7 January 2021
This article considers some useful tips for choosing and installing the LED bathroom mirror and advice regarding how best to fit them.
Survey after survey in the UK reveals that on average both men and women, look at their own reflection in the mirror dozens of times daily. The first ‘narcissistic fix’ of the day for most people is the bathroom mirror, a crucial tool for grooming and one that provides us with important information about our overall wellbeing.
In order to make sure that we have as accurate a reflection as possible a good bathroom mirror is key to providing us with the confidence to face the day ahead. Just as lighting has a huge impact on how we see ourselves in the fitting rooms of the high street clothes shops so too in the bathroom lighting must be capable of rendering our reflection in an accurate and helpful manner. The LED bathroom mirror combines these two elements together in one design.
80×80 cm TONO Mirror with perimeter light and demister.
Fans of Hollywood films will recognise the archetypal dressing room mirror framed by incandescent light bulbs illuminating the film star’s face. Since the age of Instagram, ‘selfies’ and Social Media we are all stars in our own right so looking good and correct grooming has become more important than ever.
The contemporary bathroom nowadays is where most of this goes on and the LED bathroom mirror is a useful tool to achieve optimum personal grooming. Just like the dressing room mirror the light surrounds the frame and provides a shadow-free high-quality illumination.
Some LED bathroom mirror models are held slightly proud from the wall and throw light back onto the wall finish creating a floating effect. And of course, there are other LED bathroom mirror options that take a more traditional approach with the light confined to the top of the mirror.
80×70 cm HOTELS Mirror with light strip illuminated by LEDs.
The actual size of the mirror and the type of frame generally are determined by the choice of WHB (wash hand basin). The two elements go together and ideally the width of one will determine the other.
Square, oval or round. The geometry of the mirror is a subjective decision that depends on the overall bathroom design.
120×100 cm TONO Mirror with perimeter light and demister.
Standard rectangular LED bathroom mirrors are a good option for combining with cubic style sanitary fittings. The halo effect of the surround LED lighting lends a modern aura to the mirror and softens harsh geometric lines.
80×80 cm ARO Mirror with perimeter LED light and anti-fog system.
Other options like the circular bathroom LED mirror recall the Art Deco or Pop era while the curved or oval shape is more cutting-edge and contemporary.
150×90 cm ARO Mirror with perimeter LED light and anti-fog system.
Curved and fluid lines are a great addition to the bathroom and can contribute to an overall sensation of wellbeing.
One of LED lighting’s great advantages over incandescent bulbs is its lower power requirements. As well as being more energy-efficient LEDs last longer and emit a brighter light. This means that a battery-operated LED bathroom mirror alternative to a plug-in mirror is a viable option.
There are numerous advantages to the battery LED bathroom mirror such as its complete autonomy with regards to location. The LEDs will have to be recharged but other than that no plug as such will be required. This means that installation is simply a question hanging the mirror on the wall and switching it on.
The LED bathroom mirror will almost certainly be supplied with its own proprietary plugs and screws. A drill and an appropriate drill bit (depending on the wall finish) will be required to fix the support brackets and if the LEDs are connected to the mains an electrician is recommended to actually carry out the installation.
140×50 cm PURE LINE Mirror with perimeter LED light and anti-fog system.
Amongst the most important morning grooming routines is shaving and having a shaving socket attached to the main bathroom mirror is a consideration. Building regulations require that these are placed at heights which make them difficult to access, for health and safety reasons.
Typically sockets are located 45 cm above the finished floor in the UK except for the bathroom. With the LED bathroom mirror the shaving socket which is normally a two-prong plug is incorporated into the mirror’s frame.
80x70x13.5 cm wall mounted SMART cabinet with double side mirror door and lateral light. Sensor switch on/off for the light. Defogger included.
Depending on whether a socket is required or not the positioning of the LED bathroom mirror will depend on the electrical wiring and proximity to the mains. Provide an electrical feed to the wall over the WHB (where the bathroom mirror is normally positioned). The wiring can be provided either within the partition or using surface mounted electrical conduit.
It depends on whether it’s a battery or mains operated LED mirror, battery powered mirrors are a viable option for the contemporary bathroom and do not need an electrical connection.
The average DIY enthusiastic can install the LED bathroom mirror but a qualified electrician is always advisable. Locate the LED mirror close to an electrical connection, making sure that the mirror surface will hide the connection once it is hanging in place. The important tools are a drill, pencil, spirit level as well as the proprietary fixings that will be supplied with the LED bathroom mirror. Before commencing any electrical work in the bathroom the mains supply must be switched off. To do so open the main fuse box for the home and switch the mains switch to the off position. For additional safety ensure that the wall switch for the LED mirror is also off.
In the UK the standard electrical connection for any mains device consists of three colour coded wires: the live wire (brown), the neutral wire (blue) and the earth wire (green and yellow). All three terminal connections must be made with the LED bathroom mirror fixture.
Measure the width and height of the mirror fitting and divide by two, then draw a centre line above the WHB with a pencil where the mirror will hang. Making sure to leave clearance for the mirror over the WHB mark the positions of the support bracket fixings over the sink. If there are two brackets ensue they are place equidistant from the centre line already marked on the wall. Then drill the holes for the bracket fixings and connect the electrical terminals. Finally hang the mirror in place using a spirit level to ensure that is completely level.
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