Jonathan Adler’s surprising lighting secret will add a hint of glamor to your bathroom

This is how to make a designer-approved statement in one of the most intimate rooms of the home

Light green and pink bathroom suite with dark green marble sink
(Image credit: Drummonds)
Megan Slack
By Megan Slack
published

Internationally renowned designer (and Livingetc guest editor) Jonathan Adler knows how to make a statement. And while interior experts often discuss how to create a focal point in your living room and bedroom, Mr. Adler has focussed his attention on a slightly less conventional space – the bathroom. 

When it comes to adding a hint of excitement and (in Jonathan’s words) glamor to your bathroom, the designer recommends using one key tool: light. Sharing his modern bathroom ideas in an exclusive interview, he reveals what you need to know. 

Jonathan Adler’s bathroom lighting tip

YP x Jonathan Adler collection

(Image credit: Yellowpop x Jonathan Adler collection/ photograph by Joe Thomas)

When asked how to bring glamor into the bathroom, Jonathan recommends investing in a lamp. ‘Bathrooms deserve moody lighting and, bonus, four out of five people agree your wrinkles will look less wrinkly in diffused light,’ he says. Need we need any more encouragement to get behind this unorthodox interior design trend? 

Before you get involved, however, it is important to double-check your electrical requirements depending on your location. The electrical code for bathroom lights depends on your local building code – which is typically based on a national model code known as the National Electrical Code in the US – or the IP rating in the UK.  

All white bathroom with freestanding bath

(Image credit: James Merrell)

In a bathroom, electrical wiring should be protected against the moisture of the bathroom and use NEC/ IP rating as recommended by your electrician. It is almost important to ensure fixtures are splash-resistant.

Therefore, for an alternative (but similar) modern decorating idea, Peter Bowles, the Director of Original BTC, recommends investing in wall lights that are especially suitable for bathrooms with low designs. 

Interesting wall lights are a great way to bring some individuality to your bathroom,’ Peter says. He urges you to experiment with original ship lights that exhibit an industrial feel – and mix metals for a relaxed, quirky feel. ‘You don’t need to use chrome or aluminum light fittings just because your taps are chrome,’ he adds. 

bathroom chandelier ideas wooden statement chandelier by HAM Interiors

(Image credit: HAM Interiors)

This is the lighting trend we wish we had known about sooner. The only thing left is to bring it (safely) into our space.  

Megan Slack
Megan Slack

Megan is the Head of Celebrity Style News at Homes & Gardens. She first joined Future Plc as a News Writer across their interiors titles, including Livingetc and Real Homes, before becoming H&G's News Editor in April 2022. She now leads the Celebrity/ News team.


Before joining Future, Megan worked as a News Explainer at The Telegraph, following her MA in International Journalism at the University of Leeds. During her BA in English Literature and Creative Writing, she gained writing experience in the US whilst studying in New York. Megan also focused on travel writing during her time living in Paris, where she produced content for a French travel site.


Megan currently lives in London, where she relocated from her hometown in Yorkshire. In her home, she experiments with interior design trends and draws inspiration from the home decor ideas she observes in her everyday work life. Her favorite pieces include her antique typewriter and her expansive collection of houseplants. When she isn’t writing, she is browsing London’s coffee shops and bookstores to add to her ever-growing library, taking over the open shelving in her apartment. 

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