How Do You Calculate Indoor Lighting Requirements?
As you design a room or redecorate it, finding the right amount of light to balance the décor and the natural light of the room is important. Complex series of mathematical formulas exist for calculating the light required for a specific point in the room. However, for general purposes, and for satisfying most homeowners’ basic needs, a simple formula does the trick to help you find out how much light you need for a room. Measure the dimensions of the room, including openings and nooks or areas that will be hidden or shadowed by overhead lighting. Generally, you need the length and width in feet of the room you wish to light. Multiply the width times length, in feet, rounded up to the nearest whole or half number. Then take this total and multiply it by 1.5. This gives you the number of watts that it will take to light the room appropriately for general use. For example, a room that is 10 feet by 11.5 feet becomes a formula of 10 x 11.5 = 115. Then, 115 x 1.5 = 172.5 total watts to lig
