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Question about lighting over 60 inch vanity

Doba
10 years ago

I want to put in 2 recessed medicine cabinets (about 24 x 36 or 24 x 30 each) over a 60 inch double sink vanity. We want large ones becasue it is a small bathroom and have limited vanity space. We modified our bathroom a few years ago and put in 2 recessed lights over the vanity that we were thinking about keeping. The vanity is in an alcove with walls on both sides. If we don't want to put in lights directly above the mirrors/medicine cabinets, our only option would be to keep the recessed lights overhead. I can't put in one sconce in between the medicine cabinets, right? I have never seen that done before. I don't think I can put sconces on the side walls either because they will get hit by the med. cab. doors.
Has anyone just used the recessed lights and have been happy? I welcome any suggestions you might have. Photos would be great too.

Comments (21)

  • Babka NorCal 9b
    10 years ago

    How do you like using the recessed lights now? Remove the bulbs from any other lights you currently have and see if you can live with the shadows that makes on your faces.

    If you have room, you could put sconces, just make sure that the medicine cabinet doors have 90 degree stops on them so they won't clang into the lights.

    I am painting my bathroom walls and for the last few days could only use the recessed lights. It was awful for me, but it might not be for you.

    Can you make a scale drawing to see how a center sconce will look?

    -Babka

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    My problem is that once the recessed med. cabs are installed over the sink there will be too little room for sconces on the same wall. Even using the side walls for sconces, based on the placement of the mirrors over the 2 sinks, the door swing would never get to 90 degrees and make it impractical to properly open the cabinet. I feel like I don't have options here other than to leave as is or put one sconce in the middle. I wonder what that would do as far as lighting goes have 2 recessed lights above and one sconce in the center.

  • enduring
    10 years ago

    Could you put one between the cabinets and one on each side on the perpendicular walls. Put the hinges at the centerline and have the cabinets open on the outer edge of the setup.

    You know what would work? If there would be a recessed linear wall sconce. I have never seen such a thing though.

    Would you be willing to go narrower? The cabinets are not deep so they don't offer a lot of storage anyway.

  • divotdiva2
    10 years ago

    what about the medicine cabinets with the built in lighting? Are they out of budget?

  • KevinMP
    10 years ago

    You can certainly do one sconce and two overhead recessed lights. I have a 60" vanity with that layout. But 24" for the medicine cabinets may be too wide. You may need more like 20-22" each. You'll need about 10" for the sconce and you need room for the cabinets to open too.

    Here's mine.

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the photo. Looks great! That is the first one that I have been able to find with one sconce. I have a question though...how does the light reflect with the loss of light coming from the outside of the vanity? I am wondering what type of reflection is put on your face when you are doing makeup or dh is shaving? Do you have shadows cast to the outside since no light is there? I really have 65 inches wall to wall in my alcove, eventhough my vanity is 60". So, do you still think I could put a sconce in the center with 24 inch med. cabs? Also, how tall are yours? Thanks again.

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I have also been trying to find the medicine cabinets with integrated lighting and can't seem tto find the right size. Does anyone know of another company other than Robern? I found a few, but they seem to be european companies that I can't get here.

  • KevinMP
    10 years ago

    There's plenty of light for me to shave and for my fiance to put on makeup. I just bought off the rack mirrors from Lowes because it's the only tone I could find to match the vanity base in the size I wanted (they are the Fenella, I believe 24x33, but they are discontinued). They are not medicine cabinets.

    I've since replaced the sconce with a more traditional one from Restoration Hardware that's a bit brighter with the glass shade and is adjustable in two different places, which ends up working really well.

    Here is a link that might be useful: RH Adjustable Sconce

  • lotteryticket
    10 years ago

    There are recessed wall lights. If you want something fairly plain you can find some that are not too expensive. Search Wayfair.com or Overstock for some ideas.

    You can get Robern cabinets at the bath center I was in a couple of weeks ago. FW Webb in New England. My husband works in remodeling and he puts them in all the time so you can definitely get them in the US.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Wayfair.com search

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the information. So, Kevin, from what you are saying the one center light coupled with the top recessed lights do not cast strange shadows on your face. Also, it sounds like you were able to get 2-24inch mirrors overhead and still have space for the sconce.

    Lotteryticket - I have been looking at Robern, but still don't see a lighted mirror in the dimensions I am looking for.

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I need to make a quick decision tomorrow morning. We ended up putting in 2 recessed Robern medicine cabinets (20w x 36h). I can only fit one light in between the 2 mirrors since I have the 60 inch vanity. So, should it be a long 25.5 inch bath bar or a single smaller sconce? We do have a lot of light already coming from the two cans overhead, but I am wondering if it will look too small to have a 14 inch high single sconce in between since the mirrors are high.

  • enduring
    10 years ago

    I always think that more lighting the better. If the longer bar looks good in your space I say go for it. Is the 25" long bar the only option for linear lights?

    You can always put the light on a dimmer, and if you want lower light, dim it.

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I should put a dimmer on it. I just wondered if a long bar is too much. It is the only option. No place on the side walls. I just wanted a little side light for makeup without having to rely on the overhead lights glaring down.

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Here's the long bar. It's hard to imagine what one will look like between 2 mirrors. Any opinions? I can't seem to upload the image. It's Tech Metro Bar or a photo is at this link.

    http://www.lightology.com/img/prod/original/bc_metro_Double_bathroom.jpg

  • badgergal
    10 years ago

    I think a bath bar positioned vertically between the two mirrors would look great. They probably wouldn't be as wide as wall sconces. Some of the are a small as 4 inches in width. Most bath bars can be mounted horizontal or vertical. The pictures below are from Tech Lightings web site. My daughter just put the first one horizontally in her bath and it looks great. My sister has the second ones placed vertically in her in her bathroom. The lights are pricey but very good quality. The have quite a few other styles. The lights generally come in a few different finishes and you can usually choose fluorescent or halogen and sometimes LED.
    {{gwi:1415034}}

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  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    I like the one in the 2nd photo (Solace). I think I will order both and return the one we don't like. It's very simple, but very nice design and has a smaller profile in depth. Any thoughts on the best bulb for this application, especially since I have the 2 bright cans overhead. Compact Flourescent? Halogen?

  • Bunny
    10 years ago

    Oooh, I like all those Tech Lighting bath bars (and I learned new terminology). Ordinarily I avoid "contemporary" but I think these work with other styles because they're simple and do the job well, esp. with space constraints.

    I'm curious about 200 watts of halogen light. Not sure of the lumens. Would a 26" fixture placed horizontally over the vanity cast enough light laterally for a 60" vanity?

  • nhuiyan
    10 years ago

    Curious about how the tech lighting bath bars worked out for you? I have a similar situation of a dual sink 60" vanity/space, and considering putting robern medicine cabinets. Do you mind sharing a picture of your current outcome?

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The Robern ' s are in and I am waiting for the light to arrive. Do you want a pre photo or wait for the light and countertop install?

  • enduring
    10 years ago

    I will add my observations on Tech Lighting. I have 2 sconces each at 120watts. I would like them a bit brighter, but they are installed. My model is not shown in the above pictures and only has a single shade going in one direction. My model has a double shade available and I assume with double the wattage, but not sure. I wished I would have mounted those instead and if they were too bright, dim them when needed. Mine will do, but these 120watts don't seem as bright as my 120's watts in my other room. Different sconces, different rooms, both halogen, yet the base types are different and are a different bulb brand.

  • Doba
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    The Robern ' s are in and I am waiting for the light to arrive. Do you want a pre photo or wait for the light and countertop install?