# Forum Home Renovation Lighting  Led mirror

## Optimus

LED Exquisite Illuminated Mirror - Lighted Image  
Has anyone had any experience with these? 
I want something like this in my powder room. The rooms dimensions are 2400 long x1000 wide & 2400 ceilings 
The mrs also wanted a hanging pendant in a corner or the room for looks. Would it be wise to also have one downlight? 
Is that too many lights? I guess they wouldnt all be on at once though. 
Thoughts and or experience with this would be appreciated

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## Craigoss

Could you easily make something similar yourself by buying a mirror and attach 12V strip lighting to the back edge of the mirror and mount to the wall leaving a small gap off the wall. You will need a recessed switched power point behind the mirror.

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## Optimus

Hmmm will look into that... 
Im not too familiar with led strips, do they have a on/off switch? That could be hidden on the side but behind the mirror? 
This one has a fancy touch button and it defrosts the glass  (even though i wouldn't need it for  a toilet haha)

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## Craigoss

The LED strips i'm thinking off just plug into a 12V driver which gets plugged into a normal GPO. The GPO will be switched on and off using a separate switch on the wall (light switch or GPO). I agree not as fancy as touch glass.

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## METRIX

The Novotel in Wollongong just got a refurb and they had similar mirror raised off the wall, with LED strips behind it, looked quite good. 
I will do something similar in my ensuite when I rip it out next week, with a cupboard hidden behind as well.

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## Optimus

Do you remember if they had downlights aswell? 
Is that a downlight in the reflection?

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## Optimus

> The LED strips i'm thinking off just plug into a 12V driver which gets plugged into a normal GPO. The GPO will be switched on and off using a separate switch on the wall (light switch or GPO). I agree not as fancy as touch glass.

  Ah k cool.. thanks

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## METRIX

Yes they had downlights, which sort of defied the purpose of the mirror light as the mirror light came on with them, and sort of washed out the effect of the mirror. 
I would control them separately, I had to block the downright close to the mirror to get the photo.
In our current bathroom, I have gone for LED under the floating Vanity, LED Down-lights on the ceiling, and pendant lights next to the mirror, all are controllable separately. 
For our Ensuite I will build these mirror lights, that will come on with the under vanity LED, then separate switch for LED ceiling light and pendant lights

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## OBBob

Perhaps a downlight on a dimmer would be good so you could balance the effect with the necessary light.

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## pig

Sorry for bumping old thread but doing my bathroom/ensuite and trying to sort out the lighting.
I have a 250mm cavity behind the vanity wall so want to make use of the space with a recessed mirror cabinet and similar lighting.   

> In our current bathroom, I have gone for LED under the floating Vanity, LED Down-lights on the ceiling, and pendant lights next to the mirror, all are controllable separately. 
> For our Ensuite I will build these mirror lights, that will come on with the under vanity LED, then separate switch for LED ceiling light and pendant lights

  I bet it looks awesome, would love to see a pic if you're inclined, especially the pendant lights and under vanity. 
Metrix your description sounds exactly what I'm after with LED under the floating vanity, a ceiling downlight and one ceiling pendant above the vanity.
Can I ask a few questions:
1. For under vanity lighting are you using strip lighting or putting in a single low lumen light?  I think strip lighting looks better to spread the light and avoid a spotlight effect from a single LED fitting?
2. Do you have 3 light switches on the same plate as you enter the bathroom, or is the vanity and pendent switches located next to the vanity?
 3. What colour/lumen/watt did you use for bathroom ceiling downlight.. I think cool/natural white 4000-5000K is best in bathrooms, maybe 13W with no dimmer? 
My bathroom/laundry is small (1600x3100) with no windows so I want the exhaust fan turned on whenever possible. Which switch switch configuration do you think is best? 
Any info would be great because it's been doing my head in lately and I need to sort it out before I start tiling. 
OPTION A:
Switch 1 = 5W LED in Martec combo exhaust fan/light above shower
Switch 1 = ceiling pendant light above vanity
Switch 2 = main light, 300mm LED ceiling oyster (might swap it for a downlight)  
Switch 3 = under vanity lighting 
 OPTION B:
Switch 1 = 5W LED in Martec combo exhaust fan/light above shower
Switch 2 = ceiling pendant light above vanity
Switch 1 = main light, 300mm LED ceiling oyster (might swap it for a downlight)   
Switch 2 = under vanity lighting 
 OPTION C:
Switch 1 = 5W LED in Martec combo exhaust fan/light above shower
Switch 3 = ceiling pendant light above vanity
Switch 2 = main light, 300mm LED ceiling oyster (might swap it for a downlight)  
Switch 3 = under vanity lighting

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## METRIX

Here you will find some pics of the ensuite, in the end didn't go for the recessed mirror cabinet due to I couldn't be bothered to move the timbers in the wall to accommodate two cabinets (structural wall) and as the vanity has 5 decent draws there is plenty of storage in there. 
The ensuite I have gone for Yellow LED under the vanity, to match in with the warm look of the pendant lights which have an orange anodized interior, the main bathroom went for White LED, but the pendants were also warm yellow (gold interior), so I will replace the white LED with Yellow to match. 
Haven't got any photos of the yellow LED'S on, but they do look good against the dark tiles but go to this link to see the pendant's on. https://www.renovateforum.com/f205/t...75/index3.html 
Switches, had 4 switches installed 
1 - Main lights - 6W Warm LED down lights (I don't like cool LED in bathrooms as they remind me of fish and chip shops) the light is too cold, actually I don't like them anywhere, warm white is the go, these have plenty of light and were positioned above the two basin mirrors. 
2: Pendant lights 
3: LED under vanity lights 
4: Exhaust fan 
Didn't combine the pendant and vanity switch because you can leave the under vanity on as night light 
If you want under vanity use a proper extruded aluminum diffused channel designed for LED, as this acts as a heatsink and will remove any heat generated, you will find these on ebay 
Definitely go for strip LED it evens the light out nicely. 
You can have a movement sensor installed for the fan, this way when anyone enters the room the fan comes on, then switches off after a certain time, this way there is always fresher air being dragged into the room

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## pig

Cheers Metrix, love the grain on your benchtop: solid, timeless and won't date fast. 
I also decided against a recessed mirror cabinet because that wall is only 780mm wide (750mm vanity) and already framed up so I'll just stick a mirror straight on the wall tiles. Looks like you ended up doing the same.. did you leave any tiles uncovered for a splashback, or did you butt the mirror straight onto the vanity top (with 3-4mm siliconed gap)?   
Some tilers say it's getting more popular to butt the mirror straight onto the vanity with no splashback. Not sure it looks better but the mirror would get dirty quickly plus it's rooted if water gets in that gap. 
Thanks for the switch tips and good idea to keep the under vanity separate so it can be used as a night light. Also like the idea of using a motion detector for exhaust fan to avoid steamy bathrooms when people forget to turn it on. 
Good choice going yellow LED for under the vanity, soft and subtle looks better than blue colour which seems a popular colour.  Yesterday I went past a lighting store in HK and got a 50cm length of strip LED in aluminium housing ($3.20!) and 1A plug in transformer ($9.50 all up) but don't think a sparky can hardwire it to a switch so I'll get a proper transformer while I'm here  The light is only 0.5W but looks  bright so I'll get a milky cover for it. It's same the one on left side.

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## METRIX

Here is a pic of the main bathroom Vanity it's a 1200mm, you will see why I will rip out the white LED and replace with Yellow. 
I should have the big vanity put back together this weekend as I put the 3rd coat on yesterday, should have some pics of it by Sunday 
Re the Mirror I always leave them off the vanity they look better plus as you said no water near them, Mirror hate water near them, even the ones with vinyl backing, it quickly gets in and buggers the edges.
I always also leave vanities off the wall about 50mm, I hate them butted hard up against a wall, it looks crap especially wall hung

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## pig

Wow shmicko, interesting to see you've used the double bowl vanity in ensuite instead of the main bathroom but probably more practical if kids and space aren't an issue.
Looking at that photo I also reckon yellow would look better than white.  The white also puts out more light so it looks pretty bright and illuminates the floor a tad too much, yellow will be more subtle and give mood type lighting.   

> I always also leave vanities off the wall about 50mm, I hate them butted hard up against a wall, it looks crap especially wall hung

  I thought you're talking 50mm off the back wall but see what you mean after looking at the gap on left side of your vanity. Hmm I think you've converted me, it does look better and I'll do the same.. but would you position a 750mm vanity on a 900mm wall bang in the middle with 75mm either side, or just leave 50mm between the wall and edge of vanity top? 
I've attached a pic below of my vanity and shower but not sure if I should butt the shower screen against the stud wall (option A) or the brick wall (option B)? 
 If I butt on the edge of stud wall then I'm using the space better by reducing the gap between vanity and shower screen.  Plus I can reduce length of glass panel by 200mm. 
Any advice/thoughts would be appreciated thanks.

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## pig

Maybe I shouldn't hijack this thread and post the above in a new thread with a poll?

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## METRIX

> Wow shmicko, interesting to see you've used the double bowl vanity in ensuite instead of the main bathroom but probably more practical if kids and space aren't an issue.

  I went for the polymarble top in the main bathroom because kids would not look after the timber, before you know it they would have it ruined, for yours you can leave a bigger gap to the screen as it makes it easier to clean.
Plus the double bowl thing is part of the parents refuge from the kids  :Smilie:  
I would run the shower screen off the stud wall, not along side it, looks wrong

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## pig

OK thanks again, so after the tiles are down I'll get the shower screen installed first, then install the vanity afterwards and split the difference so it sits bang in the middle of the screen and right side wall. I'll probably have about 60-70mm gap on both sides, depending how close the screen is attached to the edge of stud wall.  
This wall on the right side of vanity will have a double GPO, do you reckon it's better to put the light switches for the vanity pendant and under vanity light here? Or put them on the main switch near the doorway as you enter the bathroom?

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## METRIX

> OK thanks again, so after the tiles are down I'll get the shower screen installed first, then install the vanity afterwards and split the difference so it sits bang in the middle of the screen and right side wall. I'll probably have about 60-70mm gap on both sides, depending how close the screen is attached to the edge of stud wall.  
> This wall on the right side of vanity will have a double GPO, do you reckon it's better to put the light switches for the vanity pendant and under vanity light here? Or put them on the main switch near the doorway as you enter the bathroom?

  Main switch at the door is where the switches must go, if you put them somewhere else you will never use them

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