How to Determine the Correct Amount of Light for a Room by Blue Marble Lighting

How do I determine the correct amount of wattage to properly illuminate a 12’ x 16’ room?

To find proper ambient lighting for a room, multiply the room dimensions to get your total square footage (12’ x 16’ = 192’).  Then multiply the square footage by 1.5 for total illumination needed (192’ x 1.5 = 288 watts).  So, for a 12’ x 16’ room, two 150-watt table or floor lamps would give more than ample light (2 x 150 watts = 300 watts).  Another consideration would be an 8-light chandelier with 40-watt bulbs (8x 40 watts = 320 watts).  For specific task lighting within a space (for example, the light needed on a kitchen island ), multiply the square footage of the island (8’ x 4’ = 32’) times 2.5.  Two 40-watt mini pendants would do the job (32’ x 2.5 = 80 watts).