Visual Comfort Studio Carson 3" Wide 1-Light Midnight Black Vanity Light (2024)

FAQs

How wide should your vanity light be? ›

Choosing the right size

While you want to ensure you have plenty of light, be sure to choose one that is no wider than your vanity or cabinet width, which may be wider than your mirror. Most people choose vanity bar lights that are about 75 percent of the mirror's total width.

Vanity Lighting Dimensions

In general, aim for a fixture that is 4 inches smaller than the total size of your vanity – essentially 2 inches shorter on each side.

Single light fixtures placed above a mirror should generally be about a third of the width of the mirror. Multi-light fixtures and other horizontal styles like vanity light bars can extend beyond the width of the mirror but should never be longer than the vanity itself.

Many people choose vanity lights that are about 75 percent the width of the mirror and center the light above the mirror. For example: If your mirror is 36 inches wide, 75 percent of that is 27 inches, so a bath bar light of about 26 to 28 inches would work.

Place your sconces or pendant lights between 65 and 70 inches above the floor, or at about eye level. Exactly how far apart they are will depend on the size of your mirror. But a critical design decision is how far to place the fixture from the edge of the mirror.

If you are using a vanity light above the medicine cabinet, there are a few points you can follow to ensure the best lighting. First, it should be placed 72-82 inches above the floor and at least 150 watts. Ideally, the light should spread across at least 24 inches, which is why the bar lights are so popular.

Thus, over lighting is not a bad thing, especially when it comes to task areas like the bathroom vanity, kitchen, laundry, and office lighting. Bathroom Lighting Lumens: For a single vanity area, the rule of thumb is 1600 Lumens per sink vanity, which is the equivalent of 2 x standard 60 watt bulbs.

Wall sconces or vanity lights placed on either side of the mirror at eye level offer optimal task lighting for grooming and applying makeup. Pendant lights or chandeliers can add a decorative touch and provide accent lighting. Dimmer switches allow for adjustable light levels to suit different needs and moods.

How Do I Figure Out What Size Vanity Light I Need? Every bathroom is different, so the size of the vanity light needed varies. An easy rule to remember is to pick a lighting fixture that's around three-quarters of your vanity's width. You'll want to center the light above the mirror.

It's not recommended to install vanity lights above the mirror as it can create unflattering shadows on the face. It's best to install them on either side of the mirror, at approximately eye level.

How high should vanity light be next to mirror? ›

The standard bath vanity light height is roughly 75 inches to 80 inches from the floor, above the mirror. If your bathroom mirror height is above the recommended vanity lighting height, there's no need to change it.

Most vanity lights can be mounted with lights pointed up or down. Remember to mount the fixture with the lights pointed up for ambient lighting and pointed down for task lighting.

4 Bathroom Light

A 4 light fixture is simply a step up from the 3 light fixture. Typically, a four-light vanity fixture will be installed over a vanity sink that ranges from 48 to 72 inches.

Bath vanity bar sizing

If you need or want to use a bath bar over your bathroom mirror, measure how wide your mirror is in inches. That number is your limit for the width of a light to go over it, though many people choose a light that is about 75% of that number.

In general, he recommends plastic boxes for switches and receptacles and metal boxes for light fixtures. Metal boxes are required when the existing wiring in the home is metal clad cable and must be bonded to the ground wire.

When choosing a light fixture for a 30 inch bathroom vanity, look for fixtures that are about 18-24 inches wide. You want the light to hang at least 12 inches from the vanity and be centered above it. Make sure to leave at least 6 inches from the sides of the vanity for clearance.

Right Light size for 48-inch vanity

If you want to hang the light above the mirror, then for a single vanity mirror, it should be 36-inches wide for 48-inch wide vanity. The placement of this mirror should be in the middle of the mirror.

If you are hanging a vanity light of your mirror, the light fixture should be around a third of the width of your mirror. It shouldn't be any longer than the mirror's width. For vanities with a wider countertop or that have two sinks, you can explore a multi-light vanity fixture.