Light plays a crucial role in enhancing your health and well-being. Poor lighting is known to cause eye fatigue, trigger stress, and affect your circadian rhythm. Unfortunately, most homeowners often overlook this vital aspect at the detriment of their health. If you’ve been wondering about how you can calculate your home’s lighting needs, you’ve come to the right place.
Keep reading to learn how to determine the amount of light you need in your room for optimal illumination.
Calculating How Much Light is Needed in a Room
Lighting is a science. Understanding how it can impact your well-being can help you select the most suitable lighting plan for your room. There are two methods you can use to calculate how much light you need in a space: Wattage and Lumens. The steps below will guide you in determining the optimal light level for each room in your home.
Calculating How Many Watts You Need
- Calculate the length and width of your room. For a room that’s irregularly shaped, divide it into zones where you can install individual lights.
- Multiply the two values obtained in Step 1 above to get the area’s square footage.
- Next, multiply the product by 1.5 to determine the ideal wattage needed to light up the room.
- Make the necessary adjustments according to the room’s purpose. If you need task lighting in the space switch the multiplying value from 1.5 to 2.5. This will make the room brighter because an increase in wattage ultimately translates to an increase in lumen capacity.
Pro Tip!
If working with different zones within a room, treat each as a full unit then add up all the values. This will give you the total wattage required for optimal lighting in the space. Be aware that you can distribute the wattage among multiple light fixtures in the room to ensure even illumination.
Calculating How Many Lumens You Need
Alternatively, you can calculate how many lumens you need in your room. Here’s what you should do:
- Measure the room’s length and width.
- Multiply the values obtained in Step 1 to get the square footage.
- Determine the foot candles needed for your room. Multiply it by the square footage to get the total lumen count required for optimal lighting in the room.
Here’s a basic guide:
|
Room |
Standard Foot Candles |
|
Hallway |
5 to 10 |
|
Living Room |
10 to 20 |
|
Bedroom |
10 to 20 |
|
Dining Room |
30 to 40 |
|
Kitchen |
30 to 40 |
|
Bathroom |
70 to 80 |
Pro Tip!
Your interior design can affect the amount of light needed in a room. Darker spaces tend to absorb more light requiring a higher lumen count. For this reason, you should allocate an additional 10 lumens for every square foot in the room to ensure optimal lighting.
Factors to Consider When Lighting Up Your Room
To ensure proper lighting in your space, you’ve got to look beyond the size of your room. Other often overlooked factors that can affect your home’s light levels include:
Color Temperature
There’s more to lighting than just the wattage and lumen capacity. You need to consider the bulb’s color temperature. Does it complement the room’s functionality? Be aware that the bulb’s color tones can significantly impact the ambiance.
Generally, most rooms in the home require warm white lights. These measure about 2700K and help create a warm, relaxed, and cozy atmosphere. The exception to this rule may be your home office and the bathroom. Cool white lights are ideal for these spaces. These range between 3800K to 4000K.
Natural Light
Does your room receive natural light? If it does, you should take advantage of it. Having access to natural light not only boosts your health, but it can also significantly cut down your energy costs. This is because it reduces the need for artificial lighting during the day.
Ideally, it’s recommended that you face your windows and glass doors to the south to receive optimal sunlight. Alternatively, you can install skylights so you can maximize on natural light.
Light Sources
Homeowners need to install an adequate number of light fixtures in the space for even illumination. Knowing where to place them is also vital. It’s recommended that you layer your lighting.
You can add overhead ceiling lights, wall sconces, and even strip lighting for your room’s light design. However, this depends on the scale of the room. Avoid using one light source to light up a large space.
Dimmers and Controls
Installing dimmers and smart controls allows you the flexibility of conveniently adjusting the light intensity to create the ambiance you desire. This ensures that the lighting in your room can always be set to match your needs and requirements. A convenient and reliable way for personalizing your space.
Personal Style and Comfort
While expert designers can make recommendations on how best to light your room, it all boils down to your preference. You might lean more towards cool white lights in your space, and that’s okay. But, be open to trying different light setups and create a healthy balance between aesthetics and practicality. Remember, the lighting scheme you choose will have a significant impact on your mood and well-being.
Design a Healthy Lighting Environment With Proper Lighting
The lighting design you choose goes beyond the fixture’s visual appeal. Apart from its ability to instantly elevate the look and feel of your room, it can significantly impact your health. Installing the right lighting option and style helps to create the ideal environment for you to thrive.
However, you should remember that every room is different. And, the amount of lighting needed in the space may vary depending on its design and functionality. By following this guide, you can learn how to optimize the lighting in your room so you can enjoy a healthy and functional space. Connect with Seus Lighting today and get the perfect light fixtures for your home.