How much light do I need in a room and how do I work that out?

The simple answer is that you need between 70 to 100 Lumens per square meter to read by.   This is a general rule of thumb but in most cases works very well.   So for those who have really good eye sight 70 Lumens per square meter should be sufficient.  But the fact is that we are all aging and as we age our eyes start to struggle and therefore we generally recommend 100 Lumens per square meter.

Most good light fittings will have a Lumen count on the box.

For instance the 9 watt CLA down light called the Nova has an output of between 700-800 Lumens.  The reason there is a difference is that the light comes in a warm white as well as a cool white.  The cool white is brighter having the 800 Lumens.

So to work it out, all you have to do is measure the room.  Therefore if the kitchen is 5 meters by 3 meters  two Down-lights would be sufficient to light up this room.

But there is another thing to consider.  And that is the placement of the lights.  Generally if the lights are behind you, then when you are working you will get shadows over the work area.  In that case it would be advisable to place some Down lights over the working area or place one light in each corner.

IF it is too bright then dimmers can be fitted and the lights dimmed to requirements