The bathroom’s reputation as a safe haven is on the rise. Now more than ever many of us need one place at home where we can shut out the world to refresh and revitalise. This is why modern bathroom designs go to such lengths to create a calming and soothing ambience. Natural light plays a huge part in this. The health and wellbeing benefits of natural light are profound. So, short of structurally enlarging a window, what can we all do to maximise natural light in our bathrooms?
Window Dressing
From blinds to drapes, is your window dressing actually blocking out natural light? Obviously privacy in the bathroom is really important, but your window is likely to have frosted glass. So treatments simply need to support this rather than entirely block out the window. Look at sheer drapes for large windows; these also add a luxurious feel to the room. Smaller windows suit blinds, or indeed nothing at all!
Reflectivity
A common technique by designers is to use reflectivity to increase natural light. This goes for any room in the home, but in bathrooms it’s particularly appropriate. You’ll want a bathroom mirror anyway, so make it a large one! A wide mirror across the whole basin area is really effective for this. There are other reflective materials to remember in addition. Glass shower cubicles, for example, and glossy bathroom furniture are both more subtle but effective ways to achieve reflection.
White Surfaces
As well as being reflective, think about the colour of your surfaces and flooring. The example above uses a glossy finished white marble style to great effect. The light colour and shine of the stone reflects natural light from the smaller cottage windows to make a bright room. Bathroom furniture is often white, so positioning a bath or vanity unit in line with the window can make the most of capturing natural light.
Wall Colour
You may not want to have an entirely white bathroom, so what about wall colour? There are plenty of ways to introduce colour while still being able to maximise natural light. Choose a pastel colour palette, perhaps, or limit colour to one accent wall. Choose the wall that has the least surface visible if you prefer a bright or dark colour. This gives a pop of colour while allowing other walls to do the job of reflecting natural light.
LED Lighting
Of course, all rooms need artificial light as well as natural light. When it comes to planning the lighting in your bathroom, you can structure it to support natural light during daytime. The best way to do this is to create lighting layers. To support the main wash of ceiling LEDs, under furniture and recess lighting illuminates the traditionally darker spaces. Add to this an illuminated mirror and there are several lighting levels. Variable hue lighting offers flexibility, so that you can use just the mirror light to support natural light on darker days, for example.
Small Touches
Don’t ever forget how important the little details are in bathroom design. Natural light is something that interacts with all the different elements of your space. It appreciates texture and depth as much as reflectivity. Add accessories, and especially greenery to create the right texture. Plants sit extremely well in all bathroom designs as they help to enhance that feeling of tranquillity. There are also practical benefits to remember as plants absorb moisture in the air. Another detail not to forget is to make sure the windows themselves remain clean. Both inside and out, grime can noticeably limit the natural light entering the room. So this small action can really help to maximise natural light in your bathroom.
The bathroom is a great room to capture natural light, since the materials that are used tend to have the right qualities for doing the job. With thoughtful material and colour choices, our designers can create a calming and bright space that you won’t want to leave!