When you think about a beach inspired bathroom, you think of a calming retreat, something almost spa-like, with colors and elements that give a nod to the coastal landscape.
Sand tones, soft blues and greens, distressed woods, and nautical elements to me can all be incorporated into a beach style bathroom, whether you live on the coast or not.
I do always think about function in a bathroom first. You want to make sure you not only have adequate ambient and general lighting in your bathroom, but you want to make sure you have good task lighting at the vanities where you’ll be shaving or putting on makeup. Along with the kitchen, bath lighting is task oriented and incredibly important.
You’ll want this lighting to be bright, crisp and as shadow free as possible. If you are lucky enough to have a larger bathroom space, and even somewhat tall ceilings, you may be able to incorporate a small chandelier or pendant in your bathroom, to add an additional decorative lighting element.
Two Quick Rules For Good Bath Lighting
- Never place the lighting behind you. It will create shadows and will be impossible to shave or apply makeup.
- The best bath lighting is cross illumination. Mount sconces about 65 inches off the floor (depending on your height) on either side of the mirror.
In this article, I’ll show some great beach inspired bathrooms, and then break a few down and give some great options for lights to use in these spaces.
I love how the sandy tones seem to create an indoor/outdoor feel to this bathroom. There is plenty of general lighting with the recessed throughout, in addition to recessed and pendants for task at the vanities.
Here’s a great example of what you can do when you have taller ceilings in a bathroom (you have to think about local building codes, and clearance requirements for fixtures over tubs). But if you do have the space, why not have a fun beachy seashell chandelier?
This bath feels like the epitome of a spa like beachy bathroom. Wonderful views from the soaking tub, soft blue tones and crisp whites, with great lighting for both general light and at the vanities.
Here are some of the best fixtures to use in a beach inspired bathroom.
Best Beach Style Bathroom Lighting
Tech Lighting “Brulee” Pendant in White - $235
Pendants are a great choice when you are limited for space, but still want illumination from both of the sides of your face. Here, simple soft white pendants work perfectly!
Visual Comfort “Yoke” suspended sconce in Polished Nickel - $322
Visual Comfort “Crosby Large” flush mount in Polished Nickel - $569
I love the soft feel of the lighting in this bathroom, with just a touch of nautical style with the flush mount.
Hudson Valley “New Canaan” Sconce in Old Bronze - $798
Beachy doesn’t have to mean chrome and polished nickel either. The white cabinetry and bead board contrasts really nicely with the bronze hardware in this bathroom.
Here are a few other great options that I love, all available in a variety of sizes.
Minka Lavery “Piastrella” series in Polished Chrome with Mosaic Tile Glass $119 - $329
Hudson Valley “Cove Neck” series, available in Polished Chrome or Satin Nickel $172 - $536
Quoizel “Bower” series, available in Brushed Nickel $169 - $250
Minka Lavery Nautical Chrome Bath Series $99 - $259
Final Thoughts
As you can see, fixtures that work best in beachy bathrooms can have a bit of a nautical feel to them, combine some of the blues and greens in the glass or accents, or just be simple, crisp and clean. You will have a great variety of options if you choose to design your bathroom in this style!
Additional Resources
Get the Yale Bathroom Lighting Buying Guide with features and plenty of picture to inspire your next lighting project. Well over 160,000 people have read a Yale Guide.
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