Commercial Bathroom Lighting

Most businesses focus most of their attention of their bathroom being functional than on style or beauty. In fact, most commercial locations have rather basic bathrooms that are drab instead of fab. One of the simplest ways to upgrade this space is by improving the lighting setup. Below are some suggestions on how to take your commercial bathroom lighting from inefficient and boring to another level in both function and appearance.

One of the simplest ways to upgrade commercial bathroom lighting is to look at color temperature. Many bathrooms choose to use a cooler color temperature to promote a sense of cleanliness in the space. However, others choose cooler temperature for better visibility purposes. Even though color temperature plays a role in visibility and it can make it difficult for the eyes of patrons to adjust to increased light levels, so the goal when it comes to visibility is actually lumen output, not color temperature. When taking this aspect of lighting into account, the focus should be to ensure the color is comfortable enough so that patron's eyes don't have to adjust drastically when compared to the lighting in the rest of the location. We recommend using a warmer color temperature, which will help create more ambiance that could be ideal for your location, while making the process of looking in the mirror more pleasant for patrons. So, you should opt for a color temperature of around 3500K to 4000K to implement the right color temperature in the space.

It may be surprising that one of the most overlooked aspects of commercial bathroom lighting isn't actually about the light itself. In many commercial bathrooms, the mirrors are often large in stature. There commercial grade mirrors are typically large sheets of glass mounted directly to the wall about the sinks. So, when it comes to lighting with mirrors, it is very important to ensure the light doesn't clash with the reflective nature of the mirror. If the light is placed directly facing the mirror with a harsh direct light fall, it will create a glare. A perfect way to totally avoid this is to pay close attention to the direction light falls in general, as well as options for fixtures with warmer temperatures, lower lumen outputs, and fixtures designed with more indirect light than direct light.

Many businesses only focus on general lighting too many times, essentially cutting out accent lighting. An accent light is a perfect tool when used properly for any commercial space, even the bathroom. Even though general lighting is always useful, accent lighting may be more suitable for bathrooms. Accent lighting can create a gentle ambient lighting outcome when placed directly over the stalls and sink area. However, when you're choosing accent lighting, recessed lighting over the mirrors will probably be too dim to have an effect. You should implement fixture lighting in this area that delivers gentle lighting, while providing overall visibility.