{"id":1438,"date":"2024-01-15T23:57:22","date_gmt":"2024-01-15T23:57:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/plottedlights.com\/?p=1438"},"modified":"2024-01-18T13:03:33","modified_gmt":"2024-01-18T13:03:33","slug":"ideal-lumens-for-the-living-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/plottedlights.com\/ideal-lumens-for-the-living-room\/","title":{"rendered":"Ideal Lumens For The Living Room"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The living room is the heart of every home. A space for relaxing, having guests over, spending time with your family, and so much more. This means only one thing: a fun lighting challenge for you. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we will discuss what the ideal lumens for the living room are. Because of its functionality and dissimilarity from one home to another, the living room is quite difficult to light up, which is why we will segment it into different areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First things first. How many lumens do I need for a well-lit living room?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Lumens<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

For ambient light<\/strong>, you need about 15 lumens per square foot (160 lumens per square meter)<\/strong> of your living room. For task lighting<\/strong>, you need about 35 lumens per square foot (370 lumens per square meter) <\/strong>of your task area.<\/strong><\/em> For example, if your living room is 250 sq. ft. (23 sq. m.)<\/strong>, you need about 250*15=3750 lumens<\/strong> of ambient light. These do not need to come from a single source. If your task area (e.g., reading a book on the couch) is 15 sq. ft. (1.4 sq. m.)<\/strong>, you need about 15*35=525 lumens<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As you can see, this question is more complicated than it looks at first. Keep reading to learn all the details about the perfect distribution of lumens for the living room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Are Lumens And Why Are They So Important?<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Lumens are a measure of the total visible light emitted by a light source per unit of time. Basically, lumens quantify the brightness of a light source. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Check out these key points about lumens:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Brightness Measurement:<\/strong> Lumens provide a standardized way to measure the brightness of different light sources regardless of the type of bulb. As such, they have replaced watts<\/a>, which are no longer an accurate measurement of brightness, since different bulbs consume different amounts of electricity for the same brightness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Relevance to Light Bulbs:<\/strong> When you purchase light bulbs, the packaging typically includes information about the bulb’s lumen output. This helps you choose bulbs that provide the ideal level of brightness for a specific space or task, so it’s good to be familiar with the numbers.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Purpose of Lighting:<\/strong> Lumens are crucial in determining the appropriate lighting for different activities and settings. For example, a brightly lit kitchen or workspace requires more lumens than a cozy living room or bedroom.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Room Size and Illumination:<\/strong> The number of lumens needed for a particular space depends on factors such as the room’s size, purpose, and the desired level of illumination. Properly assessing these factors ensures that the lighting meets both our functional and our aesthetic needs.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n
    \"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Ambient Lumens For The Living Room<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

    Keeping in mind that the living room is a space used for relaxation and recreational activities, the number of lumens we need will be relatively lower compared to that for fully functional rooms like the kitchen<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    As such, the suggested number of lumens for the living room is 10-20 lumens per square foot (110-220 lumens per square meter). You can be on the higher or lower end of the spectrum based on your preferences. However…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    Pro Tip: <\/strong>It’s better to over-light than under-light your living room. Then, you can use dimmer switches and bring down the brightness a notch if it’s too much.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    For some examples, let’s check the table below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Living room area in square feet<\/th>Number of lumens needed<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    150<\/td>1500-3000<\/td><\/tr>
    200<\/td>2000-4000<\/td><\/tr>
    250<\/td>2500-5000<\/td><\/tr>
    300<\/td>3000-6000<\/td><\/tr>
    350<\/td>3500-7000<\/td><\/tr>
    400<\/td>4000-8000<\/td><\/tr>
    450<\/td>4500-9000<\/td><\/tr>
    500<\/td>5000-10000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    And for the metric system:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Living room area in square meters<\/th>Number of lumens needed<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
    15<\/td>1600-3200<\/td><\/tr>
    20<\/td>2200-4400<\/td><\/tr>
    25<\/td>2700-5400<\/td><\/tr>
    30<\/td>3300-6600<\/td><\/tr>
    35<\/td>3700-7400<\/td><\/tr>
    40<\/td>4400-8800<\/td><\/tr>
    45<\/td>4700-9400<\/td><\/tr>
    50<\/td>5500-11000<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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    Remember:<\/strong> Not all lumens must come from the same light source. In fact, it’s important to diversify your light sources, especially in bigger spaces.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

    Some of the best fixtures for ambient light in the living room are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n