Bathroom Vanity Light Fixture  

Reconsidering Fluorescent
I've given in to the possibility of going fluorescent. I have two that are being considered. When I was at the Artemide showroom last week, bringing a couple of lamps in for repair, I saw a Talo Wall lamp, which is a fluorescent, and the color of the light was very clean. I wouldn't go so far as to call it warm, but it wasn't the harsh cold light I associate with a fluorescent. While I'm not leaning towards the Talo in this specific application, it did make me reconsider fluorescent lighting.
http://www.artemide.us/products/Products/Architecture_Indoor/Wall/Talo_W...

Llisa
Once I made myself open to the possibility of going fluorescent, many other designs were open to me. My current favorite is the Llisa. At 31.5", it fits well over the 33" mirror/cabinet. The chrome cylinder fits very well with the rest of the hardware (see other thread).
http://lightingbygregory.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/vibia/8032_gran...

George Kovacs' "Bath"
The "Bath" lamp uses four Bayonet Xenon bulps. I like the look of it, and the price is right, but I have two qualms:
1.) At 20.5" it doesn't span the mirror the way I would like, and secondly, it is brushed nickle, while I've been very consistent with chrome on every other visible piece of bath hardware.
http://store1.yimg.com/I/ylighting_1893_4539040

Basic strip
I've just had a thought-
Get two of the Artemide "Basic Strip" fixtures and place one on either side of the mirror. They come in 24" lengths that YLighting sells for $110 each. That's $220 for both, and less money than most single lamp options. My contractor already wired for a single fixture above the mirror, but we haven't put up sheet rock in the bath yet, so it shouldn't be a problem.
http://www.artemide.us/products/Products/Ron_Rezek/Basic_Strip_Wall/gall...

Umm...
> Get two of the Artemide "Basic Strip" fixtures...
Um, spoke too soon. The mirror sits too close to a corner. There isn't room for it without getting awkward.

bathroom
a lot of people think that light as to come from above, well that ain't true. (i have been a designer both in bathroomfurniture as in lighting fixtures) my experience tell me that the best solution for a bathroom mirror are 2 lamps put aside of the mirror; if you put your light above your chin will be badly enlighted (shadow) what is not very helpfull if you want to shave yourself, you have to try to get an equally divided light all over the mirror, best solution as mentioned are 2 lamps taken all of the height of the mirror. also a lot of people do not like fluorescent lamps, but that is mainly out of ignorence; the think that fluorsecent light is 'cold' but you can choose which 'color' you buy; (that is mentioned on the lamp in °Kelvin -the higher the colder- and you can also choose in 'colour rendering' (mentioned as Ra) that is; red will be seen as red under a good quality, or more as orange eg under a lamp with bad colour rendering index. for me one of the best lighting fixture for a bathroom mirror is the 'Telefo' by Artemide.

Thanks for
the good and useful information, gerrit. I partiularly like the "red test" -- never thought of that.
[Of course, we aren't really lighting the mirror, but the object reflected there when we are present ! Yet it is usually expressed that way, for some reason. . .]

I could suggest ....
I prefer Proper Bathroom Lighting is a must for today?s hectic lifestyle and for home-groomers out there... Picking a Bath lighting should be bright and highly functional, but not glaring to the eyes.... Keep in mind that bath lighting needs to be bright enough to see by but no so bright that it causes you to squint....
(edited by DA - no advertising please)

What about LED light fixtures?
I know they're a little pricey but sometimes you can find them on sale and they last longer than incandescents or CFLs. (and they don't contain mercury, which is a plus.)
What do you think of these? (check the associated web link)
(edited by DA - no advertising on the forum please)

just an idea
ChrisG,
I use the Artemide Pentakalias in one bathroom. I think it is a good quality design for the money, but female guest tend to complain it is too bright (even with low wattage bulbs). I am replacing the Pentakalias with the Flos 'O Sole Mio. I know this will provide "soft" even light distribution. This is easier than telling a women she is wrong.

REZEK strips
I have two 24" basic strips in my bath, mounted vertically on either side of my 1920's metal, semi-recessed, med cabinet. When I orignally installed them, I ran the wires in some convoluted way so that I could access them and install a remote dim-able ballest in a nearby closet - if so desired in the future. Well, the ballasts finally went bad after 10 years and all I did was replace them within the units...so I guess the idea wasn't that great anyway. BUT, it is something you can consider if you want flexible lighting.
Whatever you decide, read the spec sheets first to see how the junction boxes (in ths US) need to be mounted and located. I had to use flat, round "pancake" boxes in my plaster and lath wall. The cover was a bit tricky to fit nicely in the plaster wall, but after trials and errors and caulk, it came out okay.

Perhaps it would
be helpful to point out one error that is sometimes made when talking about bath vanity lighting: One hears about "lighting the mirror." Rather, one lights the things reflected IN the mirror -- namely the face. Once this principle is absorbed, choosing the correct lamps and fixtures becomes more straightforward, I think.
The round lighted mirror shown above would seem to be a perfect example of lighting which fully illuminates the "face in the mirror" . . .

When my brother-in-law...
When my brother-in-law converted their attic into a master bedroom/bath, he made the light fixture himself. Looks nice and modern-looking. He took a long bulbs (not sure of the light type...possibly fluorescent) and covered each end in a small wood box that he built. The light is open in the middle and goes up/down along the mirrors. So he has four of these in the batroom on each side of the mirror (two mirrors). So the light fixtures are really tall and thin. So if you don't find something you like, make it.

maybe roger tallon
hi
if you can put the lights beneath the mirror this roger tallon lamps are nice.