Room by Room
The worst bathroom vanity lighting I ever lived with was a single globe bulb in the center of the ceiling. I looked like a different person in every other mirror I encountered. For two years I thought the problem was my face. It was the ceiling light.
Side-mounted bathroom sconces at eye level are the single biggest improvement you can make to any bathroom. Illuminate the subject from both sides at the same level, and the face appears as it actually is — no artificial shadows, no harsh downlight.
Mount them at 63 to 65 inches from the floor — eye level for most adults. Center each sconce 18 to 20 inches from the mirror center line. Use 3000K bulbs for accurate color rendering — important for makeup and dressing. Add a dimmer for evening use when full vanity brightness is unnecessary.
The bathroom becomes a different room at low evening light. A calm room, not a utilitarian one. Two changes — sconces and a dimmer — accomplished what no renovation could.
Michelle at The Wharton House walked through a budget bathroom vanity light and mirror update — a good real-world example of the principles I cover here applied on a tight budget.