How To Choose The Best Light For Above Your Medicine Cabinet
On a search for the perfect light for above your bathroom medicine cabinet? I have been there!
Actually, just recently I found myself in exactly that situation when helping a client. Their bathroom had extremely limited space and they wanted the extra storage that a medicine cabinet would offer. '
With the way their space laid out, doing a recessed medicine cabinet wasn’t an option because there was electrical and plumbing in the wall behind.
Medicine cabinets, specifically the surface mount type, can pose some extra complications when you also want to have vanity lighting above them.
Especially if your only bathroom light will be the one over your medicine cabinet.
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* To shop the light shown in the image above, click HERE. *
Why Is Choosing A Light For Above A Medicine Cabinet More Difficult?
Compared to a typical bathroom mirrors, surface mount medicine cabinets stick out from the wall a considerable amount to allow for space inside for storage. The projection away from the wall means that a light fixture should ideally project past the medicine cabinet to allow for a good amount of light to reach the front of the mirror.
Types Of Bathroom Lights For Above A Medicine Cabinet
There are a few different styles of lights that can be installed above a surface mount medicine cabinet. Choosing the right one for you space will most likely depend on your design aesthetic and the other lighting options you have in the bathroom.
Sconces And Single Bulb Lights:
Sconces and one bulb fixtures, such as a gooseneck barn light, can be installed above a medicine cabinet. These tend to look best with smaller width bathroom vanities or when centered over each for sink when used with a double sink vanity. Because there is only one bulb, these fixtures put out a limited amount of light and are best used when limited light is necessary for the space or you have other light fixtures in the room.
Bathroom Vanity Light Fixtures:
This is what most people typically think of for a bathroom vanity light. Bathroom vanity fixtures generally have two or more bulbs with the lights set in a row along the fixture. They will have individual bulbs, often each having their own shade separating them. Vanity light fixtures are great because they come in a wide variety of sizes, styles, and numbers of bulbs to ensure you get the amount of light and design you prefer. These must be installed horizontally above, although some can be installed with the shades going either up or down.
Bath Bar Light Fixture:
Bath bar lighting fixtures often can have multiple bulbs, similar to a typical vanity light, but the way the shade is installed it will look like a solid bar of light when turned on. This style of light fixture can be installed horizontally above a medicine cabinet or could be installed vertically on either size of the medicine cabinet. Bath bars are often thought of as a more sleek and contemporary look, although all different styles of bath bar lighting are available from glam to traditional. There are many size options available with different amounts of bulbs offering more or less light as you prefer for your bathroom.
Choosing The Right Size Light For Above Your Medicine Cabinet
Finding the right size light for your medicine cabinet is incredibly important to make sure you get the best outcome. You are going to want to know your numbers to get it right!
* To shop the light shown in the image above, click HERE. *
The medicine cabinet was 4” deep, and we knew that in order to have the light be able to shine down onto the sink, it would be important to have the vanity light fixture go past that depth.
We selected a 7” deep bath bar light fixture for over this medicine cabinet. The light was able to shine down and somewhat directly light the sink, which was just what we needed. As expected, there was still a shadow cast along the faucet, where the light was blocked by the depth of the medicine cabinet. Luckily, having the right depth for the vanity light, this was minimized and the amount of light in the room was maximized!
How much should your light stick past the edge of your medicine cabinet? That really depends on your preference. The farther it is past the cabinet and over the sink, the less of a shadow it should cast and the more light that should reach below.
* To shop the light shown in the image above, click HERE. *
3. Measure The Width Of The Surface Mount Medicine Cabinet
Next, you will want to measure the width of the medicine cabinet in order to find the best size width for your vanity light fixture.
Generally speaking, your vanity light should not be wider than the width of your bathroom vanity.
When selecting vanity lights for over a medicine cabinet, I like to choose a vanity light no wider than the medicine cabinet itself. I think that helps to keep the proportions of the space looking visually appealing.
When it comes to a double sink vanity with two medicine cabinets, I would recommend choosing two vanity lights so you can have one over each sink. If you have a single medicine cabinet over a double sink vanity, I would recommend one of two options for the lights. Either have a single vanity light centered over the medicine cabinet, with a width that reaches the center of each sink at a minimum. Otherwise, I would do two vanity lights, one over each sink, but have ensure that the width of each vanity light does not extend past the edge of the medicine cabinet.
4. Put It Together To Find A Vanity Light For Above Your Medicine Cabinet!
You found your ideal number of lumens/bulbs, then the depth measurement of your medicine cabinet, and the width of your medicine cabinet.
Using that information you should be prepared to start discovering the ideal light fixture you have been dreaming of for your space.
Below I have compiled a list of vanity lights that are a wide variety of widths, depths, bulbs, and styles! Many of them come in larger and smaller sizes, so if you see a style you love but need a different size, just click the link or image to learn more.
Sconces And Single Bulb Bathroom Vanity Light Fixtures For Above A Medicine Cabinet:
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Bathroom Vanity Light Fixtures For Above A Medicine Cabinet
* Click the image or link to be taken to the seller’s site *
Bath Bar Light Fixtures For Above A Medicine Cabinet
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Conclusion
It is possible to find the perfect vanity light for above your medicine cabinet that looks beautiful and still offers all the functional lighting you want! Taking the time to do some calculations will help ensure your vanity light fixture will blend well into your bathroom and still be the right proportion and brightness needed for how you use the space. I hope this helped you feel confident to choose the best vanity light for you!
Now I want to hear from you - Do you have a medicine cabinet in your bathroom? What type of lighting did you choose for over your medicine cabinet? Let me know in the comments below!
