How much light is enough in a bathroom?

[tvguy]

We have 2 60 watt bulbs in our bathroom.
Just spend a couple of days at a friends, friend has 1 25 watt bulb in the bathroom. Made it interesting trying to see to shave. Friends parents have always been that way too. Doesn't matter how many bulbs a fixture holds, or what the suggested wattage is, they never put more than one bulb in a fixture and never more than 25 watts.

And we have 200 watts of light over our kitchen table.

What do you consider normal?

I have to admit at work light level comes up often, or did until the company found out our lighting was lower than minimum OSHA standards. That shocked a lot of folks who thought our office was too bright.

 

[java]

My bathroom is so bright I could perform surgery in there if I needed to.

We have 10 energy saver bulbs in there. I think they are 60's? Then there is a tiny useless 25 watt bulb that lights nothing near the shower. I am going to replace that one asap.

 

[prncess674]

I have 4 * 100 Watt bulbs over the sink. It is great for makeup!

 

[The 4 "Quay"balleros]

How much light is enough in a bathroom?

Well as a guy I say not much- my wife does say the boys and I must go in the dark....

 

[SueInBoston]

4 x100 over sink for makeup. I find it hard even when one of those goes out.

 

[AlwaysMoving]

I am a cave dweller.....lol. I can do everything in the bathroom with a 25 watt bulb. I don't need more than a 60 watt light over the stove to cook. I rarely turn on my overhead kitchen light. My livingroom has a 60 watt light in a lamp. We do have brighter lighting options in the bathroom, kitchen, and livingroom if needed, but I don't use them. I don't do it to conserve electricity.

 

[tvguy]

I am a cave dweller.....lol. I can do everything in the bathroom with a 25 watt bulb. I don't need more than a 60 watt light over the stove to cook. I rarely turn on my overhead kitchen light. My livingroom has a 60 watt light in a lamp. We do have brighter lighting options in the bathroom, kitchen, and livingroom if needed, but I don't use them. I don't do it to conserve electricity.

You read by the light of a 60 watt light?

 

[indimom]

We have 3 or 4 60w bulbs over the sink in our two bathrooms, plus one 60w in the ceiling vent fixture (we almost never use that one, it burns out and we forget to replace it). I find it difficult to do my makeup in the bathroom with three bulbs when one burns out. I have to move to the other bathroom. So, 3 60w is a minimum for me.

I hate dim spaces. We replaced every light fixture in our house except those in the upstairs hallway (and I'm going to fix those too someday) because they just didn't give enough light. Every room now has a minimum of 4 60w bulbs, and multiple floor or table lamps. I really dislike the energy-saver lightbulbs because they start out dim and gradually get brighter. I want instant bright light when I flip the switch.

 

[powellrj]

While our bathroom doesn't seem dim, I know there have been times I think I look fine until I go to the bathroom in the store I am visiting and I scare myself! WOW, I didn't think I looked that bad 2 hours ago!

 

[AlwaysMoving]

You read by the light of a 60 watt light?

Yes. It is plenty bright. I am not landing a plane.

 

[Judique]

Yes. It is plenty bright. I am not landing a plane.

I can't help but get a chuckle out of this!

We've got a mixture of different light types in our home.

I have a total of 260 watts going in my kitchen ceiling, not including the 2 bulbs that I need to replace in the hood over my stove. Those bulbs are difficult to replace and I need someone to help me. Meanwhile even with the 260 watts, I feel like I need a flashlight to cook!

The ceilings are high and the room is long, so the 3 light fixtures do a decent job for just going to the fridge, but not much else.

I have under cabinet lights as well and they really help.

Natural light comes from 3 windows and a french door to the deck.

Bathroom - just 3-4 light fixtures in each.

 

[Wishing on a star]

Note to self... Take lightbulbs to use whenever going to friends house.

Ohhhh, and about your friend and his one 25 watt thing...

 

[Northstar]

One of the depressing things about aging is that older folks need more light because of changes in the eyes.

So I've gone from a couple of 60-watt bulbs in the bathroom to equivalent-to-100 watt CFLs. And I swear, it looks the same to me as it used to with the 60-watts!

On the other hand, considering what the bathroom mirror shows me these days, maybe I'd be better off with a 25-watt bulb and my imagination.