Collections · By finish

Antique Brass Bathroom Lights at KES

26 antique brass bathroom fittings, all rated for the zone they belong in.

Quintiesse Facet Bathroom Dual LED Wall Light in Heritage Brass, lit, in a styled room. Editorial image for the Antique Brass Bathroom Lights collection.

Brass in the bathroom, rated for it

Everything here is sold as a bathroom light, and the IP rating on each listing tells you which zone it can go in. It is a short list because brass bathroom lights are harder to make than chrome ones. Quintiesse's Facet is the modern option, the Hinkley Plantation the traditional one, and the Diyas Coniston brings the crystal.

26 fittings, from £54.

What we'd tell you in the showroom

Antique brass in a bathroom is a designer's move, because it means matching the taps, and it pays off. Brass basin taps with brass wall lights either side of the mirror is the look in every magazine at the moment.

Mount wall lights at eye level, about 160cm to the centre, either side of the mirror rather than above it, so the face is lit evenly. A light above the mirror alone puts shadows under the eyes.

Anne McKenna, senior sales

Antique Brass Bathroom Lights Recommendations & Buying Advice

Yes, provided the fitting is rated and approved for its position. Every light in this collection is IP44, which meets the IPX4 minimum for Zones 1 and 2, but a rating is not approval on its own: the maker's stated suitability and installation instructions also apply. Astro, for example, lists its Tacoma wall lights for Zone 2. Our bathroom zones guide shows where each zone sits.

It depends on where each light sits in relation to the bath or shower. Zone 1 is directly above the bath or shower up to 2.25m from the floor, or the fixed shower head if that is higher. Zone 2 extends 0.6m beyond Zone 1, up to 2.25m. Both need at least IPX4, which the IP44 lights here meet. Outside the zones no IP rating is legally required, though the maker's instructions still apply.

Brass itself does not rust, because it contains no iron, but most lights here are not solid brass. Most with a listed material are steel or zinc with an antique, heritage or burnished brass finish, such as the zinc Astro Tacoma, so the finish is what you are protecting. With the light off and cool, wipe it with a soft dry cloth, avoid abrasives and follow the maker's care instructions.

Either side, in our view: a pair at around face height lights the face evenly, while a single light above tends to cast shadows under the eyes and chin. Compact designs such as the Diyas Coniston 2 Light, 200mm wide, suit a pair. If there is only room above, choose a wide fitting such as the Quintiesse Poppy 3 Light at 615mm, or the Hinkley Saylor, which mounts horizontally or vertically.

Directly over a shower, or anywhere its maker does not approve. Every light here is IP44, which meets the Zone 1 minimum, but over a shower we recommend IP65, and IPX5 is required where water jets are used for cleaning. None belongs in Zone 0, inside the bath or shower tray, which needs IPX7 and safety extra-low voltage. Check each product page for the zones its maker allows.

Often, in England, if it is a like-for-like swap, though we recommend a qualified electrician. Replacing a fitting like-for-like is not notifiable under Part P; new circuits are, and so are additions or alterations to existing circuits within the defined area around a bath or shower. Wales differs. Every light here with a listed class is Class I, so it needs an earth connection, and the replacement must still suit its zone.

One rated for its position that puts enough light where you need it, usually at the mirror. Choose by lumens rather than watts: the Hinkley Saylor Medium LED gives 1,220 lumens of warm white 3000K light from an integrated LED, and the Small 912. Most others take E27 or G9 bulbs, usually not included, so their output depends on the bulb you fit. Browse our light bulbs.