What should I decide first in a bathroom remodel?

A bathroom is the one room where you can see every surface without turning your head, so the finishes have nowhere to hide. Most bathroom remodels keep the fixtures roughly where they are and change tile, vanity, lighting and glass — which is enough to make the room unrecognisable.

What goes wrong most often?

A ceiling light behind the person at the mirror, lighting the back of their head. Large-format floor tile fought into a small room, leaving slivers at every wall.

Will it work in a small bathroom?

Under 40 sq ft, a wall-hung vanity and a clear glass screen instead of a framed enclosure buy back more perceived space than any tile choice. Seeing the floor run under the vanity is most of the effect.

Can I see it on my own bathroom before starting?

Yes — photograph the space and run it through the Studio. It is generated imagery, so compare the render against your photo rather than treating it as a plan.

How to Light a Bathroom

The layer people skip, and the one that makes the rest of the work visible. Small enough that every surface is visible at once, which is why finishes carry it.

BeforeAfter

1
The plan
Light the face, not the ceiling. Sconces either side of the mirror at 60–66in throw even light with no under-eye shadow; a single downlight above the mirror does the opposite. Add a separate damp-rated fixture in the shower.
2
What it has to light
The elements the work touches — wall and floor tile, vanity and top, mirror and lighting, shower enclosure or glass — are what the lighting has to make legible. Finishes chosen under a showroom's light and lit badly at home look like different materials.
3
Where lighting goes wrong here
A ceiling light behind the person at the mirror, lighting the back of their head.

Questions

What should I decide first in a bathroom remodel?: A bathroom is the one room where you can see every surface without turning your head, so the finishes have nowhere to hide. Most bathroom remodels keep the fixtures roughly where they are and change tile, vanity, lighting and glass — which is enough to make the room unrecognisable.
What goes wrong most often?: A ceiling light behind the person at the mirror, lighting the back of their head. Large-format floor tile fought into a small room, leaving slivers at every wall.
Will it work in a small bathroom?: Under 40 sq ft, a wall-hung vanity and a clear glass screen instead of a framed enclosure buy back more perceived space than any tile choice. Seeing the floor run under the vanity is most of the effect.
Can I see it on my own bathroom before starting?: Yes — photograph the space and run it through the Studio. It is generated imagery, so compare the render against your photo rather than treating it as a plan.

How to Light a Bathroom

The plan

What it has to light

Where lighting goes wrong here

Questions