Quick answer
What is the best lighting for a bathroom?
The best bathroom lighting is layered: ambient downlights for overall brightness, task lighting beside the mirror so your face is shadow-free, and gentle accent lighting for mood. Use IP-rated fittings matched to the electrical zone, a warm 2700–3000K for relaxing and a cooler 4000K with high CRI at the mirror. Always installed by a qualified electrician.
Layered lighting: the principle that makes a bathroom work
Most bathrooms that feel cold or unflattering have one thing in common: a single light source in the middle of the ceiling. Good lighting is layered, with three jobs working together. Get the layers right and the room feels calm in the evening and practical in the morning.
Ambient
The general wash of light that fills the room. Usually recessed downlights spread evenly across the ceiling so there are no dark corners.
Task
Focused light where you need to see clearly — at the mirror, the vanity and the shower. This is the layer most bathrooms get wrong.
Accent
Soft, low-level light for atmosphere — LED strips under the vanity, a niche light in the shower, or a feature pendant.
Safety first: IP ratings and bathroom zones
A bathroom is a wet room in electrical terms, so the fittings you can use depend on how close they are to water. The space is divided into zones, and each zone needs a minimum IP (Ingress Protection) rating. This is not optional — it is how bathroom electrics are kept safe.
The zones in plain terms
- Zone 0 — inside the bath or shower tray. Anything here must be low voltage and rated IP67 (fully submersible).
- Zone 1 — above the bath or in the shower to 2.25m. Needs at least IP65 (jet-proof), often low voltage.
- Zone 2 — within 0.6m of the bath or basin edge. Needs at least IP44 (splash-proof).
- Outside zones — the rest of the room. Standard fittings are usually fine, though we still prefer moisture-rated downlights everywhere for longevity.
What this means for you
You will often see IP65 downlights specified throughout a bathroom because they cope with steam and the occasional splash without complaint. In the shower itself we use sealed IP65 or IP67 fittings. Getting the rating wrong is both a safety risk and a failed sign-off, which is why zone planning is part of every job we quote.
For a fuller breakdown, see our guide to bathroom electrical zones.
Task lighting at the mirror: light beside, not just above
This is the single biggest improvement most people can make. A downlight directly above the mirror casts shadows down the face — under the eyes, nose and chin — which is exactly where you do not want them when shaving or applying make-up. The fix is to light the face from the sides.
Vertical strips or wall lights either side of the mirror, or a backlit mirror that glows around its edge, light the face evenly and flatteringly. If you only have ceiling space, position a downlight slightly in front of the mirror so light falls onto your face rather than the top of your head. A lit, anti-fog mirror is one of the most worthwhile upgrades in a modern bathroom — clear in seconds after a shower, and a tidy source of task light in its own right.
Colour temperature and CRI: warm to relax, cool to see
Colour temperature, measured in Kelvin, changes how a room feels. There is no single right answer — it depends on what you do in the room.
Warm: 2700–3000K
A soft, golden light that suits a relaxing soak and feels welcoming in the evening. Ideal for ambient and accent layers, and for most family bathrooms.
Cool: around 4000K
A crisper, daylight-leaning light that is honest about colour — better for shaving, make-up and grooming. Best reserved for the mirror task light.
Whatever temperature you choose, look for a high CRI (Colour Rendering Index) of 90 or above at the mirror. CRI measures how true colours look under the light; a low CRI makes skin tones and make-up look wrong even when the brightness is fine. A neat solution is tuneable lighting on a dimmer, so the same fittings can shift from warm and low in the evening to bright and cool in the morning.
Dimmers, circuits, downlights and feature pendants
Putting your layers on separate circuits and dimmers is what turns good fittings into a great bathroom. Ambient on one switch, accent on another, and a dimmer so you can drop the brightness for a bath. Use dimmable LED drivers and a compatible dimmer — mismatched parts cause flicker and buzz.
Recessed downlights give a clean, uncluttered ceiling and even ambient light, which is why they are our default. A feature pendant can work beautifully over a freestanding bath or in a larger room, but it must sit outside the zones unless it is suitably rated. Add LED strips under the vanity or along a recess for soft accent light, a low-level night glow, and a sense of space. For a layout designed around how you actually use the room, our bespoke bathroom design service plans lighting from the start rather than as an afterthought.
Who should install it — and what it costs in Plymouth
Bathroom electrics are notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations and must be carried out by a qualified electrician. This is not a DIY job — it protects you and keeps your home compliant for insurance and resale. Every bathroom we fit has its electrical work certified, so you receive proper paperwork on completion. If you are weighing it up, see do I need an electrician for a bathroom.
A full bathroom installation in Plymouth typically runs from £4,075 to £10,870 depending on size, spec and the lighting scheme — Plymouth prices tend to sit around 9% below the UK average. Lighting is a modest part of that budget but makes an outsized difference to how the finished room feels. Planning a colour scheme too? Our notes on what colour to paint a bathroom pair naturally with your lighting choices.
Whether it is a single room refresh or a full bathroom installation or bathroom renovation, we plan the lighting layers, zones and switching with you before a single cable is run.
Common questions about bathroom lighting
What IP rating do I need for bathroom lights?
It depends on the zone. Zone 1 (in the shower or above the bath) needs at least IP65, Zone 2 (near the basin or bath edge) needs at least IP44, and anything inside the bath or tray needs IP67 low voltage. Many fitters use IP65 downlights throughout for steam resistance.
What colour temperature is best for a bathroom?
Use warm light around 2700–3000K for a relaxing, welcoming feel across the room, and a cooler 4000K with a high CRI of 90+ at the mirror for accurate shaving and make-up. Tuneable lights on a dimmer let you have both.
Do I need an electrician to fit bathroom lighting?
Yes. Bathroom electrical work is notifiable under Part P of the Building Regulations and must be done by a qualified electrician. It is not a DIY job — every installation we carry out is properly certified on completion.
Proud Bathroom Fitters, Plymouth
Let’s plan lighting that feels right morning and night
From IP-rated downlights to lit anti-fog mirrors, we design and install bathroom lighting that is safe, certified and genuinely flattering. Talk it through with a local team that does this every day.