I do a lot of bathroom design. And if there's one thing I’m totally tired of, it’s...
I’ve mentioned this before; and I know that sometimes there’s just no way to get around using them. But I prefer to get a little more creative and atypical.
I love using sconces. However...
Sometimes there’s just no room in the width of the space; and it's soooooo hard to find good sconces with adequate wattage. So many that you see in bathrooms — those featured in beautiful glossy magazines — are, in fact, the equivalent of 40 watt incandescent, which is ridiculously low for putting on make-up or shaving. I have so often wondered why that is the case.
I often struggle to find the perfect lighting for these small spaces: something that is beautiful, stylized, slim, and bright.
One option I've started using is a pendant. It’s kind of nice to not have to worry about the positioning of the sconce on the wall. It’s quite different and can be used to visually add height to a room.
I used one here in a powder room:
Powder bath with pendant lighting, designed by Carla Aston, photo by Tori Aston
Pairing the pendant with a tall mirror heightened the space; and its reflection in the mirror automatically doubles the light in the room.
I used pendants in this master bath to add height, as well as to make a bolder statement with the lighting. Smaller, more insignificant sconces would have been busier and wouldn’t have made for such a dynamic, contemporary visual appeal.
Contemporary master bath with pendant lighting, designed by Carla Aston, photo by Tori Aston
Here are a few bathrooms from the 2020 TNAR - The New American Remodel. They employed these same ideas with pendants used at the bathroom vanities.
I always say that the architecture of the room will tell you what to do with the space.
Enhance its attributes and work with its bones and you can't go wrong. Using pendants in these situations does just that. They brought attention to the height in each space, added drama, and more light was reflected in the mirror.
I’ve got my handy Bathroom Design Guide to share here today. If you need some help planning your bathroom remodel, my project checklist can serve as your go-to source so you don’t leave anything out and can thoughtfully design the bathroom of your dreams!
Click Here >>>> Bathroom Design Guide
