How to calculate room lighting correctly?

3.10.2022 You might also be interested in

Answer:

Each room in a flat is intended for a different use and this must be taken into consideration when choosing the right lighting.

Do you need to calculate how much light you need?

Remember a simple formula.

How much light do I need? = Floor area of rooms x 10-15 W

The light in a living room

A living room is the center of home life. That is why when choosing lights we have to take into account various functions of the lighting. For a living room with dimensions of 4x5 meters (20 m2), we need the sum of the light sources in the room to be 400 W. The best is an energy-saving fluorescent light, which saves up to 80% energy. The color of walls and furniture has to be taken into consideration too. The darker the color of the furniture, the more color it absorbs.

We create a basic light appearance by overall lighting, such as ceiling light. The conventional chandelier is often replaced with string or bar chandeliers. There should be a dim light in the living room, which you will appreciate when watching TV. You don’t want to ruin your sight. For reading, you will use a floor lamp. A lamp with a dimmer is optimal, as it is up to you to adjust the brightness of the lamp. Desk and floor lights with rotatable or tiltable spotlights as well as lights with flexible arm create flexible lighting. Individual lights should be equipped with a switch. Do you wish your living room to be even cozier? They opt for a light with dimming.

Kitchen light

In the kitchen, we tend to switch on the light very often and we usually leave the light switched on for a long time, that is why we recommend using energy-saving LED diodes, which save not only time, but they can also change the color of luminous flux. The recommended intensity for the place with a kitchen unit is about 35 W/m2. Place Ensure that the cook working in the kitchen doesn’t shade the ceiling light with his/her body. Besides a central ceiling light, it is also advisable to install the lights under hanging cabinets, which perfectly illuminate a workspace in a kitchen. Rod fluorescent tubes are very suitable for this. Above a dining table, we recommend placing a pendant light with adjustable height. Be sure to choose the light with respect to the size and shape of the table. Ideally, the light should be about 60 cm above the table and just above the height of the sitting person's eyes.

Bedroom lighting

We should not forget the bedrooms. Nowadays bedrooms are not just for sleeping anymore and that is why the lighting should be chosen accordingly. However, if you only sleep in your bedroom, just one central light with two lamps on nightstands will do you. The needed amount of light on 1m2 is 15–20 W.. If you have wardrobes in the bedroom, install spotlights at a distance of 50 cm from the wardrobe so that the spotlights shine inside. Everybody will certainly appreciate the possibility of switching off/on the light directly from the bed. The lights with remote control allow you to do that. The scattered, soft light is perceived as pleasant.

Bathroom lights and toilet lights

There are strict regulations for bathroom lights because electricity and water can easily create a deadly mixture. This standard lays down, that the lights must be placed at least 60 cm from the bathtub or a shower enclosure and they must be also equipped with at least IP 44 rating. For more distant lights IP 23 rating is sufficient. Necessary main lighting in a bathroom is provided by ceiling or wall lights. Additional lights can be installed on both sides of a mirror. The light provides a good mirror image without any shades. The illuminance intensity should be at least 300 lx.

Lights for children's rooms

It is not as easy as it seems to light up a children's room. It is a place, where children play, sleep, and study. Each of these activities requires its own light. The lights in a children's room change as the use of the room changes based on the age of the child. Overall lighting is important. Pendant lights are suitable. Place a lamp beside a bed and on a desk. A right-hander should have a lamp on the left and a left-hander should have a lamp on the right. For computer enthusiasts, the most suitable is subtle and dim lighting above the desk. Smaller kids are afraid of the dark, which is why they like orientation lights. Such lights provide only subtle light and have very low energy consumption, so you can leave these lights switched on throughout the whole night.

Hallway and hall lighting

If your hallway is long, choose several smaller lights in a row with regular spacing. Since people usually stay only for a short period of time in such spaces, it is advisable to use a halogen light bulb, which glows instantly.