What are lumens, and why do we need to know about them?
First off, lumens are a unit used to measure visible light emitted from a light source, which indicates the overall brightness of the light. Finding the right number of lumens required for your space is key to bringing balance and efficiency alongside supporting your circadian rhythm. Let’s take a look at the common questions and misconceptions around them:
What happened to Watts?
Until recently, we used watts to select bulbs for our homes, but we should have been using lumens! Watts refer to the amount of energy used to power each bulb, whereas lumens accurately tell you the brightness of a bulb.
Almost all lighting suppliers will note the lumens value and wattage on their packaging, so you’ll always be able to find out the power behind each bulb. To remain as energy efficient as possible, try to pick a light fitting with a low wattage but high lumen value.
There are two ways in which lumens can be measured: source lumens tell us how bright a light is without any cover or diffuser, whereas delivered lumens tell us how bright a light will be with a cover or diffuser. Most suppliers will use delivered lumens on their packaging, as it gives a more accurate reading of how bright a light source will be in your home.
What's the difference between Lumens and Kelvins?
Lumens measure the output and brightness of a light source, whereas kelvins measure the colour temperature of a light source.
The temperature scale runs from cool white to warm white. Cool white light (6,000-6,400k) is perfect for precision tasks and gives off a cool white hue, whereas warm white light (3,000 - 4,000k) offers a more relaxing, yellow-white tone. Depending on the room, you may want a specific colour temperature. For example, we would suggest warm light for a cosy bedroom atmosphere compared to cool lighting in the kitchen for heightened concentration.
If you cannot decide what colour lighting to choose for your bathroom, then our range of ambient light mirrors would be an ideal choice. Allowing you to cycle through the full spectrum of light temperatures between 3,000 and 6,000k, CCT (Correlated Colour Temperature) bulbs mimic outside lighting conditions with precision to suit your mood and environment.
How do you calculate Lumens?
The number of lumens you need is dependent on a variety of factors, but the main aspects you should consider are size, room and personal preference. Smaller rooms will need less light compared to larger spaces that require more lumens to ensure correct light levels across the entire room.
To find out how many lumens you need in each space, all you need to do is follow this simple formula: Square Footage x Foot Candles = Total Lumens
See diagram below:
Alongside square footage, consider what the use of the room is and what your personal preferences are regarding warmer, cooler, brighter or dimmer lighting.
Why do I need to know how many Lumens I need?
We often need more lighting in areas such as the kitchen or bathroom, as they are task areas. Therefore, you want to choose lights with a higher lumen count compared to your lounge, where you may want more subdued lighting for a relaxed atmosphere.
The time of day also plays an important role in lighting. Your body needs warmer soft lights in the evening to help induce sleep and bright daylight in the morning to help you feel awake. We call this circadian rhythm, your body’s internal 24-hour clock, which can be supported by your light choices for regulated sleep-wake cycles.
How many Lumens do I need in the bathroom?
Including your main ceiling lighting and additional lighting around task areas, such as an LED mirror, we’d recommend a total bathroom lumen output of 1500-2000.
How you split the total lumen output is up to you, but we would suggest a low lumen output for ceiling lighting and a higher lumen output around your sink or vanity. Additional lighting around task areas ensures precision when shaving or applying make-up. The type of lighting in these areas will be specific to your bathroom, so you may choose overhead lighting, wall lighting or an illuminated mirror.
In terms of colour temperature, a mixture of cool and warm lighting is optimal. Warm white downlights will create a relaxing and inviting atmosphere for bathing, whereas a cool white LED mirror will perfectly illuminate your face for maximum visibility for self-care. This is an ideal combination for efficient use of your entire bathroom.
How bright are Pebble Grey LED mirrors and cabinets?
All our LED bathroom mirrors and cabinets have their lumens listed on each product page. This is the best way to measure how bright your mirror will be, as all our mirrors use LEDs, which are naturally very energy-efficient, so the positive correlation between traditional watts and brightness (like fluorescent bulbs) does not apply when buying an LED product.
