaps a couple of rows of recessed lights.
Strip lights – One of the most versatile types of lighting you can add to a bathroom is strip lights. These are exceptional as you can install them almost anywhere – around the vanity, along the edges of the ceiling, above the shower, or even along the floor. The choice is up to you and, more importantly, depends on the size of your bathroom as well as the other fixtures.
Tips For Planning Bathroom Lighting
Mix and match the lights – Give your bathroom a unique look by installing more than one light source. The ceiling light is a must, but you can also add other lighting such as a vanity light, recessed lights, and even a few wall lighting fixtures.
Choose the right bathroom color scheme – The biggest mistake you can make in a windowless bathroom, especially if it’s a smaller size, is to choose dark colors for the walls, tiling, and other fixtures. Choose brighter, lighter colors that will reflect the light more efficiently, and also choose tiles that are shiny to reflect the light even more. Choosing a single color may give a windowless bathroom a “box-type” feeling so apart from adding some framed mirrors or pictures, it may also help lift the ambiance of the bathroom to have a contrasting wall. The best place for a contrasting wall is one with the least amount of visible wall, such as where the vanity is situated but you can also designate this feature or contrasting color to the shower area.
Glazed door – A bathroom simply must have a door but that doesn’t mean you need to get a bland-looking door in a single color. Glazed doors still give you the privacy you must have in a bathroom but they also allow light to come in from other areas of the house.
Mirrors – A bathroom without a window is a challenge and you definitely want to reflect as much light as possible without the need for too many added light sources. A large mirror can make a small, muggy-looking bathroom look much larger and it will definitely reflect light more effectively. The vanity is the ideal place to install a large mirror but you can also add a few smaller mirrors in other places around the bathroom.
A bathroom without a window is not ideal but that doesn’t mean you can’t have a stunning-looking bathroom. Choose the right decor and ensure you have the best lighting and you can have a wonderfully relaxing and stylish bathroom that you’ll love to retreat to when you need to soak away the strain in the tub.
