Looking for a Wall Mounted Direct Wire Lighted Articulated Makeup Mirror - Any Suggestions?

[larry4406]

So, as part of the master bath project, wife wants a a makeup mirror similar to the picture below by Nameeks AR7730-BLK-5x

This particular one lists for $500-700 range!

Most, if not all of these, appear to surface mount without use of an actual single gang or round box back box secured to the wall stud. Rather, drywall anchors are used. I can't believe that drywall anchor mounting will last long term. Reading reviews on various versions of these, many installers drill the mounting plate to match up to holes for back box mounting.

Most of these lights have bizarre European wiring colors (brown, blue, green with yellow stripe), so their application to the US market becomes suspect to me. Here is one from Amazon with the funky mount method, questionable wiring, and sketchy listing if any.

Any recommendations from the sparkies and/or those of you that have actually installed similar?

I think the spec I want is:

• Wall mounted, back box method preferred
• Matte black
• Direct wire (not USB chargeable)
• Articulated arm with tilt
• UL Listed or equivalent
• Hoping for a $100-300 price point

 

[545_days]

My wife has the type that just sits on the counter. Sometimes when I walk by at night to go pee it detects movement and lights me up.

It reminds me of old WW2 movies where POWs are trying to escape while the guards spotlight the perimeter of the camp. " Oh ****! They got me!"

Be careful as many of the European lights are designed for 220 volts with correspondingly small wiring. Good luck finding a light that meets your criteria.

 

[dave*99]

I installed one about 10 years ago. It was expensive as you noted. It mounted to a 4” round box and was secure.

It looked like this. But it was not this exact brand

945 - LED Lighted 5x/1x Magnified Arm Wall Mirror - THE MERYL

What can't The Meryl do? The Meryl mirror illuminates, reflects or magnifies your face with LED light, as it rotates, spins, and extends to find and captivate you. This mirror comes in a stunning variety of finishes, and so suits ANY role in ANY bathroom or at ANY vanity. The 5x/1x magnification...

www.finemirror.com

 

[mm08822]

If you aren't past the drywall stage yet, I suggest you bury some 3/4" plywood flush with framing in spots likely where this could mount.

Instead of a new work box mounting style, feed it with an nmb tail poking through the plywood/sheetrock/tile.

If you were to use a box, use metal.

 

[larry4406]

If you aren't past the drywall stage yet, I suggest you bury some 3/4" plywood flush with framing in spots likely where this could mount.

Instead of a new work box mounting style, feed it with an nmb tail poking through the plywood/sheetrock/tile.

If you were to use a box, use metal.

No drywall yet. I was planning on using a metal box rigidly anchored to framing.

The plywood backer with hang wire would work as well.

Very odd with these fixtures.

 

[mm08822]

No drywall yet. I was planning on using a metal box rigidly anchored to framing.

The plywood backer with hang wire would work as well.

Very odd with these fixtures.

Make it a 4" sq w/mud ring and not a gang box if going with a box.

Euro style hardware is made to be compatible with the rest of their hardware. Mixing/matching always has its challenges.

Something as simple as needing longer screws is trivial to mount a fixture to a fixture strap, until you realize they're metric and you will loose an hour running out for them.

 

[larry4406]

Make it a 4" sq w/mud ring and not a gang box if going with a box.

Euro style hardware is made to be compatible with the rest of their hardware. Mixing/matching always has its challenges.

Something as simple as needing longer screws is trivial to mount a fixture to a fixture strap, until you realize they're metric and you will loose an hour running out for them.

This style? What is its advantage?

 

[mm08822]

A 4" sq box mounted directly to stud is all one piece as compared to a gang box using a stud bracket on the side plate.

Side plates have been known to detach from the center section with repeated movement.

 

[dave*99]

This style? What is its advantage?

That rectangular mud ring will have 6-32 screws. A round one has 8-32 and may be a better option. I’d be looking at a steel 4” round box. See if the mirror wall escutcheon will cover it.

 

[mm08822]

I'd go with the nmb tail thru 3/4 plywood. Much more flexibility for mounting.

 

[larry4406]

Ideally I want the fixture in hand before rough wiring it.

Need to find a decent fixture first.

I'd go with the nmb tail thru 3/4 plywood. Must more flexibility for mounting.

This approach is definitely more forgiving.

 

[mm08822]

Ideally I want the fixture in hand before rough wiring it.

Need to find a decent fixture first.


This approach is definitely more forgiving.

Mounting details aside, just locating the box/cable is better determined with the fixture "in use".

Hang it on a nail and get Mrs. Larry to check height/depth.

Locate so she is happy w/o it max extended.

 

[Codyboy]

My wife has the type that just sits on the counter. Sometimes when I walk by at night to go pee it detects movement and lights me up.

It reminds me of old WW2 movies where POWs are trying to escape while the guards spotlight the perimeter of the camp. " Oh ****! They got me!"

Be careful as many of the European lights are designed for 220 volts with correspondingly small wiring. Good luck finding a light that meets your criteria.

Yeah that's the type mine uses.
Hahaha. When a lot younger and we first got married , she would climb up and sit on the vanity, put her feet in the sink basin to use the big wall mirror.

 

[LXCam]

This style? What is its advantage?

That rectangular mud ring will have 6-32 screws. A round one has 8-32 and may be a better option. I’d be looking at a steel 4” round box. See if the mirror wall escutcheon will cover it.

I waa gonna point this out as well but Dave beat me to it

 

[larry4406]

Mounting details aside, just locating the box/cable is better determined with the fixture "in use".

Hang it on a nail and get Mrs. Larry to check height/depth.

Locate so she is happy w/o it max extended.

Trying to avoid cutting into a wall after the fact but I understand your approach.

The lighted mirror will be mounted on the sidewall of her vanity cabinet, not the normal mirror placement behind the sinks (we will have mirrors there as well).

That wall is quite busy, as its also the wet wall of the shower. Lots of plumbing and a shower niche to contend with.

Here you can see the left wall. My tools are sitting on what will be the floor of the shower niche. The supply and vent piping zig-zag around the niche. Diverter is centered below niche while rain head is centered above niche.

Here is an elevation view of that same wet wall. Quite busy. The flat framed stud under the niche and to the floor is for side attachment of the 24" deep vanity we are using.

My finger is pointing to 5'-6" ASF which is my wife's height. So the box would ideally screw to the right side of this stud at what ever height is needed so that it places the mirror at a height comfortable to her while standing. This stud is 18" from the side wall of the bathroom and 14.5" from the kneewall behind the cabinets (the kneewall behind the cabinets allows all the plumbing to be inside the thermal envelope and allows a flat shelf for storage).

So with the 24" deep cabinets, the mounting edge for the electric box is 10" rearward from the face of the cabinet. Most of the swivel mount mirrors I have been looking at have an arc around 15-19" so she could rotate it nicely into view and not have to lean over the cabinet.

I will pull power from the adjacent duplex receptacle which is on the load side of the GFCI circuit.

 

[larry4406]

That rectangular mud ring will have 6-32 screws. A round one has 8-32 and may be a better option. I’d be looking at a steel 4” round box. See if the mirror wall escutcheon will cover it.

I waa gonna point this out as well but Dave beat me to it

I need to have a fixture first to see if it will work.

 

[mm08822]

Yup, busy wall! So it cuts down on options (for the better!).

I'd plan to bring the nmb out to the right of the stud you referenced and at the same cl ht as the pancake box.

Still add blocking or 3/4 ply so you have are to use to secure it with.

 

[mike93lx]

She's going to stand there to do makeup? My wife always does hers at a desk or table and has a portable mirror. She'd never want one on a wall at the sink and would probably fire me for suggesting it

 

[dave*99]

One of those pancake boxes you have in your photo can work too.

As for mounting height, the black mirror you posted has the CL of the mirror above the CL of the mount, be sure to allow for that. If she uses the magnified side, this is especially important. You don't want to tilt the mirror much as the distortions increase in the reflected image. Put the center of the mirror at her nose.

Also the mirrors are available with different magnifications. BE SURE TO MATCH THIS TO HER VISION. Makeup goes on before glasses.....
I had to replace the mag mirror with a higher mag unit.

 

[mm08822]

She's going to stand there to do makeup? My wife always does hers at a desk or table and has a portable mirror. She's never want one on a wall at the sink

Changeorder brewing!!

 

[dave*99]

We have had both sitting and standing setups.

I think they get ready faster if they have to do makeup standing up....... just sayin.

 

[LXCam]

We remodeled one of the bathrooms not long before we sold the house. My wife couldn’t make up her mind about towels racks and such so I could put backing in. I got tired of waiting finally said fug it and handled the situation with some 5/8 acx

 

[mike93lx]

We have had both sitting and standing setups.

I think they get ready faster if they have to do makeup standing up....... just sayin.

She's about to lose her portable, I guess

 

[larry4406]

She's going to stand there to do makeup? My wife always does hers at a desk or table and has a portable mirror. She's never want one on a wall at the sink

Changeorder brewing!!

Before the floor plan was finalized, I asked her if she wanted a desk type space for makeup and the answer was no. She has been a standup makeup gal the whole time we have been married 37+ years.

One of those pancake boxes you have in your photo can work too.

As for mounting height, the black mirror you posted has the CL of the mirror above the CL of the mount, be sure to allow for that. If she uses the magnified side, this is especially important. You don't want to tilt the mirror much as the distortions increase in the reflected image. Put the center of the mirror at her nose.

Also the mirrors are available with different magnifications. BE SURE TO MATCH THIS TO HER VISION. Makeup goes on before glasses.....
I had to replace the mag mirror with a higher mag unit.

Yeah a pancake box would work fine, but I would need to solidly block for it. There are pipes which prevent me from adding horizontal blocking stud to stud. Much easy to secure it to the stud I pointed to.

The studs in the wet wall are 2x6 Timberstrand product, not your regular SYP. I want a stiff straight wall as it was floor to ceiling and did not want it to bow.

Agreed the rough box will be adjusted to account for the offset of the mirror swivels. I was planning on setting the mirror centerline height at eye level but nose level works as well (close enough).

Yeah I have read that the 5-10x mirror magnification can produce significant distortions.

Wife is near sighted so she is used to not having her glasses on when applying makeup.

 

[mm08822]

Before the floor plan was finalized, I asked her if she wanted a desk type space for makeup and the answer was no. She has been a standup makeup gal the whole time we have been married 37+ years.

Yeah I have read that the 5-10x mirror magnification can produce significant distortions.

Wife is near sighted so she is used to not having her glasses on when applying makeup.

So she can't change her mind now??

Leave the picture that came with the mirror in it. (It's just another picture frame - really)

 

[dave*99]

Yeah a pancake box would work fine, but I would need to solidly block for it. There are pipes which prevent me from adding horizontal blocking stud to stud. Much easy to secure it to the stud I pointed to.

Just to the right of that stud is existing blocking. You could pack that out with wood and put a pancake on it. Or a shallow round box.

 

[larry4406]

Just to the right of that stud is existing blocking. You could pack that out with wood and put a pancake on it. Or a shallow round box.

Yes I can do that and extend the added blocking down to the horizontal cabinet blocking.

I have had to pack out in several other locations requiring me to thin framing materials to 1", 1.25", etc which gets to be a PIA but is doable.

Again - I need the fixture to even start this process.

I am thinking no one here on GJ has done one of these. Was hoping one of the commercial sparkies that does hotels would chime in and cite a make and model they install.

Many of the reviews include complaints on the light being dim and near useless.

 

[Carchie]

So, as part of the master bath project, wife wants a a makeup mirror similar to the picture below by Nameeks AR7730-BLK-5x

This particular one lists for $500-700 range!

Most, if not all of these, appear to surface mount without use of an actual single gang or round box back box secured to the wall stud. Rather, drywall anchors are used. I can't believe that drywall anchor mounting will last long term. Reading reviews on various versions of these, many installers drill the mounting plate to match up to holes for back box mounting.

Most of these lights have bizarre European wiring colors (brown, blue, green with yellow stripe), so their application to the US market becomes suspect to me. Here is one from Amazon with the funky mount method, questionable wiring, and sketchy listing if any.

Any recommendations from the sparkies and/or those of you that have actually installed similar?

I think the spec I want is:

• Wall mounted, back box method preferred
• Matte black
• Direct wire (not USB chargeable)
• Articulated arm with tilt
• UL Listed or equivalent
• Hoping for a $100-300 price point

If you want a solid connection to a back box, you'll probably have to modify the mounting plate on a mid-range unit or look at commercial hospitality suppliers. It's frustrating that the jump from "unreliable plastic" to "solid brass" is a $400 gap.

 

[larry4406]

If you want a solid connection to a back box, you'll probably have to modify the mounting plate on a mid-range unit or look at commercial hospitality suppliers. It's frustrating that the jump from "unreliable plastic" to "solid brass" is a $400 gap.

What I want is a reputable supplier of a UL Listed fixture with proper color coded wires and proper use of a back box. I thought I made this clear in the opening post.

No different than any other fixture that is available.

Why is this device hiding in the shadows? Why are they all shady with drywall anchors and wrong color codes for wiring and not UL listed?

Send me your recommendations please.

 

[mike93lx]

I would call a permanently mounted, lighted makeup mirror higher end than a pot filler in a fancy kitchen, which is already pretty rare. It just isn't something I would expect to find at a price approaching "reasonable". I've only ever encountered something like this in a hotel

 

[larry4406]

I would call a permanently mounted, lighted makeup mirror higher end than a pot filler in a fancy kitchen, which is already pretty rare. It just isn't something I would expect to find at a price approaching "reasonable". I've only ever encountered something like this in a hotel

Agreed. We have a Delta pot filler in the kitchen; easy.

What do the hotels use?

We have many sparkies on board that do extensive commercial work. Not one of them wires hotels and can provide a recommendation?

 

[PCustoms]

Why is this device hiding in the shadows? Why are they all shady with drywall anchors and wrong color codes for wiring and not UL listed?

Was the expensive one listed and wired "correctly"?

That may be the cost of it, period.

Personally I can't imagine going thru extra effort for something so non-standard. Odds are if you ever have an issue you're ripping into the wall the mount the replacement as something changes...

 

[larry4406]

Was the expensive one listed and wired "correctly"?

That may be the cost of it, period.

Personally I can't imagine going thru extra effort for something so non-standard. Odds are if you ever have an issue you're ripping into the wall the mount the replacement as something changes...

What real lighting fixture company makes these?

Kichler - no
Kohler - no
Others?

Still waiting on a fixture recommendation from the peanut gallery here that has actually installed one...

 

[mike93lx]

What do the hotels use?

No idea, but I wouldn't be surprised to find out they are the cheap ones.

 

[PCustoms]

What real lighting fixture company makes these?

Kichler - no
Kohler - no
Others?

Idk, but isn't kohler plumbing?

Still waiting on a fixture recommendation from the peanut gallery here that has actually installed one...

Not tryin to be a peanut gallery, but it's pretty clear no one here has installed one. Based on your reset, sounds like no "real" company makes them...

 

[dave*99]

So I looked for one like the unit I installed in 2013. This isn’t it but like mine, the mounting bracket is designed to screw to a box and it mentions black and white wires.
Oh, and the copyright on the installation guide is also 2013. Mine was expensive but not $780

Baci By Remcraft Basic Round Double Arm Reversible Wall Mirror 1X By 5X

Focal Point is an Authorized Baci mirror Retailer!About The Baci By Remcraft Basic Round Double Arm Reversible Wall Mirror 1X By 5XIs our introductory and most affordable collection but it is still a far cry from ordinary. Baci Basic mirrors are crafted with the same care and precision as our...

focalpointhardware.com

 

[mm08822]

.....Try Ferguson, Bath stores, Glass stores

 

[dave*99]

Idk, but isn't kohler plumbing?

Kohler has an extensive line of lighting. Much of it designed to complement their bathroom plumbing fixtures

 

[larry4406]

Idk, but isn't kohler plumbing?



Not tryin to be a peanut gallery, but it's pretty clear no one here has installed one. Based on your reset, sounds like no "real" company makes them...

Kohler does extensive bathroom lighting and mirrors to coordinate.

So I looked for one like the unit I installed in 2013. This isn’t it but like mine, the mounting bracket is designed to screw to a box and it mentions black and white wires.
Oh, and the copyright on the installation guide is also 2013. Mine was expensive but not $780

Baci By Remcraft Basic Round Double Arm Reversible Wall Mirror 1X By 5X

Focal Point is an Authorized Baci mirror Retailer!About The Baci By Remcraft Basic Round Double Arm Reversible Wall Mirror 1X By 5XIs our introductory and most affordable collection but it is still a far cry from ordinary. Baci Basic mirrors are crafted with the same care and precision as our...

focalpointhardware.com

Townhouse I did 8-9 years ago customer spec’d one of those. Not cheap. Site was down today for religious holiday? I think $900-1100 is a bit too rich for my blood.

 

[dave*99]

Kohler does extensive bathroom lighting and mirrors to coordinate.

Townhouse I did 8-9 years ago customer spec’d one of those. Not cheap. Site was down today for religious holiday? I think $900-1100 is a bit too rich for my blood.

Agree. I think it was 200+ in 2013. That’s a lot of inflation.