Side vs Overhead Vanity Lighting: Which Is Better and When to Use Each

Walk into any good hotel bathroom and you will notice something right away. The lighting around the mirror just works. No harsh shadows, no weird color cast, no guessing if your makeup or shave really looks the same outside. That is exactly what good vanity lighting should do at home too.

The big question most people wrestle with is simple but important. Should you light the mirror from the sides, from above, or both. This guide breaks that down in plain language and then answers the other high search questions that come with it. How high should vanity lights hang. Should they face up or down. How many fixtures do you need for different vanity sizes. What brightness and color temperature should you choose.

Everything below is written with bathrooms in mind, but most rules apply to dressing rooms and makeup stations as well.

How to choose bathroom vanity lighting

Before you pick a side versus overhead layout, it helps to be clear about what you are trying to get from your vanity lights.

Good vanity lighting should:

• Light your face evenly from both sides, not just from above

• Minimize harsh shadows under the eyes, nose, and chin

• Show true to life colors so makeup and skin tones look natural

• Be bright enough for tasks, but not so bright that the room feels like a clinic

In most bathrooms you are working with three layers of light.

1. Overall ambient light
   This is the general light that fills the room. It might be a ceiling fixture, recessed cans, or a shower light.

2. Task light at the vanity
   This is the light that actually helps you see your face clearly in the mirror. Side sconces and vanity bars belong here.

3. Accent light
   This can be a backlit mirror, a small pendant, or niche lighting. It is there for mood and style, not for shaving.

When people say their bathroom lighting is terrible, it is usually because they are missing proper task lighting at face level. That is exactly where side versus overhead vanity lighting comes in.

Side vs overhead vanity lighting: which is better and when

If you want the most flattering, functional light for your face, side lighting almost always wins. But overhead lighting still has a place, especially in tighter spaces. Think of them as different tools.

Here is a simple comparison.

In an ideal world you have a pair of sconces at eye level on either side of the mirror. This wraps your face in light from both sides and reduces shadows. If you also add a softer overhead bar or a backlit mirror, you get a clean, balanced look.

Overhead only lighting is what many basic builder bathrooms use. A single bar or strip above the mirror shines down. It is better than nothing, but it tends to:

• Cast shadows under your eyes and chin

• Highlight texture you do not want to see

• Make you lean toward the mirror to find the right angle

So the short answer is:

• Side lighting is better for flattering, true to life face lighting

• Overhead lighting is better than nothing, and still useful as a secondary source

• Using both side and overhead together gives the most flexible result in a larger bathroom

Should vanity lights hang above the mirror

Now to the classic debate. Do you hang the vanity light above the mirror, or do you skip the top light and stick with sconces on the sides.

There is no single rule, but there are clear guidelines.

When overhead lights above the mirror make sense:

• You have a narrow vanity with no room for side sconces

• You are working with a simple hall bath or powder room and want one clean fixture

• You already have wiring above the mirror and do not want to open the walls

In this case, try to:

• Keep the fixture about 75 to 80 inches from the floor to the center of the light, or roughly 3 to 6 inches above the top of the mirror

• Choose a fixture as wide as the mirror or slightly smaller, not tiny compared with the glass

• Aim the light down and slightly outward rather than straight at the mirror to reduce glare

When side lighting is a better choice:

• You want the most flattering light for makeup and selfies

• You have enough wall space on both sides of the mirror

• You are renovating and can move or add electrical boxes

For side sconces, mount the center of the light roughly at eye level, usually about 60 to 66 inches from the floor for most adults. Adjust a bit for very tall or very short households.

When to use both:

• Master bathrooms with double sinks

• Large mirrors that run wall to wall

• Rooms where you want a hotel style, evenly lit vanity wall

In these spaces, a pair of side sconces plus a softer overhead bar or backlit mirror gives a very polished result.

Should bathroom vanity lights face up or down

If you are using a bar or strip above the mirror, you will often be asked whether the shades should face up or down. There is no single right answer, but they feel different.

Lights facing down:

• Direct the light toward your face and the sink

• Give a brighter, more focused task light

• Can create more glare on shiny countertops or the mirror if the fixture is too close

Lights facing up:

• Bounce light off the ceiling and back into the room

• Create a softer, more diffused effect

• Do less for detailed tasks like tweezing or eyeliner on their own

For most bathrooms, if the fixture above the mirror is your main task light, downward is usually better. If you already have strong side lighting and you just want a soft overall glow, up facing shades can look very nice and avoid hot spots.

One helpful compromise is a fixture that throws light both up and down. Some modern vanity bars do this by default. They give reasonable task light while still easing shadows and brightening the room.

How many lights do you need for different vanity sizes

The number and layout of fixtures should match the size of your vanity and mirror. Here is a simple sizing guide.

Some practical rules:

• For single vanities up to about 36 inches, one nicely sized bar above the mirror can work if you cannot fit side lights

• For 48 inch and larger single vanities, side sconces are easier to get right than a single extra long bar

• For double vanities, it is often better to treat each sink as its own zone and light each mirror with a bar or with side sconces

You do not always need a huge number of fixtures. A pair of well placed sconces and one good overhead bar usually beats four or five small scattered lights.

What are the rules for vanity lighting

Designers bend rules all the time, but it helps to know the standard starting points. Think of these as guidelines you can tweak for your specific bathroom.

Height guidelines:

• Side sconces: center of the fixture roughly 60 to 66 inches above the finished floor

• Over mirror bar: center of the fixture around 75 to 80 inches above the finished floor, or a few inches above the top of the mirror

Spacing guidelines:

• Side sconces for a single mirror: the distance between the sconces is usually the mirror width plus a few inches so they do not crowd the edges

• For two mirrors over a double vanity: one sconce on the outer side of each mirror, or one above each mirror centered on the sink

Size guidelines:

• The width of a bar above the mirror should be roughly 60 to 80 percent of the mirror width, not a tiny strip or a giant fixture that dwarfs the glass

• Sconce backplates should not be wider than the frame of the mirror next to them

Glare and shadow rules:

• Avoid bare bulbs at eye level directly facing the mirror when you stand at the sink

• Use frosted glass or diffusers if the bulbs are visible and close to eye level

• Try to light the face from both sides as much as possible, not just from above

If you follow these basic rules first, you can then adjust for your own height, mirror size, and style without getting into trouble.

Vanity light brightness, color temperature, and bulb types

Even the best layout will not feel right if the light itself is the wrong brightness or color.

Brightness:

For a typical bathroom vanity you want enough lumens to clearly see details. A common range is:

• Around 1600 to 3000 lumens total for small to medium bathrooms

• Up to about 4000 lumens total for large master bathrooms with double vanities

If your vanity lighting is the main light in the room, aim toward the higher end. If you also have bright recessed lights or a good ceiling fixture, you can stay lower at the vanity and rely more on layering.

Color temperature:

Color temperature is measured in kelvin and tells you how warm or cool the light looks.

• Around 2700 to 3000 K: warm white, cozy and flattering, good for general bathroom use

• Around 3000 to 3500 K: neutral white, a nice middle ground for most people

• Around 4000 to 5000 K: cool or daylight white, very clear, often preferred for detailed makeup

If you mostly use the bathroom in the morning to get ready and you want crisp, true color, something around 3500 to 4000 K can be great. If you want a spa like feel and you favor warm, relaxing light, stay closer to 2700 or 3000 K.

Color rendering index (CRI):

CRI is a measure from 0 to 100 that tells you how accurately the light shows colors. For bathroom mirrors, higher is better.

• Aim for bulbs with a CRI of 90 or higher if possible

This helps makeup colors and skin tones look more natural and reduces the “why does my face look different outside” problem.

Bulb types:

Most modern vanity fixtures use one of three options.

• LED integrated fixtures
  These have built in LEDs. They are efficient and slim, but you cannot simply swap bulbs. Check the color temperature and dimming compatibility before you buy.

• LED bulbs in standard sockets
  These are flexible. You can choose your brightness and color temperature and change them later if you want.

• Legacy halogen or incandescent bulbs
  These have great color and a warm feel but use more energy and run hotter. Most people are moving toward LED for bathroom use now.

Whatever you choose, make sure the bulbs and fixtures are rated for use in damp locations, especially in small baths and rooms without great ventilation.

FAQ

Here are short answers to some of the most common vanity lighting questions.

Q1:Is side or overhead vanity lighting better for makeup

A:Side lighting is almost always better. A pair of sconces flanking the mirror at about eye level lights your face evenly from both sides and reduces shadows. Overhead only lighting can make under eye circles and texture look worse.

Q2:How far should vanity lights be from the mirror

A:For side sconces, a few inches from the edge of the mirror is usually ideal. You want the light close enough that it wraps across your face but not so close that the fixture hits the frame. For an overhead bar, place it just a few inches above the mirror so it lights your face, not just the wall above.

Q3:Should I use warm or daylight bulbs at the vanity

A:If you want a relaxing, spa like feel, warm white around 2700 to 3000 K is great. If you care more about color accuracy for makeup and grooming, something in the 3500 to 4000 K range often looks more natural. Very cool daylight bulbs above 5000 K can feel harsh in a small bathroom.

Q4:Can I get good lighting with only a bar above the mirror

A:Yes, especially in a guest bath or powder room, as long as the bar is sized and placed well. For daily makeup or detailed grooming in a master bath, adding side lighting or a good backlit mirror will almost always give a better result.

Q5:Do vanity lights need to be dimmable

A:They do not have to be, but dimming is very useful. Full brightness is perfect for morning routines. Lower levels are nicer for late night showers or when you do not want to fully wake up. If you think you might want dimming, make sure both the bulbs and the switch are rated for it.

If you remember nothing else, remember this. Try to get light at face level from both sides, pick a color temperature that fits how you actually use the room, and do not be afraid to mix side and overhead fixtures. Do that, and your bathroom will feel closer to a well lit hotel suite than a basic builder bath every time you look in the mirror.