5 budget bathroom lighting ideas that will deliver a stylish and well-lit wash space without overspending

Lighting is a seemingly small choice in terms of your overall bathroom design, but one that can have a huge impact on how easy it is to use the space and how ambient it is. A poorly lit space can be a dealbreaker for bathrooms, but lighting can also be expensive - so finding budget bathroom lighting ideas that satisfy both style and add vital task lighting is key.

Variety in your bathroom lighting ideas will be a game-changer. Having a singular overhead light or spotlights might not be enough to cast illumination in dark corners of your room where natural light doesn't hit. Instead, choosing different task lighting will make for a bathroom full of dimension that is perfect for ambient evenings spent soaking in the tub or bright mornings where a wake-up shower is needed.

In order to achieve the perfect scheme without overspending, it's worth considering these budget bathroom lighting ideas.

1. Create a cosy look with sconces

Wall sconces are one of our favourite bathroom lighting options. Antique-inspired, they add a cute and cosy touch to a bathroom, making it feel like an extension of living spaces around your home.

If you live in a rental property there are non-screw wall sconces, like the Twinky light from Pooky, that offer the same look without annoying your landlord. If you're looking for a budget option though and don't mind screwing into your wall, then there are so many affordable options that tap into the latest bathroom trends.

'Wall lights, like our Roan 2 Light Bathroom Wall Light, are space saving and if placed either side of a mirror can help evenly distribute light,' recommends Olivia Flanagan, lighting buyer at Dunelm.

2. Make life easy with overhead lighting

Overhead lighting is a crowd-pleaser when it comes to bathroom lighting. It's often overlooked in favour of spotlights but if you're on a budget and don't want to call in an electrician to install them, a standard overhead pendant will do the job.

There are so many of these on the high street so you can tailor it to suit your exact budget. Brass will instantly make a space look on-trend whereas glass pendants will add light to a look. You can also directly hang these over areas that don't receive much natural light for added accessibility.

'A single hanging pendant, like our Ashwell Bathroom Pendant Light, can enhance room height and make it easy to customise the look of your bathroom,' adds Olivia.

3. . Add illumination to storage

If you feel like your bathroom is lacking in task lighting in spaces you need it the most, such as your bathroom storage, then there are so many affordable options to try. In fact, this is one of the best budget ways to add useful light to your design.

'To add another touch of luxury with minimal cost, consider using LED strips to softly backlight mirrors and cabinets, this will create a contemporary feel with the added benefit of consuming less energy and therefore being kinder to your power bill,' adds Mara Rypacek Miller, founder of Industville.

There are a number of sticky battery-operated lights too that will make it easy to see what is stored inside your bathroom cabinets.

4. Switch out a shade

For a quick and easy update to your bathroom without spending a lot, or anything, consider switching out a light fixture. It might be that you can a shade elsewhere in your home that will be better suited to your bathroom or maybe you want to buy something new - either way, this will be a minimal-spend makeover.

Mara recommends to 'swap plain glass fixtures for ribbed glass. The detailed texture will not only elevate the feel of the room but will diffuse light softly around the room creating a serene, spa-like atmosphere.'

'Using dark colours in light fittings is another excellent way to create a feeling of luxury for less. Black metal offers a versatile base scheme and will allow you to play with colour through easily interchangeable elements like towels and indoor plants.'

5. Add a little lamp

While lamps might seem like a lighting choice that is better suited to your living room, there's been a big trend in adding a lamp to your kitchen or bathroom. It makes an often clinical space feel much more homely and inviting and is an affordable update to make.

Whether you go for a chic brass choice, keep it contemporary with matt black or add character with a fabric shade, there are styles to suit every scheme. Just make sure to keep it away from any direct water sources and opt for a rechargeable option.

FAQs

Where should you put lighting in a bathroom?

Knowing where to position lighting in a bathroom can be a tricky task and one that's important to consider when you're initially planning a bathroom renovation. Planning bathroom lighting will need to factor in where your vanity units and sanitaryware is positioned, as well as which direction the room faces and thus how much natural light it receives.

Having a primary source of overhead lighting that spans a large area of the room will form the foundation for a well-lit bathroom, and then you can add smaller bits of task lighting where it's needed. For example, wall lighting around a mirror will aid getting-ready on dark mornings or a rechargeable lamp in the corner will make bath times super relaxing.

Which budget bathroom lighting idea are you thinking of hitting 'buy' on? The beauty of this bathroom update is that you won't even need to wait until payday.