Lighting can dramatically change the look and feel of any room in the house. While most homeowners tend to focus on lighting in the kitchen or living room areas, the bathroom is a room of the house that requires lots of lighting. Good bathroom lighting is essential for your safety while showering, bathing, and grooming.

Trying to achieve that spa-like bathroom feel in your bathroom renovation? One of the best ways to make your bathroom feel more luxurious is to layer several types of lighting. Some bathroom lighting options include recessed lights, vanity or makeup lights, wall sconces, and decorative ceiling lights.

One of the biggest trends in bathroom lighting today are decorative lights, such as pendant lights and chandeliers, over the bathtub. As we all know, safety becomes a concern when mixing water with electricity-especially over the bathtub. when choosing a light fixture for over the bathtub, it is imperative to comply with all electrical codes. The National Electric code clearly outlines the guidelines regarding bathtubs as follows:

"410.4(D) Bathtub and Shower Areas. No parts of cord-connected luminaires (fixtures), hanging luminaires (fixtures), lighting track, pendants, or ceiling-suspended (paddle) fans shall be located within a zone measured 900 mm (3 ft) horizontally and 2.5 m (8 ft) vertically from the top of the bathtub rim or shower stall threshold. This zone is all encompassing and includes the zone directly over the tub or shower stall."

Once you calculate how low your fixture can hang below your ceiling, it is time to determine which fixture style you will be choosing. It is best to choose a fixture that best represents your personality. Even though it is popular to hang a sparkly chandelier over your tub, don't feel as though you need to choose something glitzy and glamorous if that is not your style. There are many simplistic options on the market that will add drama and interest to your bathroom renovation.

Lighting is a key factor in helping to create a relaxing bathroom, especially over the bathtub. To further elevate your lighting, try adding dimmers to some light fixtures in the bathroom. This will help to create that spa-like ambiance everyone dreams of for their bathroom renovation. If you have any questions regarding bathroom renovations, or even lighting in general, feel free to contact us. We work with the best master electricians in town, SmartWire 360, to make sure the job is done on time and correctly.