How valuable is your bathroom? Obviously, when you are in need of the certain dispensary services a bathroom requires, pretty valuable. But it c. And, if it's designed right, it can add value to your day-to-day life, too.
Just ask interior design expert Matteo Bianchi. As director of Matteo Bianchi Studio, a member of the British Institute of Interior Design (BiiD), Matteo knows a thing or two about designing a bathroom to maximise that value. And whether you're looking for a relaxing space to bathe away the day's worries or a high tempo area to get ready before a big night out, lighting can play an important part in that all-important atmosphere of your bathroom.
"A bathroom is a very personal space not only to wash but to relax," says Matteo. "As the bathroom is a place to cleanse, the room itself should be clean, uncluttered and fresh. Good quality fittings will stand the test of time, and with a well thought out scheme will add value to your property.
"Understanding the effectiveness of lighting will really add something to your bathroom for different activities. Different circuits for a relaxed or romantic mood; perhaps recessed warm lighting, bright lighting for cleaning and for Monday mornings, and then functional lighting for shaving or applying makeup."
How to get that all-hours, all-moods lighting? Well, start with the fittings: flush ceiling lights honour the spirit of decluttering as well as providing blaring light to really wake you up on a foggy Monday morning.
You also have to think of your fixtures: obviously, a dimmer switch doesn't work in the bathroom, with most people instead preferring cord pull light switches. In that case, to get the mood lighting you want, it makes sense to put different types of lighting in - flush ceiling lights for the everyday, and a row of recessed lighting for some moody atmosphere.
