Choosing the right lighting for your home can never be a random choice.
Each room has specific requirements regarding the power and type of lighting to be provided to achieve a satisfying result. Knowing how many lumens you need to illuminate each room in your home allows you to set up lighting that is perfectly suited to your environment. Here's what you need to know.
Measuring lighting in the home
The appeal of a home lies not just in the furniture inside, but also in the way we enhance each aesthetic choice through appropriate lighting. For each room in the house we can calculate the amount of lighting needed to achieve the best effect, considering its surface area, the arrangement and angle of the lights and whether they are direct or indirect (reflected).
Lighting is expressed through two units of measurement: the Lux and the Lumen.
Lux (lx) is the unit of measurement of illumination (1 Lux = 1 Lumen /1 square meter) and represents how much an area is illuminated. This value can be estimated using special software by performing a lighting calculation, in which photometries are applied to simulate the presence of light.
Lumen is the unit of measurement for luminous flux and is how much light comes from a given light source, i.e. the brightness of the source in question. Therefore, the light output of a lamp is the sum of the lumens it is able to produce. This means that the greater the lumens a fixture produces, the brighter the light it emits.
This lighting can be released in many ways: diffuse, reflected, at wide or narrow angles.
The best way to evaluate the lighting to be used for each area is by Lux per area: a photometric calculation can be used to assess if the lighting identified is right.
In any case, lumens can give a rough idea of how much light will be required for a specific room and how many and which lighting systems should be used.
How many lumens you need to illuminate rooms
The number of lumens required to adequately illuminate a room is influenced by the characteristics of the room, the light type available, the size of the room, the angle of illumination and any specific effects intended to be achieved.
In addition, the way you distribute the light has to be carefully considered in order to avoid shadows and to achieve the required illumination.
Some factors that affect the ideal number of Lumens are:
color of the walls;
color of the room floor;
material of the room's floor (those made of marble reflect light, while those made of wood tend to absorb it);
purpose of the room (relaxation, working life).
Apart from these considerations, however, ideal lumen values for each room tend to be:
Kitchen: between 300 and 400 lux
Bedroom: between 50 and 150 lux
Corridors and hallways: between 100 and 150 lux
Working spaces: between 300 and 400 lux
How many Lumens you need to light the kitchen
The kitchen is a domestic environment where several activities need attention. The size of the kitchen has an impact on the lighting power required: to achieve a balanced lighting for each section you may need both a light point for the table, such as a pendant lamp, and another for the hob, such as a recessed spotlight.
Typically, between 2,000 and 4,000 lumens (350 lux) might be needed to brighten up the kitchen.
How many Lumens you need to light your living room
The living room is generally an area of the home for relaxing, such as reading or watching TV, alone or in company. For this reason, a lot of light is not required, as with working spaces.
In the living room, 1,500/3,000 lumens (150/200 lux) can be sufficient to illuminate the relaxing area, while in the entertainment space, it is recommended to have a light to keep the attention higher, around 3,000/4,000 lumens. LED profiles help to create a cosy atmosphere.
How many Lumens you need to light your bedroom
Several factors must be considered when determining the optimal amount of lumens for your bedroom: the amount of natural light, your preferences, furnishing style etc.
Wall sconces can be an excellent lighting point by which you can decide the orientation of the light beam.
An appropriate amount of Lumens to illuminate the bedroom will generally be around 1,000/2,000 Lumens (100/150 lux).
How many Lumens you need to light your home office
The study is an area of the home used for work or reading, not for relaxing. For this reason, the lighting applied should not tire the eyes and keep attention high. A lighting set of 300/400 lux is generally recommended.
How many Lumens you need to light a corridor
The corridor and the joint areas require a good but not excessive lighting. An average value of 150 lux may be suitable. Recessed spotlights are an excellent solution for illuminating hallways and corridors in an elegant and atmospheric way.
How many Lumens you need to illuminate the bathroom
The bathroom is a room where activities requiring attention and good exposure are carried out, like shaving or applying make-up. A different type of lighting should therefore be planned for the whole room and the mirror.
Adequate lighting for the bathroom is generally around 2,000/4,000 lumens. The mirror may require 400 lux and the rest of the room 100/150 lux.
The 15 mm recessed spotlights are perfect for installation in humid locations and reduced spaces providing direct lighting.
Anyway, to avoid making mistakes, it is always a good idea to rely on professionals who can make appropriate lighting calculations to provide the details needed to adequately light each room.
9010novantadieci indoor lighting products can make every space a unique and versatile place.
For over 50 years, we have carried on the tradition of our territory with passion and dedication, using non-toxic and environmentally friendly materials. We also provide our customers with the possibility of customising products to meet any lighting need and requirement.