How to make your own lighting for the mirror in the bedroom or hallway with your own hands

General lighting in the bedroom and hallway is not able to fully illuminate the face of a lady for applying high-quality makeup. The mirror illumination will help in detail to consider the reflection, apply makeup naturally and choose the perfect wardrobe for a day or evening event.

Main types and functions of the backlight

Mirror illumination is intended for uniform natural illumination of a person’s silhouette, elimination of shadow effects hiding makeup defects, imperfections in clothing. Also, the backlight performs the function of decorating the interior of the room.

The following types of backlights are installed on the mirrors:

• The external layout is equipped with lamps located around the perimeter on the body, frame or wall.
• The built-in backlight is equipped with the installation of LED strips under the glass around the perimeter of the outer edge of the canvas, removing some of the reflective coating.
• Decorative lighting is used for a stylistic, original design of the room.

Decorative lighting was separated into a separate view according to the task of design decoration. Its layout is also built-in and external.

Features and Benefits

Lighting devices produce bright, diffused light, directing it not to the surface of the mirror, but to the space in front of it. The number and location of light sources are determined, taking into account the features of the room and the purpose of the mirror.

The use of local mirror lighting provides the following advantages:

• Light elements are distributed around the perimeter of the reflective canvas, illuminating the space in front of it evenly.
• The strict focus of light sources eliminates glare.
• Lamps sum light flux, produce bright light.
• Lighting devices with natural color rendition provide an analogue of daylight.
• Matte diffusers eliminate glare effects.

The backlit mirror does not distort the reflection with shadows, unnatural shades, but shows the real appearance of a person.

Lamp types

The type of light sources for illumination determines its reliability, functionality, efficiency. Dimensions of lighting devices are important for the design of the room.

The backlight for the mirror is made from the following types of light sources:

• Incandescent lamps have an affordable price, a large selection of sizes, capacities, but a short lifetime. The light of such sources has a reddish hue, which does not provide natural lighting, distorting the real image of a person in reflection. Large values ​​of energy consumption and operating temperature lead to the inapplicability of such lamps for illuminating mirrors.
• Halogen lamps have a more natural glow, but are uneconomical. They heat up to 500 ℃, which leads to premature failure.
• Luminescent sources have a natural spectrum, economical energy consumption, and long service life. Linear luminaires and compact fluorescent lamps are used for outdoor lighting, as their dimensions limit the ability to be integrated into the mirror housing.
• Neon tubes are used for color decoration. The peak of neon popularity was in the eighties of the last century.The advent of low-cost, convenient semiconductor lighting sources has led to a decline in demand for neon.
• LED strips and lamps are more economical and durable than fluorescent devices. LED sources are environmentally friendly, safe for health, create bright lighting with color reproduction close to the solar spectrum. The compact dimensions of LED strips make it possible to produce built-in mirror illumination.

LED lamps do not heat up in operation, which allows them to be used to illuminate make-up mirrors.

LED lights for illumination

The use of ready-made LED lamps is gaining popularity in various areas of everyday life. A variety of shapes, sizes, modifications provides scope for the creativity of designers.

Apply overhead, recessed, mounted LED lights for mirrors. In the absence of wiring, they use stand-alone battery-powered models. Skillful craftsmen independently make various options for lighting from LED elements.

Color shades of fixtures

Lighting sources characterize color reproduction, which imposes a hue of a certain color range. In everyday life, lamps with cold, white, warm spectra are used.

Cold light creates a clear, detailed reflection, but tiring the eyes. Warm light is pleasant to the eyes, creates a cozy atmosphere, but distorts the color of reflection with red shades. Balanced white light allows you to achieve natural face lighting, forming a real reflection.

Accommodation options

The location of light sources affects the uniformity of lighting. Lamps for outdoor lighting are placed on the sides of the canvas, top, bottom or around the perimeter of the frame. The installation of lamps around the perimeter is used for make-up mirrors, since this arrangement allows you to highlight all areas of the face in detail.

Highlighting the hallway’s high mirrors and corridors is done from six or more sources, evenly distributed on the sides. A smaller number of sources does not provide bright lighting in height.

The built-in backlight is made of LED strips, which are mounted on the back of the canvas along the edge of the perimeter. Reflective coating is removed from the installation line of the LEDs, and the resulting transparent windows are closed with a matte film.

For decorative lighting equipment, LED white and colored RGB ribbons are used, which are embedded under a reflective canvas or fixed externally on a frame or glass. 3D designs of two parallel reflectors with LED strip located along the contour between them are popular.

Types of switches

The lamps are powered from a 220 V network, and the LED strips operate from a constant voltage of 12 V produced by an additional power supply. Connect the circuit to the mains with push-button, touch, remote switches.

Fixed buttons are installed on the case in an accessible place, but not conspicuous. Remote control complete the backlight with switchable color modes. Modern elements allow you to equip an electronic circuit with a motion sensor or voice control.

How to choose a backlight

Mirror illumination is ordered by the master, made independently or bought a finished product. When choosing the finished option, the style of the interior of the room, compatibility with furniture are taken into account.

The functionality and aesthetics of the backlight are determined by the following parameters:

• The dimensions and purpose of the mirror determine the number, location of light sources. A high canvas requires multi-level lighting, and for a compact one, it is enough to place two lamps on the sides.The exception is make-up, make-up mirrors, the backlight of which consists of ten or more lamps, evenly distributed throughout the frame.
• Mirrors are equipped with additional accessories, shelves, built-in drawers, cabinets that need local lighting.
• Materials for the manufacture of the frame body, types of lighting devices. Plastic and metal frames are the most functional, as they are not exposed to the external environment. Wooden structures have an aesthetic appearance, but dry up or absorb moisture. The manufacture of such frames requires adherence to technology. Incandescent lamps are incompatible with wood, as they are heated to high temperatures, overdrying the material.

Design safety is a decisive criterion for selection Open mountings of cartridges, protruding contacts, protruding wires are not allowed.

Design and appearance

Lighting devices and the shape of accessories are selected based on the characteristics of the interior of the room. Mirrors of regular geometric shapes are suitable for modern design, and carved paintings are compatible with the classic style.

External illumination is mounted on a massive frame, the shape and color of which affect the appearance of the room. Transparent lamps are covered with diffuser shades. LED lamps with a frosted bulb have an aesthetic appearance that allows you to use them without special caps.

Built-in lighting is decorated with carved windows in a reflective coating through which light enters. The reflective layer is carefully cut in the form of drawings, patterns, ornaments.

DIY installation and connection

As an example, we will consider the process of manufacturing the external illumination of a makeup mirror 50 × 70 cm on a wooden frame of sixteen LED lamps with a standard E27 base, an operating voltage of 220 V. Lamps with frosted caps, a luminous flux of 280 lm, and a power consumption of 3.5 W will be used . The assembly will require 16 ceramic cartridges, a cable, a push button switch, a wooden block, plywood, metal corners, screws, PVA glue.

Phased work plan:

1. The manufacture of the frame. Sawing the bar into 4 parts with lengths of the sides of the mirror and cutting angles of 45˚. Assembly of the frame, gluing, fixing with corners.
2. Marking, drilling holes with a diameter of 35 mm for cartridges. For the upper and lower platbands, they retreat from the corner of the frame 5 cm, drill 5 holes through 15 cm, observing the axis of symmetry. For the side platbands, the outer holes are placed 10 cm from the corners, as well as one hole in the middle. The result is 5 grooves on the horizontal sides of the frame, and 3 grooves on the vertical parts.
3. Processing baguette with sandpaper.
4. Cartridge installation, fixing to glue, angles, screws, parallel connection to an electric cable with a switch and a plug.
5. Painting baguette, varnishing or staining.
6. Installation of a mirror cloth.
7. Fastening the back cover of plywood.
8. Installation of lamps, checking the connection to the network.

This design produces uniform illumination with a total luminous flux of 4480 lm, consumes 56 watts of power, and does not heat up. Concealed installation of cartridges ensures safe operation.

The equipment of a metal baguette with electrical wiring with a voltage of 220 V requires compliance with safety rules. The frame body is earthed, and the cable is placed in insulated channels or corrugation.

Interior solutions and selection tips for different rooms

The entrance hall makes the first impression of the apartment, so pay due attention to its furnishings. Large mirrors visually expand the space. Installing seamless reflective panels throughout the wall will help balance a narrow, long corridor. A zone built-in LED backlight in the form of a geometric figure will decorate such an interior.

For a hallway in a minimalist style, a high mirror in a thin aluminum frame is suitable.A flat strip of built-in LED-illumination around the perimeter of the canvas will emphasize the modernity of the design.

In the hallways with a classic interior, mirrors are installed with carved baguettes and decorative sconces evenly distributed on the sides of the frames. Lamps and a baguette stylize antique antiques, which gives a presentable interior.

A makeup table with a stationary mirror is a convenient option for the bedroom. LED backlighting on a massive carved wood baguette creates a cozy, soothing atmosphere. A useful feature for the bedroom is its adjustable brightness.

A frameless wall mirror with a wide, built-in LED strip encircling the perimeter of the canvas will successfully fit into the modern bedroom interior. The presence of color changing and mode switching functions will turn such a mirror into a central decorative element.

Illumination of make-up mirrors is made of lamps emitting a white spectrum with a color temperature of 4000 K. This spectrum gives natural light.

Self-made lighting for the mirror is not difficult in the presence of elementary skills. A balanced design will ensure proper lighting of the space, forming a realistic reflection.