This May Be The Best Type Of Light That You Could Add To Your Bathroom Renovation

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Renovating your bathroom lighting gives you the opportunity to create a haven of tranquility, a calm oasis that melts away stress and lets you breathe no matter what kind of day you've had. Yet with the flick of a switch, your old, noisy extractor fan can trash the experience. But without it, you're laying out the red carpet for mold and mildew. If this conundrum sounds familiar, consider installing a light and extractor fan combo.

This is an ideal solution for bathrooms, marrying aesthetics and practicality in the best way. Learning how to choose the perfect lighting for your space is key to creating the right vibe in a bathroom, especially if you don't have any natural light sources. Mood aside, you also need sufficient lighting to prevent accidents while shaving, to apply makeup, or to avoid slipping while moving around on slick tiles.

As far as ventilation fans go, an efficient extractor fan creates a well-ventilated bathroom as it deals with steam and moisture to prevent mold growth and reduce mirror fog. More than that, it keeps the air fresh and odor free, which is a bonus if your toilet lives in the same space. The Gopper Bathroom Exhaust Fan with Light is a simple combo solution that combines light and ventilation in a compact, sleek design that ticks all the bathroom renovation boxes.

A bathroom is typically one of the smallest rooms in your home and requires some clever planning when it comes to fittings and fixtures to avoid cramming too much in a small space. According to Leanne Ford's top tips for designing your small space, there's a fine line between a room design that's boring and one that's overwhelmed by clutter. By combining two of the major functional necessities into one unit, you free up ceiling space and lean into a less-is-more approach to bathroom design.

Another angle to consider is the cost of installation. As there is only one installation required, the combo light and fan cuts down on wiring costs. Not only will the amount of wiring and other hardware be less, but the contractor's time will be reduced by nearly 50%. 

An older bathroom extractor fan can sound like a small helicopter taking off in your home — less than ideal for nighttime use! Fan-light combinations are designed to operate quietly, discreetly getting on with their job. Sones are the unit of measure that tells you how loudly an extractor fan operates, ranging from less than 0.3 to 6. When choosing a new fan, make sure you pick out one that runs at a sone level you're comfortable with. For example, the Consciot Bathroom Exhaust Fan with Light runs at 1.0 sone, which is quieter than a refrigerator.

The next layer of choosing the right light-fan combo is all about the quality of the light. Think about how the brightness of your lamps could affect your mood. To create different ambiences in your bathroom — think bathing the kids versus a deep, de-stressing soak — choose a light-fan combo with dimming capability. The ability to switch between brighter light for making sure there's no dirt behind small ears and a calming glow for soul-soothing cannot be overestimated.

For light sleepers or those who struggle with insomnia, look for a light-fan unit that has a nightlight setting. This means those midnight bladder calls won't expose you to harsh, bright lights that mess with your body's natural clock and disrupt healthy sleep patterns. Good nightlights are a deep amber color that doesn't affect our circadian rhythm, which governs sleep and wakefulness. 

Take bathroom mood-setting a step further and install a ceiling fan-light with built-in Bluetooth speakers, such as the OREiN Bathroom Fan with Bluetooth Speaker, Light, and Remote. These units allow you to connect using your phone and let your playlist flood the room with music. If you regularly have bath-time battles with your kids, letting them choose the playlist can be a game changer. Peaceful, happy bath times are worth it, even if you no longer care about what the wheels, babies, and grannies on the bus do!