Shine On
Insufficient lighting can dim the results of a bathroom remodel. Get creative with new technologies
Image courtesy of Artistic Tile
When it's time to remodel the bathroom, people often spend a great deal of time and money choosing just the right assortment of materials and finishes. In the end, though, these elements aren't noticed if too little thought is given to lighting.
"Good bathroom lighting makes tasks easier and materials look better. A pretty fixture does not good lighting make," says Stan Pomeranz, the owner of Pittsboro, N.C.-based LightTech Architectural Lighting Design. Great lighting is achieved by "layering" different types of light that serve different purposes. For a simple bathroom makeover, cutting holes for new fixtures and wiring might not be feasible, but a major remodel calls for ample sources of ambient, task and accent lighting.
Under Wraps
Due to the unsightliness of compact fluorescent light bulbs, manufacturers have come out with enclosed or shaded fixtures to hide them. Use CFLs only in fixtures that stay on for more than 15 minutes at a time. And because they contain a small amount of mercury, CFLs must be recycled at special facilities.
Bathroom Bling
Verve and Mosaix wall sconces, featuring Swarovski crystals, are all about glitter and glam. Highly polished, "They throw a really interesting pattern on the wall," says Xavier Yager, a Chicago lighting consultant with Lightology lighting stores.
Natural Resources
Solatube is a narrow tube that harnesses sunlight and brings it indoors, like a spotlight skylight. Solatube's latest eChoice products qualify for a 30 percent federal energy tax credit.
Audio Illumination
The Klipsch LightSpeaker is a dimmable LED light with a tiny speaker inside. It screws in like a standard light bulb and to stream music throughout the bathroom. A music source, such as a laptop or an MP3 player, connects to a transmitter, which sends sound wirelessly to the LightSpeaker.
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