Are you planning to remodel your bathroom? Well, you might then have stumbled to position the vanity lights. In the crowd of myriads of placement codes, users find themselves bewildered. Only extensive guidelines could help you out.
How high should a vanity light be?
The general rule for installing a vanity light is to place it 75 to 80 inches above the floor. To be more precise, try to set it up 7 to 9 inches from the top of the mirror. Therefore, from the sink, it would be 43 to 45 inches. Most people follow this rule with few exceptions.
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According to the general design rule, the inches can vary if you choose different designs. To avoid being confused by this fact, it is necessary for users to go through them beforehand.
For instance, users, firstly, need to have a clear idea of all the exact measurements of the vanity lights when hung above the mirror. Surely, after knowing this, there will be no room for stress.
Above a mirror:
For the mirror which is 20 inches wide, the distance between one bulb to another should be no more than 14 to 15 inches. Otherwise, the light distribution can be hideously wrong.
Then consider its position from the top of the floor. Most of the time, it has to be 75 to 80 inches to provide the exact amount of light on your face.
There’s another factor to consider too – the distance between the top of the mirror to the vanity light. The simple designing rule suggests it be at least seven and nine if maximum. Greater distance would reduce the light creating trouble while seeing the face.
This theory works best if the mirror has a height of 28 to 30 inches. Otherwise, try to follow the distance applicable from the top of the mirror.
Above sink:
Leave up to 34 to 40 inches from a distance below the sink. Most of the time it is the height of the cabinet. You might prefer to buy a cabinet of this size or might renovate it to maintain this formula.
Also, for the optimum remodeling of the homes, it is better to leave 5 to 6 inches from both corners of the counters. This would give you a more modern look accompanied by abundant light from the source.
Apart from that, the users might be needed to come up with an accurate measurement for the distance between the sink and the vanity lights. A frequent scenario is about having a gap of 43 to 47 inches between them.
That’s a lot of measurement. But this all comes in handy once you start doing this. Plus, the peace is worth the deal.
Should vanity lights hang down over the mirror?
According to interior designers and architects, it is never a good idea to hang vanity lights down over the mirror. To be honest, knowing this does not need professional suggestions.
Rather, it is common sense. When we hang vanity lights, users aim to install them in such a way that distributes light. If you overhang it, lights would spread everywhere but your face.
To ensure this, you need to check the fixture prior. If the fixture extends the mirror, it is your cue to be more attentive. Otherwise, get ready for interrupted light sources and shadows.
Though if you don’t feel comfortable placing them above the mirror, you can choose to install them sidewise. That way there remains no possibility of crossing the mirror and interfering with the light source.
Besides, you should also avoid fluorescent lighting. They may make the task worse. Thus, using incandescent lighting is the solution for this.
How far should a vanity light be from the ceiling?
The answer to this question is not so simple. As the entire thing depends upon the type and size of the brand, to get an accurate answer, stick to the guidelines and the simplest measurement techniques.
First, decide the main lengths and widths of the vanity mirror. You need to be a hundred percent sure about that. One mustn’t neglect this part.
The most common depth of the mirror is 34 inches. If your mirror falls within this general measurement criteria, the safest thing for you is to leave it up to 5 inches from the ceiling to the vanity lights.
However, there’s no need to panic if your mirror is outside this criterion. A bunch of mirrors is 36 inches in depth. And that is not a big problem.
In that case, you might need to provide at least 8 inches of a gap. Note that, for greater depth, more gaps might be required for the appropriate light proportion.
5 Factors that affect the vanity light height
When users might think they already know all the nitty-gritty and the measurements, it’s time for new uncertainty. Before mounting the vanity light, their height can vary depending on various factors breaking the general rule.
Despite being confused later, the best thing is to know all the considerations beforehand and compare with yourself. Indeed, it would help to come to a better conclusion.
Height of the user:
It is definitely the primary point for deciding the height of the vanity lights. According to the user, the height of the vanity light may vary a lot.
For guests and family members what might be optimum, the same thing can be useless for the kids. And if the mirror has less height, there’s no doubt you would end up becoming disappointed.
Size of the mirror:
The size of the mirror, that is the length and the depth decides how above should you place the vanity lights. That’s not such an easy deal.
This is so crucial because it reduces the light falling to the user’s face. This prevents the proper use of the mirror and most importantly vanity lights.
Size of the cabinet:
The cabinet height is also an essential factor. Without knowing about the size properly how are you going to fix the vanity lights?
The cabinet’s design varies most of the time from adult to child. For this reason, consideration is needed.
Position of the faucet:
Who thought faucet position can change the entire story? Well, it does!
There are a lot of faucets that are attached to the walls. On the other hand, sink-attached faucets are no new thing. The two different types need two opposite methods to fix the vanity lights.
Position of electricity outlet:
The electricity outlet is also necessary. Otherwise, there would be no way to power it.
That’s the reason why most people prefer to install vanity lights beside the power outlet, breaking every rule. Also, there is another expensive option – installing a new power outlet.
How to install a vanity light at the right height?
As the length and height have so many contradictions, the users may find it challenging to install the vanity light at the right height. The panic is real. However, the solution is quite easy.
All you need is to follow well-researched guides suggested by the experts to do this on your own. And here this goes –
Power off the switch:
Before starting the work, you need to decide the location for the electric box outlet. First, power off all the switches there, and then resume your expedition.
Make a hole:
Use a drilling machine or any instrument that might help you and cut the holes in the walls. Here the electricity outlet box will be placed.
Set up all the wiring:
Take a wire that has the exact same size as the fuse or circuit breaker. Now it’s time to extend it to the fixture of the electrical box
Recheck the wiring:
Try to give another check if all the wires have been connected accurately. As soon as you are sure, you can install the light fixtures.
Attach the mounting plate of vanity lights:
For doing this, you need to separate the mounting plate of the vanity lights. After that, try attaching the mounting plate to the electricity box.
Double-check the wires and thus see if it is level.
Attach the shells of vanity lights:
The shell that has been taken apart needs to be attached again. Tight it with your fingers as hard as possible.
All done, now just install the bulbs in place.
Final Thoughts
All in all, the vanity lights need to be at least 75 to 80 inches above the ground to provide the absolute amount of light. Also, users should need to place it at least 7 inches above the mirror and 43 inches from the sink. However, due to some factors, these codes cannot be fulfilled at all times.