7 Best Bathroom Vanity Lighting to Liven Your Space in 2023
Updated: Feb. 15, 2023Choosing the best bathroom vanity lighting requires balancing dimensions, design and desired task lighting.
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Finding the optimal lights for a bathroom can be tricky, especially the best bathroom vanity lighting, since they’re equal parts design and task lighting. The right lighting helps people with delicate bathroom tasks, such as applying makeup, shaving, catching a stray eyebrow and tweezing a sliver. It can also make you feel confident before heading out for the day.
When lighting a small space, like a bathroom vanity, it’s essential to think about the layout of the area. Bathrooms can be the darker of rooms, especially when there’s a lack of window lighting or it’s incorrectly placed. Choosing the best bathroom lights and positioning them for maximum effect is key.
Best Overall Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Pottery Barn Monroe Quintuple Sconce
Simple meets industrial-inspired with the Monroe Sconce. If you’ve got or are dreaming of a bathroom full of white subway tile and barn wood accents, then this sconce tops for your style. With five bulbs, this will throw bright light right over your vanity. It’s offered in black, black and brass and chrome finishes to accommodate your other hardware. Edison bulbs make this fixture really glow, and it’s compatible with a dimmer.
Pros
- Compatible with a dimmer switch
- Available in multiple finishes
- Designed to withstand moisture
Cons
- On the expensive side
Best Single-Light Sconce Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Pottery Barn Erwood Tube Sconce
The Erwood Tube Sconce is just the match for small bathrooms. This single, vertical sconce has a long, thin profile that can squeeze in on wall space without losing style points, and it takes the abstract form of a modern wall torch. With an arm that extends below the wall plate and cylindrical glass shade, it’s a gracious analogue of that ancient source of illumination. For variety, the light can be installed facing upward or downward. You can also use it with a dimmer for energy savings or to match the wattage to your mood.
Pros
- Light can be installed facing upward or downward
- Crafted of iron and includes clear glass shade
- Available in brass and black finishes
Cons
- Vertical mounting only
- Professional installation recommended
Most Versatile Bathroom Vanity Lighting
ExBrite Crystal Vanity Lights Wall Sconces
This vanity light earns a spot on this list, because it offers an aesthetic that’s increasingly difficult to find. The simple, timeless design works well for people with historic or older homes, as well as those looking for a fixture that matches a mid-century modern or contemporary design. The high-quality black metal, gold details and transparent crystal lampshades make this piece work in a range of bathrooms.
Pros
- Has crystal lampshades and gold details
- Budget-friendly
- Can be mounted upwards or downwards
Cons
- Some reviewers complained about quality
Best LED Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Stix LED Vanity Light
For the ultimate minimalist modern pick with a slim profile, the Stix LED Vanity Light has you covered. The metal and acrylic fixture comes in three finishes (white, black and aluminum) and four sizes (18, 24, 32 and 40 inches). Damp-rated and dimmable, it’ll work safely in bathrooms and powder rooms. It packs a stylish punch and throws a CRI of 90 and a temperature of 3,000K. This vanity light bar works to illuminate large mirrors for your most important bathroom tasks.
Pros
- Has energy-efficient LED lighting source
- Minimalist design
- Available in three finishes
Cons
- Expensive
Best Splurge Bathroom Vanity Lighting
Melange Pill Form Wall Sconce
This sophisticated, yet playful, wall sconce comes from maximalist interiors master designer, Kelly Wearstler. It’s natural alabaster stone, curved into an oversized pill shape and ringed with sleek, aged bronze, brass or polished-nickel metal. It looks natural placed vertically on either side of a medicine cabinet while emitting a warm, flattering light, almost like frosted glass. The fixture can also be installed horizontally if the space calls for it.
Pros
- Expertly designed
- Hides the light sources
- Available in three finishes
Cons
- Very expensive
- Must be paired with LED bulbs
Best Two-Light Sconce Bathroom Vanity Lighting
West Elm Mobile Two-Light Sconce
This barbell-style sconce, which can be installed vertically or horizontally, is super hot right now, so it earns top marks for trendiness and versatility. Thanks to its damp rating, it’s smart for humid bathrooms and should last a long time. It comes in four finishes: polished chrome, black and brass two-tone, antique brass and antique bronze. With two 60-watt bulbs, it can throw up to 120 watts of clear, warm light. It can be paired with a dimmer switch, too.
Pros
- Can be mounted vertically or horizontally
- Available in four finishes
- A modern take on an industrial design
- Designed to withstand moisture
Cons
- Professional installation recommended
Best Bathroom Vanity Lighting for Small Spaces
Commee Four-Light Dimmable Vanity Light
For an updated take on the classic Hollywood globe-bulb mirrors, this vanity bar light nails it. The warm four-bulb light provides the right illumination for applying makeup, and the design easily takes it into a more stylistically versatile era. The bar fixture has some design, but not enough to overpower a petite room. It could fit in a bathroom or powder room with its touch of art deco, Hollywood Regency or even traditional design.
Pros
- 24-inch compact design
- Won’t break the bank
- Can be mounted vertically or horizontally
Cons
- Only available in black
What to Consider When Buying Vanity Lighting
A few things you should consider when shopping for your bathroom vanity lights:
- Size/location: “Vanity lights are the fixtures installed near a mirror, either above or next to,” says Andra DelMonico, lead interior designer of Trendey. “If you’re installing your vanity light over a mirror, the light should be about 75% of the width of the mirror. This keeps the mirror and the light looking balanced while ensuring there is enough light created for the vanity.” If you have double sinks, choose two matching lights or separate sconces rather than one long light fixture.
- Light warmth: Bathrooms are often one of the darkest rooms in the house, so the right temperature (or warmth) makes a difference. Designer Sara Sain of Sain Homes says to check bulb or fixture packaging for its Kelvin (K) rating—the way we categorize how warm or cool light is. That’s the key to the right warmth. “The wrong Kelvin on the bulb can change how you look from drab to fab,” she says. “A good warm but natural light recipe is 3,000K. It’s bright, but inviting, without being too gold or too clinical.” Also, check the packaging or product or bulb specs for the Color Rendering Index (CRI), which assesses how the light source shows object colors. A rating of 90 to 100 is the closest to natural light and/or the incandescent light bulbs most of us use to judge color.
- Damp/wet ratings: Fixtures marked with damp or wet ratings indicate they’re safe for humid bathrooms or to use near water. Important for fixtures in the ceilings of showers or bathtubs for safety, this may impact how a product finish wears or ages. If water can land on the bulb, consider a damp or wet rating. But if your bathroom has a small sink, away from lights, it may not be as critical.
- Built-in lights: Watch out for fixtures that have built-in LED lights rather than bulbs. Although they can be long lasting, you often have to ditch the entire fixture when the light eventually goes out. It doesn’t necessarily make them nonstarters, but you should be aware when you buy.
How We Found the Best Bathroom Vanity Lighting
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