Bathroom light bulbs

Check the base marked on the socket before choosing: the bulbs in this collection are E27, in glass and brass, with a warm white light of 2700 to 3500 K and dimmer compatibility. The round format measures 4 cm by 6 cm, and the IP20 rating means they must be kept away from water splashes.

Which bathroom light bulbs should you choose?

Start from the fixture, not the bulb: an E27 socket, a housing deep enough for a 4 cm by 6 cm round bulb, and a spot away from water. Light temperature and dimmer compatibility come next, and decide everyday comfort.

Bathroom light bulbs: start with the base

E27 is the most common screw base: a ceiling light, a mirror wall light or a vanity unit fixture accepts it in most cases. Three checks on the socket: the thread, the available depth, and the maximum wattage marked on the fixture label. An E14 or GU10 fixture does not belong to this family, so look at other bulb bases. All screw models are gathered in the E27 base bulbs.

LED bathroom lamp: what the technology changes

An LED lights up instantly, heats up much less than an incandescent bulb and is dimmed with a suitable dimmer. In the morning, the light is full with no warm-up time, and the glass stays lukewarm to the touch. Dimmable models are grouped in dimmer-compatible bulbs, and the set of vintage round E27 LED bulbs sums up that compromise: glass, brass, warm white.

How many lumens are needed to light a bathroom?

There is no single figure: the right intensity depends on the surface, the brightness of the walls and what you want to see. The reliable reference is on the bulb's spec sheet, with wattage and lumen output. Better to multiply two light points than push a single one very hard.

Read the luminous flux before the wattage

Watt measures consumption, lumen measures emitted light: at equal consumption, an LED lights far more than a classic bulb. As a general guide, count around 100 lumens per square metre for a living room, and a little more in front of a mirror where you judge a complexion. Also read the stated temperature, it changes the rendering. Low-voltage models are elsewhere, in the 220V LED bulbs for the domestic mains.

One or two sources in a small bathroom?

Two sources are better than one very strong one: one on the ceiling for the whole room, one near the mirror for the face. A room of a few square metres gains in comfort with two moderate bulbs rather than a single point that casts shadows behind the head.

Where to place light in the bathroom: mirror, ceiling or vanity unit?

The ceiling carries general lighting, the mirror lights the face, the vanity unit accompanies everyday gestures. In a tiled and often small room, two warm white points cover needs better than a single very powerful source.

Bathroom ceiling lamp

On the ceiling, the bulb lights widely but leaves the face in shadow if it is alone in the centre of the room. A diffusing ceiling light, without too closed a grille, spreads light better. The general catalogue of lighting for every room helps find the support suited to the volume and ceiling height.

Bathroom mirror lamp

Near the mirror, light must come from the front or the sides, not from above: otherwise, shadow under the eyes. The compact 4 cm by 6 cm round bulb fits in a narrow wall light. Keep a short distance between the bulb and the mirror to avoid glare. The LED bulbs of the house suit this type of wall light.

Can an IP20 bulb go in a bathroom?

Yes, provided it stays out of reach of water splashes. IP20 protects against finger contact and solid bodies, not against humidity or splashes. Place it in a closed fixture or away from the bathtub, shower and sink, in a regularly ventilated room.

What IP20 means

The first digit concerns solids, the second liquids: here, protection against solid bodies and no protection against water. This is not a defect, it is an installation instruction. A well-ventilated bathroom, with a sheltered bulb, poses no problem. If your fixture has a small base, look instead at E14 bulbs, which follow the same installation logic.

Bathtub, shower, sink: the spots to avoid

Above a bathtub, in the shower volume or stuck to a very splashed sink, the bulb receives water. Move the light point back, close the fixture, or choose another location. Condensation is limited with ventilation and a regular cloth on the glass.

Which light colour for the bathroom: warm white or neutral white?

This collection is in warm white, between 2700 and 3500 K: a light close to the classic bulb, which flatters complexions and warms an often tiled room. Neutral white and cool white are not included. The choice therefore rests on the warm rendering, not on the temperature.

Warm white from 2700 to 3500 K: the rendering on the mirror

In a mirror, too cool a light pulls complexions towards grey and hardens features. Warm white softens, provided it lights from the front. 2700K bulbs give the most amber rendering, 3000K bulbs a slightly crisper warmth, both within the range of this selection.

And if the room is very dark?

A dark room is handled by the number of light points and the brightness of surfaces, not by a harsher light. Two warm white bulbs spread out are better than a single one pushed to maximum, which deepens shadows and dazzles.

Glass and brass round bulb: what rendering in a bathroom?

The glass lets the source be seen and the brass finish brings a warm metal, in a modern, contemporary or vintage spirit depending on the fixture hosting it. The round bulb stays discreet on a ceiling light or a wall light. The colour, beige, gold or white, is chosen according to the support.

Match the bulb colour to the fixture

A brushed brass fixture matches a gold colour, a white frame a white colour, light wood with beige. The glass is visible lit as well as unlit: it is a decorative element, not just a source. See the glass bulbs and the retro bulbs to play on this register.

Round bulb: what it changes in small volumes

A 4 cm by 6 cm round bulb fits in narrow wall lights and small ceiling lights, where a long bulb does not. It diffuses in all directions, which suits a mirror or a bathroom hallway. Check the housing depth before screwing it in.

How to install and maintain an E27 bulb in the bathroom?

Switch off the power, screw the bulb in by hand into the E27 socket without forcing, restore the power and test the dimmer. For maintenance, a soft dry cloth is enough on the glass, and brass avoids abrasive products. A ventilated room limits the film of humidity.

Screwing in an E27 bulb without forcing

Power off, the bulb screws in fully but without locking: excessive tightening wears the contact. If the fixture is on a dimmer, test the minimum intensity before fixing the position, an old dimmer designed for incandescent bulbs may make an LED hum. The colour is also chosen at this moment, with the white colour bulbs for a light frame.

Cleaning a glass and brass bulb

Soft dry cloth on the glass, never water on a bulb in place nor abrasive product on the brass. The glass is cleaned with the bulb cold and the power off. A limescale deposit on the socket is removed dry, without scraping.

Secure payment, tracked delivery, returns and Designix customer service: you can order the set of vintage round E27 warm white LED bulbs and check the rendering at home.

And in other rooms: living room, dining room, kitchen, WC?

The same warm white E27 bulb moves from the living room to the dining room, where it warms a chandelier or a fixture above the table. In the kitchen and WC, above all the number of points and their position are adapted. Each room has its collection to refine the choice.

Dining room lighting and living room chandelier

Above a table, the light sits low and concentrates on the surface. In a living room, it is spread over several points to avoid shadow areas. Living room bulbs and bedroom bulbs follow the same warm white logic, with wattages suited to the volume. The Designix lighting range gives the supports room by room. For a large chandelier under a high ceiling, check the ceiling height and the suspension length so that the bottom of the fixture stays at a good distance from the table.

Kitchen decoration and modern kitchen decor

In the kitchen, the bulb must light the worktops without casting the body's shadow: several points are better than a single centre, and that is where kitchen light is chosen according to the work zones. A desk corner or a sideboard is set with desk bulbs. For the WC, a warm white E27, in a small closed fixture, is enough.

Frequently asked questions