How can you light your bathroom effectively?
The essentials
The RGIE changed on 1 March 2025: for bathroom installations, only categories 0, 1 and 2 now apply. The former category 3 has been removed, whilst the former category 1bis has now been incorporated into category 1.
Minimum protection ratings: IP67 in zone 0 (in the bath/shower), IP65 in zone 1 (above), IP44 in zone 2 (perimeter). Outside these zones, IP44 is still recommended due to condensation.
All lighting circuits must now be protected by a 30 mA Type A residual current device, in both new builds and refurbishments.
Around the mirror, aim for 4000 K with a CRI of ≥ 90 to ensure a natural-looking complexion. Reserve the 2700–3000 K range for ambient lighting, on a separate circuit.
Three light sources are better than a single ceiling light: task lighting, ambient lighting and accent lighting.
Les volumes RGIE : ce qui a changé au 1er mars 2025
Si un électricien vous parle de « volume 3 », il travaille avec l'ancienne version du règlement. Depuis le 1er mars 2025, un arrêté royal publié au Moniteur a redéfini les zones de la salle de bains. Avant, on comptait cinq volumes (0, 1, 1bis, 2 et 3). Aujourd'hui, dans une salle de bains avec baignoire, il n'en reste que trois : 0, 1 et 2. Dans une salle de douche, deux : 0 et 1. L'ancien volume 1bis, qui désignait l'espace sous la baignoire ou le receveur, fait maintenant partie du volume 1. Et le volume 3 a disparu, remplacé par la notion d'« espace », un périmètre de 4 mètres mesuré depuis l'arrivée d'eau fixe.
Cette réforme ne se limite pas à une simple mise à jour réglementaire. Elle modifie les indices de protection à privilégier pour vos luminaires et rend obsolètes les recommandations des guides d'éclairage publiés avant 2025.
Voici les volumes tels qu'ils s'appliquent en Belgique depuis mars 2025, avec l'indice de protection minimal et la tension autorisée pour chaque zone.
Volume | Where is it? | IP minimum | Voltage | What goes into it |
| Volume 0 | Inside the bath or shower tray | IP67 (immersion) | TBTS 12 V max | Waterproof spotlight recessed into the shower tray – a rare find |
| Volume 1 | Above 0, up to 2.25 m, and the space under the bath | IP65 (water jets) | TBTS 12/24 V, or 230 V with protection | Recessed ceiling spotlight above the shower |
| Volume 2 | 60 cm around Volume 1 | IP44 (projections) | Class II accepted | Mirror wall light, side spotlight |
| Not included in the volume | The rest of the play | IP44 recommended (IP21 acceptable) | 230 V standard | Ceiling light, mood lighting strip |
What is the IP rating for bathroom lighting?
The IP code consists of two digits. The first (from 0 to 6) indicates the level of protection against solid objects, including dust. The second (from 0 to 9) indicates the level of protection against water. In a bathroom, it is this second digit that matters most, as the risk comes from damp and splashes.
Here are a few practical guidelines. An IP44 rating withstands water splashes from all directions — sufficient for a wall light near the washbasin. An IP65 rating adds complete dust-tightness and withstands direct jets of water, making it essential above a shower. An IP67 rating withstands temporary immersion; this level is reserved for the very few light fittings installed inside the shower tray itself.
Warm or cool light? The Kelvin question
When it comes to the bathroom, the debate centres on one thing: the light above the mirror. And here, 4000 K comes out on top. It’s the light that ‘doesn’t lie’: it shows your complexion, foundation and beard lines exactly as they’ll appear outside, in daylight. The pitfall of 3000 K lighting around the mirror is that it gives a false tan. You apply make-up accordingly, and the result looks overdone once you step outside. When shaving, 4000 K clearly shows where the blade has gone and where it hasn’t.
The rest of the room serves a different purpose. An evening bath calls for warm lighting, between 2700 and 3000 K, which helps you relax and prepares you for sleep. Hence the benefit of separating the circuits: bright, focused 4000 K lighting by the mirror, and soft 3000 K ambient lighting, each with its own switch. Many people naturally switch between the two depending on the time of day.
Temperature | Rendu | For use in the bathroom |
| 2,700–3,000 K | Warm white, golden | Atmosphere, evening bath, accent lighting |
| 3,500–4,000 K | Neutral white | Mirror, shaving, make-up (with CRI ≥ 90) |
| 5,000 K and above | Cool white, bluish | Best avoided: hard and unflattering in the bathroom |
Layered lighting: the method that changes everything
The principle can be summed up in a single sentence: a single light source creates harsh shadows, whilst three light sources eliminate them. This is known as layered lighting, and it is the most noticeable difference between a hotel bathroom and an ordinary bathroom.
The first layer is task lighting. It illuminates the face in the mirror without casting any shadows. The correct way to do this is not to use a ceiling spotlight above the mirror — as this makes the eyes look sunken — but rather two side lights, one on either side of the face, or a strip light running around the mirror. This is exactly the same principle used in theatre dressing rooms. Many LED mirrors now incorporate this peripheral lighting, some with adjustable colour temperature ranging from warm to neutral.
The second layer is ambient lighting. Softer, on a separate circuit, and ideally dimmable. A diffused ceiling light, an LED strip along the cornice or beneath a wall-mounted unit. This is what sets the mood in the evening and avoids that ‘operating theatre’ effect.
The third layer: accent lighting. This is optional, but it’s what really defines the room. An LED strip in a shower recess, a spotlight directed at a stone wall, or backlighting behind the mirror. Although it accounts for just 10 per cent of the installation, it transforms the overall look.
This three-layer approach ties in directly with how a successful bathroom design is put together. Lighting isn’t a last-minute addition: it forms part of the style and layout choices made right from the start, as detailed in the guide Which bathroom suits my style and space?. A walk-in shower, wall-mounted units and a colour scheme only come into their own if the lighting shows them off to their best advantage — and poor lighting can ruin an otherwise beautiful design.
LEDs, dimmers and home automation
The dimmer switch is worth a closer look, because it can be a pitfall. Not all LEDs are dimmable — the product specifications must state ‘dimmable’, and you’ll need an LED-compatible dimmer switch, not an old model designed for halogen bulbs. An incompatible combination can result in flickering, interference or a ridiculously limited range of adjustment. In the bathroom, a dimmer switch really comes into its own on the mood lighting circuit: full brightness in the morning, low light for a bath in the evening.
When it comes to home automation, there’s a difference between what’s useful and what’s just a gimmick. A mirror with adjustable temperature – which switches from a neutral, functional setting in the morning to a warm, relaxing one in the evening – genuinely changes your daily life. A motion sensor on the mood lighting means you don’t have to fumble for the light switch in the middle of the night. Beyond that, programmable scenarios and voice control are optional extras for added convenience. The rule of thumb is this: home automation is worthwhile when it simplifies an actual action, not when it adds a layer of complexity to a light switch that works perfectly well.
At FACQ, lighting and illuminated mirrors form part of the bathroom range in the same way as taps and fittings and furniture. The brands on display — Geberit for mirrors and technical bathroom units, Villeroy & Boch, Duravit — offer LED mirrors with perimeter lighting and, in some cases, colour temperature adjustment and an anti-fog function. The advantage of seeing these products at the EXPOcenter is being able to assess the light’s effect in real life: a CRI rating on a product sheet means nothing until you’ve seen your own complexion in the mirror.
Frequently asked questions
What IP rating is required for a spotlight above the shower in Belgium?
Above the shower, you are in Zone 1 according to the RGIE, which has been in force since March 2025. The minimum protection rating here is IP65, which protects against direct water jets. This is also the zone where the voltage is limited: either to very low safety voltage (12 or 24 V) or to 230 V with appropriate protection. If in doubt, opt for IP65 rather than IP44 — the extra cost is minimal and you’ll pass the inspection without any problems.Do you need a qualified electrician to install bathroom lighting?
As far as the wiring is concerned, yes. Compliance with volume requirements, protection by a 30 mA Type A residual current device (RCD) and the equipotential bonding of metal earths are all part of an installation that complies with the RGIE regulations, which is verified during a mandatory inspection prior to sale or energisation. You can choose your own light fittings, but their installation and wiring in a wet room cannot be done haphazardly.3000K or 4000K for the mirror?
4000 K. This is the colour temperature that makes your complexion look as it would in daylight, which is important for make-up and shaving. 3000 K gives a false tanned look that distorts make-up. Keep the 3000 K for ambient lighting, on a separate circuit, and add a CRI of at least 90 to the light source above the mirror for true-to-life colour rendering.Can you put an LED strip in a shower?
Yes, provided you comply with the zone rating. In a shower cubicle, you are in Zone 1: you need a light strip with a minimum IP65 rating, powered by extra-low voltage, with the transformer located outside the zone. This is one of the most visually striking features, but it is also an area where a slapdash installation can lead to water ingress. Best left to a professional.Is IP44 sufficient outside the shower area?
The RGIE permits IP21 for outdoor use, but IP44 remains the best choice in Belgium. Condensation from hot showers, in rooms that are often poorly ventilated, seeps into poorly protected light fittings over time. For just a few euros more, IP44 significantly extends the lifespan of your lighting, even near the door or above a piece of furniture away from the water.