Help & advice
Bathroom lighting and electrical zones
Resist the temptation to “just put spotlights everywhere”! Instead, consider the different types of lighting you'll need in your bathroom layout first and go from there:
- 'Task' lighting - a light either side of a mirror in a bathroom works best to eliminate shadows
- Ceiling lights such as spotlights provide bright lighting, and their discrete design doesn’t draw attention
- Ambient lighting for night times or early mornings mean that you avoid the shock of bright lighting in your bathroom when you really don’t want to wake up yet
- Accent lighting for any details in the room you might want to highlight - a shower niche or picture on a wall
- Lighting a shower - carefully consider lighting if you have a separate shower cubicle or wet room
- Natural lighting - how can you make the most of the natural light in your bathroom, or is there a way to borrow light from the hallway outside, especially if there is no window?
Using Reno you can plan and design the layout of your bathroom lighting and other electrics like toothbrush chargers along with your bathroom furniture or sanitaryware.
Choosing lighting fixtures
To help you plan your bathroom remodel or renovation, it is useful to understand the regulations before you buy any light fittings, the ratings needed and the zones they can safely go in.
When it comes to installation, seek professional help from a qualified electrician.
What information is crucial to understand from electrical item labels? IP ratings
Only use electrical items in your bathroom remodel if they possess an IP rating. IP, which stands for Ingress Protection, is always followed by two numbers. The first number indicates the level of protection against solid particles, while the second number indicates the degree of protection against moisture. Higher numerical values signify better protection.
Refer to https://www.iec.ch/ip-ratings for the full guide.
How to work out what can go where: The Zones
The IET (The Institution of Engineering and Technology) define three bathroom electrical zones that help us understand where electrical items can be installed:
- Zone 0 in the bathroom refers to the interior of the bath or shower basin where only low-voltage electrical devices specifically designed for wet conditions are permitted
- Zone 1 encompasses the area directly above Zone 0, extending up to 2.25 metres above the water source, where only IPX4-rated electrical devices, such as splash-proof lighting fixtures, are allowed
- Zone 2 extends horizontally from the edge of Zone 1 to a distance of 0.6 metres beyond it, requiring IPX4-rated electrical equipment to protect against splashes and ensuring safe use in close proximity to water sources in the bathroom
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Starting with kitchens, bedrooms and bathrooms, we've built our renovation design and planning tool to guide you through key decisions, from big ones like layout to little ones like how to edge your tiles. We turn this into a neat, sharable brief that homeowners and trades can use for more realistic quotes.
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