How Many Recessed Linear Lights Will I Need for My Project?
Step 1:
Usually its a good idea to create layers of light in our design, so to figure out how may linear LED lights we'll need, its a good idea to first figure out how much light will be needed for the whole room.
This way, we can add up the lumens from our linear lights, add in any decorative lighting, and make sure that we hit our goal for the room.
To figure out how much illumination is needed for the whole room, we can do a quick calculation. It only takes a couple minutes.
First follow the link to our lighting estimators here. Or choose a vibe for your room below:
Next answer the questions in the table. You'll need to know what kind of room is being designed, how large the room is, and how bright the room finishes will be (walls, floor, and ceiling). By using the estimator you are acknowledging that you agree to the terms and conditions (link here).
Once you've done that, the estimator will automatically tell us how many lumens of light we need for that room.
Step 2:
Email yourself the results from the estimator so that you have it for your records.
Step 3:
Now that we are confident in how many lumens of light are needed, we can decide whether we want to add other kinds of lights to our design.
These might be from Pinterest or from your favorite lighting website. Personally I love to start at Lumens.com, or reference my light fixture library, which are the fixtures I use over and over on my own projects.
Note: As an Amazon Associate I may earn a small commission from qualifying purchases if you choose to follow the links provided on this website. This of course doesn't result in any additional cost to you as a customer.
I hope this helps! If you'd like to see a comparison of the best recessed LED tape options, scroll down to the table below. Reach out if you have questions, and good luck with your project!
-Steve Duncan, AIA
Architect & Lighting Designer
Best Recessed LED Tape Comparison: Value Engineering & Alternates
 |  | |
Color Options: Clear/Frosted Lens, Mud-up Plaster Channel | Color Options: Clear/Frosted Lens, Mud-up Plaster Channel | Color Options: Black, Mud-up Plaster Channel |
Color Rendering Index: 90+ | Color Rendering Index: 90+ | Color Rendering Index: 90+ |
Color Temperature: 2700K, 3000K | Color Temperature: 2200K, 2700K, 3000K, 3500K, 4500K | Color Temperature: 2700K, 3000K, 4000K, 5000K |
Lumens: 210 per foot | Lumens: 325 per foot | Lumens: 185 |
Wattage: 3 watts per foot | Wattage: 4 watts per foot | Wattage: 4.5 |
Efficacy: 70 | Efficacy: 81.25 | Efficacy: 41.5 |
Indoor Only | Indoor Only | Indoor Only |
Dimmable: Yes | Dimmable: Yes | Dimmable: Yes |
Cutsheet: Kichler Cutsheet | Cutsheet: WAC Cutsheet | Cutsheet: Flos Cutsheet |
Where to Order: Lumens | Where to Order: Lumens | Where to Order: Flos |
Cost: $ | Cost: $$ | Cost: $$$ |
It's boring. It's predictable. And I love it. Make it BRIGHT!
I use this vibe on virtually every project I work on because it's a crowd pleaser. Of course you want your spaces to FEEL bright, and the key here is to focus light on vertical surfaces. You need to get light onto the walls, cabinets, and artwork to make a space feel bright.
Shocker installing a whole bunch of recessed cans is NOT going to make your room feel bright, because those cans are pointed downward at the floor. If your floor is white, then you get a free pass, but for everyone else, you're throwing money away when you point lights at dark surfaces, like ... floors.
If you're drawing a grid of recessed cans for your lighting plan, PLEASE make some of those adjustable lights that can be aimed at walls. Your eyes will thank you.
BRIGHT LIGHTING VIBE: EXAMPLE LIVING ROOM LIGHTING LAYOUT
LIGHTING VIBE:
Clean, expansive, ordered.
LIGHTING STRATEGY:
Most of the light in this room needs to be aimed at the walls, to make the space “feel” bright.
ROOM FINISHES:
Walls and ceilings should be bright tones. Matte finishes are recommended because they will appear brighter than finishes which are glossy.
A few years back, I was brought in to "fix" the lighting for a beautiful home off of Lake Washington in Bellevue, Washington.
The home had wood ceilings and beams, and polished concrete floors, but the homeowner said it always felt dark and depressing. The vibe they wanted was RELAXED and soft.
The existing lighting was an eclectic hodgepodge of lights, that looked like they'd all been pulled from a clearance sales rack. But the real issue was that there wasn't any light directed at the walls and ceiling.
No wonder everything felt dark and depressing! To achieve a soft, cozy, relaxed vibe we had to introduce additional light directed at soft surfaces like the wood ceiling, matte painted walls, and new area rugs.
We traded out the sea of "spotlights", and we introduced new lighting to wash the walls and ceiling with light, so that most of the light was REFLECTED off of room was reflected light.
WHERE you aim the light is just as important as HOW MUCH light there is. Hope this helps...
RELAXED LIGHTING VIBE: EXAMPLE LIVING ROOM LIGHTING LAYOUT
LIGHTING VIBE
Warm, peaceful, recharge.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
Most of the light in this room needs to be directed downward.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls, ceilings, and floors should be medium tones. Matte finishes are recommended to make the space feel softer.
Life as a movie?...
You know how you wish your life was a movie? No...? Just me?
I can't help but analyze the lighting that we see in movies and television. How did they create that mood? And if they can create a feeling on a movie set then WHY can't we do that when we design architecture?
I first started experimenting with a cinematic vibe on a project in the San Juan Islands in Washington State. It was a beachfront property, absolutely stunning sunsets, and an interior designer with a grand vision (Miller Interior Design out of Seattle).
The key to pulling off this look is to balance the light, with some lighting directed upward, and some directed downward. Some of the finishes should be textured/matte so that they "catch" the light and create that dreamy feel.
Happy designing! Now pass me the popcorn.
CINEMATIC LIGHTING VIBE: EXAMPLE LIVING ROOM LIGHTING LAYOUT
LIGHTING VIBE
Warm, magical, energized.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
Most of the light in this room needs to be directed toward the walls & ceiling.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls, and ceilings should be medium to dark tones, with matte/satin finishes.
Leading with value...
Every project I work on has "builder grade" elements to it, and that is what allows us to reallocate more budget to high impact areas like entertaining spaces and the primary bedroom suite, or budget money toward high end finishes and furniture instead.
Not every space needs to have premium lighting, and that's OK!
BUILDER GRADE LIGHTING VIBE: EXAMPLE LIVING ROOM LIGHTING LAYOUT
LIGHTING VIBE
Pragmatic, economical, quickship.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
Create a uniform grid of downlights to evenly light the room.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls and ceilings should be right tones. Floor should be a medium or bright tone. Matte and semi-glass finishes are recommended.
It was a once in a lifetime design opportunity...
I'd been tasked with designing a new home, nestled into the woods, on an island just outside Seattle.
The property was sublime. I felt like I was on a camping trip, detached from reality, in tune with nature. There were so many sources of inspiration, but it was only after we went on a hike in the woods nearby that it all clicked for me.
Mist was coming up off of the ground, and streaks of dappled light streamed through the canopy of the trees, and in that moment I knew we wanted to recreate that feeling with the architecture. There's a reason that people want to escape back to nature.
Architecture should be there to keep us safe and protected, while still reminding us that nature isn't "out there", it's IN HERE.
LIGHTING VIBE
Dappled, natural, connected.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
This scheme requires a balance of accent light and uplight, to create pockets of bright and dark at the ceiling and floor. Pendants with a patterned shade can also be used to create an organic pattern of bright light and dark shadow.
ROOM FINISHES
Medium tones are recommended, and wood treated with a semi-opaque stain (avoid glossy finishes).
I have a sneaking suspicion... that models aren't actually as attractive as we think they are, and that actually, it's just really REALLY good lighting.
Got light? Maybe instead of hitting the gym, you should just get better lighting. Just kidding, do both and be unstoppable! Now hand me that box of donuts.
LIGHTING VIBE
Striking, main-character, confident.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
In this scheme, most of the light in this room needs to be aimed at one wall, and balanced with large pendant lights which act like a softbox for the most flattering lighting.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls and ceilings should be bright tones with a matte finish. Drywall should have a Level 5 Finish.
Golden Hour... what if we could recreate that vibe in our designs?
Growing up, I always dreamed of visiting California (which is apparently an unpopular opinion now??).
I distinctly remember finally arriving at the ocean, and then walking down the boardwalk in Santa Cruz.
In that moment I decided I would one day live in California and that these pristine sunsets would be a regular part of my life. After a stint living in Seattle, my love (obsession?) for sunshine reached it's peak.
Well I've been here in California for ten years now, and I never get tired of golden hour in the golden state. If I could bottle it up and take it with me back to Seattle, I would.
In the meantime, let's design our buildings to feel more inspired by the (outside) world around us, you know ... like a walk along the Santa Cruz Boardwalk. Hope this helps....
LIGHTING VIBE
Social, exciting, active.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
Most of the light should be directed up at the ceiling, to create a mix of color like the sky. This can be complimented with adjustable task lighting to create long shadows to mimic golden hour lighting.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls and ceilings should be bright tones. Ceiling must have a Level 5 matte finish.
You know how your heart kind of skips a beat if you're checking someone out and then they catch you?
Yeah, this lighting vibe has nothing to do with that. Well, maybe a little bit.
There's something about that moment when you meet someone new. Maybe it's at a bar or a coffee shop, and you just know that there's something there and this could be the beginning of the next chapter of your life.
Today's lighting vibe is a step toward bottling up that excitement and mystery.
The key to executing a mysterious vibe, is to direct all of the lighting downward, with most of the lighting directed at one wall of the room.
This creates soft reflected light across most of a person's face, as well as the furniture in the room. This also leaves some areas which are slightly darker, with some shadows for depth and visual interest.
LIGHTING VIBE
Captivating, artistic, subdued.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
Most of the light in this room needs to be directed at one wall of the room.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls and ceilings should be medium to dark tones. A mixture of matte and glossy finishes is recommend to create texture and visual interest.
Gold leaf... but drab? I never would have thought that a ceiling gilded in gold leaf could look depressing and dark, but I stood corrected. We were tasked with bringing the life back to a historic lobby in Baltimore.
The answer was clear. Keep the beautiful gold ceiling, but introduce an element of sparkle and uplight to showcase this pristine ceiling. Normally, I like to let the lighting be understated and let the architecture speak for itself, but this was a great example of when lighting needed to take the lead.
And like this lobby, sometimes a living room design is begging for decorative, sparkling lights, that unapologetically say "I'm beautiful...look at me".
LIGHTING VIBE
Luxe, premium
LIGHTING STRATEGY
In this scheme, the majority of lighting should come from decorative pendant lights, with crystal, or soda bubble glass.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls and ceilings can be medium to bright tones, with a mixture of matte and polished surfaces.
This never happens...
Ok so a couple years ago I was brought in to design the lighting for an 400 Unit college dorm, for graduate students at Princeton, and for one of the Community rooms, the interior design concept was "lantern".
What!? This never happens, the interior design concept was actually centered around good lighting.
Well, game on player! I've got this. The key to executing this vibe is to uplight the ceiling, and light the back wall of the room, so that when viewed from outside, it feels like the room is glowing.
Remember, you don't see light until it travels through the air and actually HITS something, so you have to think about directing the lighting towards walls and ceilings if you want to create that bright glowing Lantern effect.
LIGHTING VIBE
On Display, showcase, art peice.
LIGHTING STRATEGY
In this scheme, the majority of the light should be aimed at walls without windows, paired with uplight to wash the ceiling with light. This will give people a silhoutte appearance and make for a dramatic scene.
ROOM FINISHES
Walls and ceilings should be bright tones, with matte/flat finishes.
What to Look for in a Quality LED Light
Regardless of the vibe you are going for, there are two things that can trip up designers when they are selecting LED lighting:
COLOR RENDERING INDEX (CRI)
If you only remember one thing from me, please remember that color rendering is EVERYTHING when it comes to lighting. If you love incandescent and halogen lights, but hate fluorescent, then color rendering is the reason.
We always want to find lights that have a color rendering (CRI) of at least 90, so that we can bring out the true color of our room finishes and decor. Many LED lights have a color rendering of 80, and this score is actually worse than fluorescent (which has a score of 82). As you can see in the image below, the true color of the wood is brought out with the light on the right, which has a score of 90. The red tones of the wood come through and it feels warm. In contrast, the light on the left makes the wood look a bit greenish and yellow, because it has a poor color rendering score of 80.
Trust me! It's worth it to spend just a little bit more on lights to make sure that you're getting LEDs with a score of 90 or higher, so that the people and finishes in your spaces feel vibrant and full of life. Make sure to pay attention to this when you find a light you like and you're ready to hit that "order" button.
DIMMER COMPATIBILITY
Lastly, make sure that the LEDs you select are dimmable. This is something you need to check in the product cutsheet or through the web store that you are browsing.
Also, you'll need to make sure that the dimmer you select will be compatible with the LED light fixture. In the past, we could easily dim incandescent and halogen lighting with a simple rotary dimmer. This may or may not work for a new LED light fixture.
You wouldn't expect your television remote to be able to turn on your stereo system, would you? The same is true for LED dimmers. You have to make sure that the dimmer switch can actually communicate with the light fixture.
There's a variety of dimming protocols: it may be TRIAC, Electronic Low Voltage (ELV), 0-10 Volt, or DALI. So make sure to work with your electrician or a sales representative to make sure that the components of your lighting design are all compatible.
Why it is Important to do a Lighting Calculation?
If you want to be confident in your lighting design, you have to do a lighting calculation. It's as simple as that.
But how do we actually estimate how bright a room actually needs to be? Well, the footcandle targets for a room are set by the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA), and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD). This professional organization has studied and analyzed the functional requirements for each kind of space designed by architects. For residential projects, I like to refer back to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory & Department of Energy's footcandle targets, since those are made freely available to the public. These are the targets I use for my own projects, and are the basis for the lighting estimator on this webpage.
You don't want to have too little light. It's expensive for a contractor and electrican to come back after the fact to revise the lighting strategy and patch the walls/ceiling. This happened to an interior designer early in my career, and it wasn't a fun situation. For me, it was the beginning of a great collaboration with this design professional, because we worked on many projects after that - but of course it would have been better if this interior designer hadn't made that mistake to begin with.
Likewise, you also don't want to be too bright, and overspend on lighting, just because you're unsure what is needed and just hoping for the best (yikes!).
This is fundamentally why I created the lighting estimator at the beginning of this webpage - to balance making sure there's enough light, while also making sure a client isn't paying for too many lights. Hopefully using the calculator was straightforward. Reach out with questions (before buying/building anything), if you'd like help! Good luck on your project!
-Steve Duncan, AIA
Architect & Lighting Designer
Works Cited
Duncan, Steve. "Why Is It Important to Do a Lighting Calculation?" Lighting Design Insights. [LightingJUMP.com, https://www.lightingjump.com/how-many-lights-cinematic-vibe].
The author emphasizes the necessity of conducting lighting calculations to ensure effective lighting design in various spaces. He cites the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IESNA) and the International Association of Lighting Designers (IALD) for their established footcandle targets that help determine appropriate lighting levels. Duncan also mentions the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and the Department of Energy's publicly available footcandle targets, which he uses for residential projects. He shares a personal anecdote about the complications that arise from inadequate lighting, stressing the importance of precise calculations to avoid costly adjustments and excessive spending. The lighting estimator featured on his webpage is designed to assist clients in achieving optimal lighting without overspending.
REFERENCES
Duncan, Steve. "Why Is It Important to Do a Lighting Calculation?" Lighting Design Insights. .
National Renewable Energy Laboratory. “Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) in Residential Lighting.” NREL/TP-53467. 2012. https://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy12osti/53467.pdf.
Illuminating Engineering Society. "Standards." https://store.ies.org/individual-standards/?v=0b3b97fa6688.
International Association of Lighting Designers. "About the IALD." https://iald.org/IALD/IALD/About/About-the-IALD.aspx?hkey=104e951f-5da0-4cb8-8ca8-8cce8a7b4caf.