Bathroom Lighting

Bathroom lighting on ADORNO comes from studios working in brass, stainless steel, aluminum, stoneware, marble and blown glass, materials chosen because they tolerate steam and splash without dulling or corroding. Some pieces are hand-thrown or hand-blown, others are cast, carved or metalworked, so the finish and the weight of a fixture vary even within a single material. What they share is a resistance to damp air and a restraint in scale that suits a room people use quickly, at close range, usually in front of a mirror.

What a bathroom asks of a light fixture

A bathroom is a small, humid, reflective room, and a fixture has to survive that before it can look good in it. Brass and stainless steel resist corrosion and take a damp cloth without spotting, which is why metalworked sconces and strip fixtures turn up so often near sinks and mirrors. Glazed stoneware and blown glass are sealed against moisture by their own surface, so they hold up equally well, while raw or unsealed stone needs more care in a wet setting.

The materials and techniques found here

The range runs from hand-built stoneware shades with a matte or glazed surface, through cast and folded brass and aluminum, to stone-carved marble bases and glass shaped by casting or glassblowing. Finishes lean toward white, off-white, beige and sage, with black-and-white and pink showing up where a studio wants more contrast against tile or plaster. Styles span minimalist and contemporary fixtures with plain geometry, wabi-sabi pieces that keep a visible hand in the surface, and occasional art deco or mid-century modern references in the metalwork.

• Materials: stoneware, brass, aluminum, clay, silicone, marble, stainless steel, blown glass
• Techniques: hand-building, metalwork, stone carving, glassblowing, glass casting, wood carving, glazing
• Editions: open editions for everyday use, limited editions for a smaller run

Most pieces are produced as open editions, made to a standing design so a replacement is easy to find later. A smaller number are limited editions, where the run is capped and the piece carries more weight as an object in its own right.

Choosing a fixture for scale and placement

Start with where the light needs to fall: a wall sconce either side of a mirror gives even light across the face, while a single fixture mounted above tends to cast shadows under the brow and chin. Keep the scale modest against the wall or ceiling it sits on, since bathrooms read small and a fixture that would suit a hallway can crowd a mirror or a vanity. Match the metal or glaze to the room's other hardware, taps, mirror frame, or any bathroom accessories already in place, so the finishes sit together rather than compete.

Placing it alongside the rest of the room

A bathroom rarely needs more than two or three light sources: one at the mirror, one general, and sometimes a lower accent near a tub or shower recess. The same studios making these fixtures often work across bathroom lamps and bathroom wall lamps, so a pairing in the same material or finish is usually possible within one room. For a broader look at the metalwork and glazed pieces that hold up well in damp rooms, the full lighting range and the bathroom pieces across other categories are worth setting side by side.

Keeping the finish

Brass left unlacquered will darken and spot with humidity over time, which some owners prefer as a sign of age and others choose to polish back. Stainless steel and sealed stoneware need only a wipe with a damp cloth. Marble bases should be dried after splashes, since standing water and acidic cleaners can mark the stone's surface permanently.