Blue Light Special

Redoing a bathroom on a tight budget is a common challenge given to residential designers. Architect Stanley Moore of Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Wright Street Design Group found a way to make economical more eye-catching by reusing what he could yet creating something original with this luminescent vanity. “Since it is a kids’ bathroom,” says Moore, “we thought this translucent resin would introduce a little sparkle and work as built-in night light.” It took some experimenting to find just the right type of light (low-voltage fluorescent bulbs) with the best configuration. Six fixtures are placed symmetrically beneath the surface to produce a glowing cube. Irregular luminosity from multiple fixtures bugged the architect, however. His unexpected solution was to stick tape under the counter in horizontal strips. Moore says the simple addition “camouflaged the uneven light and added interest.” Other inexpensive but effective ideas include moving the existing mirror down flush with the vanity to reflect the indigo glow as well as painting the ceiling a similar hue. A translucent medicine cabinet along with a sky tube further the cause of illumination.