Most bathrooms are lit badly and nobody talks about it enough. The ceiling downlight that flattens everything, the overhead fixture that turns the mirror into an exercise in unflattering honesty. Side lighting changes all of that. A well placed wall light either side of the mirror does what good light is supposed to do, it illuminates rather than exposes, and it makes the whole room feel intentional in a way that a single ceiling fitting never will.

What we look for here is a light that earns its place visually as well as practically. The finish has to work with the fittings already in the room. The scale has to suit a space that is usually smaller than people want it to be. And the IP rating has to be appropriate for where it is actually going, which rules out more options than you would expect.

These are the wall lights we would put in our own bathrooms without hesitation.