Bathroom Lighting

Bathroom Lighting

Before you order bathroom lights in Australia, two things matter more than the look. The IP rating for where it's going, and whether the fitting is doing the right job in that spot. Get those two right and the rest is styling. Whether you're shopping for ambient bathroom lighting or task-focused bathroom lights, matching IP rating to zone is what actually matters.

This category covers the four types you'll actually use: bathroom vanity lights and above mirror lighting for task work, bathroom ceiling lights for general brightness, bathroom wall lights for softer task or accent light, and bathroom pendant lights for a bit of feature over a freestanding bath or in a taller ensuite. Bathrooms aren't like other rooms. Moisture, steam and proximity to water mean the fitting has to be rated for the zone it sits in, not just the room in general. Below you'll find how to match light to job, what the IP zones actually mean, and a placement table you can use as a quick check.

Types of bathroom lighting and where to use them

Bathroom vanity lights and above mirror lighting do the work. This is task lighting, so you can shave, apply makeup or check what's actually in your teeth. You want even light across the face, not a single downlight casting shadows under the chin. A mirror with built-in led bathroom lights often does this job on its own, which is why plenty of renos skip separate vanity lights entirely. Have a look at LED mirrors if that suits your layout, or pair one with our vanities and furniture range. Some setups use bathroom cabinet lighting built into an LED shaving cabinet instead, if that suits your storage needs better than a standalone mirror.

Bathroom ceiling lights are your ambient layer. General brightness across the room, usually a downlight or a flush-mount, sometimes a 3-in-1 combo that adds heat and exhaust.

Bathroom wall lights sit either side of the mirror or along a feature wall. They soften shadows the ceiling light can't reach and add a bit of warmth.

Bathroom pendant lights are feature pieces. They work over a freestanding bath, in a tall ensuite, or beside (not above) a vanity where ceiling height allows.

Layer all three (ambient, task, accent) and the room reads properly at any time of day. Our full bathroom lighting guide goes deeper into layering if you want more detail.

IP ratings and bathroom safety zones explained

IP stands for Ingress Protection, and every ip rated bathroom light on the market is tested against this scale. First digit is dust, second is water. IP44 means protection against splashing water from any direction. IP65 handles water jets. IP67 goes further again, protecting against short immersion.

Australian bathrooms are divided into zones under AS/NZS 3000, and each zone has a minimum IP requirement.

- Zone 0 is inside the bath or shower itself. Fittings here need to be rated for immersion (IP67).
- Zone 1 is directly above the bath or shower up to 2.25m. Minimum IP44, often IP65 where direct spray is likely.
- Zone 2 extends 0.6m out from Zone 1. Minimum IP44.
- Zone 3 and outside the zones cover the rest of the room. Standard fittings are generally fine, though IP44 is still a smart baseline near basins.

If in doubt, go one step higher than the minimum. A licensed electrician handles the install either way.

LED, colour temperature and how bright is bright enough

LEDs use around 80% less power than halogens and last a lot longer. That matters in a bathroom, where changing a bulb over the bath is nobody's idea of a Saturday. It's also the main reason led bathroom lights have become the default over halogen downlights.

Colour temperature is measured in Kelvin. Warm white (2700-3000K) suits ambient and accent lighting. It's the softer, homier tone. Neutral white (around 4000K) is better at the vanity because it renders skin tones honestly. Daylight (5000K+) is usually too clinical for a bathroom.

For brightness, a rough guide is 70-80 lumens per square foot for general lighting, and roughly double that at the vanity where the detail work happens.

Placement guide, what to use where

When to consider a heat and light combo

3-in-1 units bundle heat, light and exhaust into a single bathroom ceiling light fitting. They earn their keep in ensuites, smaller bathrooms and anywhere the room gets cold in winter. If ceiling space is tight or the exhaust needs replacing anyway, a combo is usually the tidier install than three separate fittings. Have a look at 3-in-1 bathroom heaters for what's available.

Bathroom lighting FAQs