How to Calculate Ceiling Lighting Needs

Installing the proper amount and type of lighting makes your home functional without feeling like a cave or like you're constantly under a spotlight. The main types of lighting include ambient, which lights the entire room; task, for direct light on a work surface; and accent, which highlights a specific feature in the home. An evaluation of your current lighting layout helps you determine where changes are necessary. Aim to balance a functional lighting scheme with energy efficiency.

Instructions

- 1
  Observe the current lighting in each room at various points in the day. Open window coverings as you normally do to assess the light during the day to take into account the natural lighting from outdoors. Note the amount and quality of lighting both during the day and at night to determine where changes need to be made.
- 2
  Determine the need for additional ambient lighting from the ceiling in each room. If the old fixture is dim, consider replacing it with one that allows for more wattage. Or explore the possibility of adding more lighting fixtures on the ceiling of the room.
- 3
  Identify areas of each room that need task lighting for specific activities. Examples include kitchen countertops, dining tables, shower stalls, desk areas or game tables. Choose a type of ceiling light to provide the task lighting, such as pendant lights, track lighting or recessed lights.
- 4
  Draw a sketch of each room, marking the current ceiling fixtures for each room. Then draw in additional fixtures you plan to install. Consider spacing so the light fixtures are spread out through the room for balanced lighting that isn't concentrated only in one area.

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