There aren't quite as many good bathroom stockists as you might imagine. Bathroom lighting is hard to get right — there are issues with condensation and electrics — and many of our favorite places either don't bother or only have a very limited selection.
But over the course of my career as a design editor, I've worked out where to buy bathroom lighting, from affordable and stylish to slightly less affordable but breathtakingly beautiful. It's a short but perfectly-formed list of places I'm happy to recommend, each of which put bathroom lighting ideas center stage in a room where it's so often an afterthought.
Presented in no order other than alphabetical, these IP-rated lights are all bathroom-safe and very on-trend (not two phrases that go together as often as you'd hope).
Corston
The Claremont design is the timeless sort of style Corston is known for.
Already a go-to for switches and sockets, you might not have realized that Wiltshire-based Corston also does a well-edited and well-curated line in bathroom lighting. And just like the switches — simple but elevated plates in a variety of warm metals — these IP-rated lights are smart and understated, the ideal finishing touch.
Because of how slim it is, this reeded glass light works well in a small bathroom - it's not hard to fit one either side of a mirror above a vanity.
Downlights are always desirable in a bathroom - they're more flattering than when a beam is aimed right at you. Or worse, from overhead. Added bonus, this brass takes on a charming aged patina.
Playing on the Art Deco interior design rules of symmetry and opulence, the two-headed Claremont is just as streamlined as the single version, but as a more classic appeal that works in contemporary and characterful bathrooms alike.
Davey Lighting
These pillar lights are one of Davey Lighting's most iconic pieces.
When it comes to making a splash with bathroom lighting it's hard to beat the quality of the design at Davey Lighting. A British brand, owned by the super-knowledgeable parent brand Original BTC, and with all its factories and parts made in the UK, the focus here is on true crafstmanship. Pieces that are made to last.
Made from brass, this impressive geometric wall light comes in either a sandblasted or weathered brass finish. The glow it casts from its one-sided opening is very flattering.
In a style you might be more used to seeing over a kitchen island, the Hampton pendant would be impressive if hung over a bath. The opal glass casing makes it very soothing to soak under.
Looking at this light, which wouldn't be out of place on a submarine, perhaps, it's easy to believe Davey Lighting started in a shipyard. The crosshatch design evokes that seen in a mariner's quarters, and lends an intriguing industrial edge.
Heathfield and Co
Heathfield & Co's Lena globe light has a soft ivory crackle finish.
Definitely not the most affordable bathroom lighting brand in this list, but easily the most consistently elevated. Heathfield and Co takes the artistry of marble and pairs it with foxed finishes for a collection that is well worth dreaming about.
Three lengths of the alabaster stone are connected to create a horizontal beam of light that you could hang at one end of the bathroom to wow all who entered. The marbled surface acts like a shade, dappling the light it emits.
A work of art - truly. It's the asymmetry of the three balls instead of four that works so well here. Frosted glass, and a soft crackled finish lead to the question: is this the perfect bathroom light?
The speckled finish allows for an aged effect, catching the light and softening the glow from the bulbs. This is quite a magical design, as elegant as it is elongated.
Lights&Lamps
Lights&Lamps has bathroom lighting that doesn't look like bathroom lighting.
Lights&Lamps stormed onto the lighting scene five years ago with a host of really keenly priced and even more keenly designed lights. The vibe is modern and elegant — the brand's use of affordable marble is unmatched. Its bathroom offering is small yet mighty — just a handful of key pieces that would work in a variety of settings.
It's not often you see three-arm lights for bathrooms, which tend to favour more compact designs. But if you have the space (and actually, because this is so flush you need less than you think) then going bigger is always better - providing you with hotel bathroom energy.
In the way that pendant lights either side of a bed look incredibly chic, so do bathroom pendant lights flanking a vanity mirror. And the Silio's opal glass dome is a perfect way to alleviate the harsher task lighting you might choose for this space.
Taking the magic of those old rows of bulbs that would surround a mirror backstage at a theatre and updating that glamour for home, this stick of three lights is very contemporary. Use either side of the mirror and be your very own main character.
Mullan Lighting
The world of bathroom lighting is fairly homogenized — we're talking brass and glass on the whole, chosen for their durability. So Mullan Lighting's individuality should be celebrated, and it's here you'll find a beauty in the unexpected, a smoothness in the rough edges. A trove of unique pieces.
The decor trend for scalloped edges is going nowhere; designers love it as it's a subtle way to bring detail to every corner. This ceramic pendant, also available in other colors, is a good example of why the look works. Put simply, it's pretty.
More waved edges, this time with an irregular pattern to the red iron finish. It's rare to see something so unlike everything else when it comes to bathroom lighting, but this perfectly imperfect take is intriguing.
No scallops here, but no less interesting a design as the cracked frame and hand-daubed paint effect take the art of wabi sabi to new heights, celebrating texture and irregularities.
Pooky
Pooky has a wide range of IP44-rated lights for bathroom use.
Just like with Pooky's lampshade offerings, there is a wealth of choice here. Mostly because of the lampshades — it's the swooped necks and wall fittings that Pooky has developed to be IP-rated, and you can customize with whatever color and style works best. And as ever, Pooky's ability to give brass just the right color — not too yellow, not too dark — is unmatched.
It's the alabaster diffuser that makes this grand-yet-compact light so suitable for a bathroom — its light is so soft and relaxing. The fact that the brass has an antique effect is an aesthetic bonus.
It's the fitting that's bathroom optimized here, you can mix and match the shade from Pooky's vast supply of fabric and glass options. But look how elegant that swooped neck is.
Taking the reeded glass design of Pooky's much loved Roddy wall light and giving it the shape of a Victorian lantern is a smart touch that lends period character to even modern bathrooms.
Soho Home
Soho Home's bathroom lighting has the expected decorative flair.
You have never really been able to go wrong at Soho Hom, the brand whose parent company Soho House has set the aesthetic tone for the past two decades at this point. Its bathroom lighting is particularly strong - it errs Art Deco, it errs glamorous and - being good enough for use in the hotel's bathrooms — it's hardwearing, too.
So dinky - short and stubby and round in all the best ways. Covered in a faceted glass case the light refraction it creates on the wall behind it is beautiful.
Dimmable and with an almost pearlescent glass case, this is as much a boudoir light as it is a bathroom one. The slender stalk joining the two bulbs creates a refined effect that makes this light appear much more expensive than it is.
Far from the most affordable bathroom light on this list, but one of the most beautiful, for sure. It's like a sculpture, the ball poised in such a way that makes it an architectural wonder. It would be a fascinating choice in such a functional room.
So, bathroom lighting? Check. What next? I've also written a guide on where to buy table lamps if you need further inspiration on the brands out there to look out for.